The Man Behind The App: Charlie Nelson
By: Laura Soper
Did you know that there is an app available for your Android or iPhone that is all about Peachtree City? I downloaded the app yesterday, and it is so cool, and the best part: it is free! The app is called The Peachtree City App and within this app you can find local events, activities, accommodations, shopping, dining, classes, services and so much more. It is definitely the go-to place for finding out where kids eat free at area restaurants, what sales are happening at the Avenue and to find out where all of the yard sales will be each weekend. Those are just a few of the things you can learn using this convenient tool. The amount of information at your fingertips is incredible and very easy to navigate. The App is updated frequently so check it out to answer your questions about all things Peachtree City!
So, who is the person that created this fantastic resource for Peachtree City residents and visitors? The answer to that is Charlie Nelson. This seventy-seven year old is a mover and a shaker in the publishing and printing world. Charlie became interested in apps in 2010 and very quickly launched The Peachtree City App which has now been downloaded over 12,000 times! This was not his first pony in the race, so to speak.
Charlie is also the publisher of both the Guide to Coweta and Fayette Counties and Peachtree City-Your Community Magazine. The Guide is currently delivered to 25,000 homes in both counties it serves and 55,000 copies are printed yearly! The magazine specifically featuring Peachtree City is published twice a year in June and November and is delivered to 12,500 homes locally. You may have seen racks all around the area with both of these publications.
A staggering 2000 copies are picked up each month! As a side note, one of the best maps of our golf cart paths that I have seen is inside the Guide. I took it out, laminated it, and keep it in our golf cart in case we ever get lost! As someone with his finger on the pulse of all things Fayette County, it only makes sense that Charlie Nelson would be the man behind the App!
Charlie Nelson has spent the majority of his life in the printing and publishing world. He was born in Louisiana, got his bachelor’s degree in Printing Management from Carnegie Tech and served two years in the Army. While working in the printing field, he went to night school to earn his Master’s of Business Administration degree. From 1974-1989, Charlie worked in Puerto Rico where he printed TV Guide and various tourism magazines. After this long stint in Puerto Rico, he and his wife moved to Fayette County to be closer to his wife’s parents who lived in Atlanta. For the last twenty-six years, Charlie has been working and living in Peachtree City.
In 1994, he bought the Guide to Peachtree City and eventually expanded it to include all of Fayette and Coweta counties. The name of the Guide was changed to reflect this expansion. Even though Charlie is pushing 80 years old, there is no slowing him down! His ingenuity and continued industriousness well into his golden years are truly inspiring. In addition to his printed publications, he has successfully ventured into the digital world. Now you know the man behind the App! You go, Charlie!
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