Slightly OT: It's sad to see landmarks from my time at USC disappear
- Thread starter surfincock
- Start date
I was a student from ‘77-‘81, and lived there for 11 more years (15 altogether) interrupted only by 2 years in Greensboro, NC in the mid 80’s. I remember most all of the places mentioned, and got to know many of the workers and owners of those establishments. The businesses may have closed ... the owners may have died ... but the memories live on.
I also graduated in 86 and remember all of those places. The Golden Spur in the Russell House was where my instructor bought pitchers as the final exam for the university 101 course. Pretty cool. Pappy's was our favorite hangout. Always there to get the wooden nickels for a free pitcher on Friday's plus great chicken on gamedays.
I went there once but Floyd was too friendly so I didn't go back.
Right in front of that VW Beetle, there was a barber shop, my dad used to take me there back in late 60's...
And now for the Old Timers:
The Purple Onion
The Gondola
Cogburns
Vella's
The Kollege Korner
The Varsity (upstairs and downstairs)
The Downtowner
Doug Broome's (Two of 'em)
The Captain's Kitchen
Speranza's (in the gas station, before they moved into a church)
.... and I almost forgot ...... The DeSoto Hotel.
The Purple Onion
The Gondola
Cogburns
Vella's
The Kollege Korner
The Varsity (upstairs and downstairs)
The Downtowner
Doug Broome's (Two of 'em)
The Captain's Kitchen
Speranza's (in the gas station, before they moved into a church)
.... and I almost forgot ...... The DeSoto Hotel.
USCBatgirl21
Well-Known Member
Can't believe no one has mentioned late nights at the Capital Cafe on Main.
1981. IIRC UGA was voted #1 party school by Playboy....with an asterisk. The asterisk was we would have easily been #1 but for the fact they considered us a "professional" party school instead of "amateur", thus we weren't eligible. I remember Holderman was pissed and tried to crack down on on-campus parties.....good effin luck, SOB.
What you guys call nostalgia was still in the future when I was a student at USC. Can't identify a single place mentioned. I guess time will do that to ya.
We made plenty of late night/early morning stops there. What I remember more than the food was the waiter. He was probably in his late 50s and was openly pissed off every time I saw him. I don't think it was anything we did...,
This one hurts my heart. I was a lifeguard at Bell Camp for 3 summers while I was a student.
http://columbiaclosings.com/wordpress/?p=3252
I still miss the George Rogers Mural Experience
Yeah, I seem to recall that bad attitude was his schtick.
One closing that brings back memories for me is The Big Bird. I remember playing pool and drinking beer downstairs at least 3 nights a week while I was taking summer classes. That was maybe the worst pool table I ever played on.
Noooooo!! Say it ain't so Lee!
The SC Bookstore and Sandy's are my Top 2 stops when I bring my family back home to visit my folks in Hopkins. We get all our Gamecock apparel from the SC Bookstore. Life won't be the same anymore.
Small world. I was a lifeguard there also. There is a gated community around the lake now.
I graduated BSEE in '84. Sumwalt was the building I spent the most time in. Hate that Sandy's closed. Sounds like another restaurant may occupy that building soon.
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It's part of getting old. You'll never get use to it. I was disapoitined when that old Columbia hotel went down even though it was a shot hole and I never stayed there and CCI
I remember almost all of those places as I graduated in '89. There was a place called Suffy's in that same strip I think. But most of those places needed to go. The honeycomb dorms for example were awful. Had to be upgraded, whereas Sandy's was never that good anyway, and I always thought Parthenon was overrated too. I remember everyone taking their dates there and I just didn't get it. Very mediocre. As for the laundromat, there was a bar/pool hall right next to it. So, we used to put in a load and drink and shoot pool. But it was a DUMP (and not entirely safe), so we quickly upgraded to Opening Break when it opened.
I miss Pappy's and the Big Bird though. Both were dives but had a certain charm, and if it's true that Andy's Deli closed, I think I may need a day of mourning. I probably ate the "Andy's Special" about 200 times when I was in school. Always went out to Tony's Pizza in Cayce for all-you-can-eat spaghetti on Tuesday nights as well. Spaghetti and meat sauce on a plastic, sectioned plate. So redneck, but I loved it anyway.
Otherwise, I generally like the newer, nicer stuff that's popping up all over town. Columbia is actually a very underrated restaurant city.
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I just remember eggs and brains being on the menu and some fraternity adopting Paul, the waiter, and bringing him to football games.
"Where were you when they walked on the moon?"
The Capital Cafe, on Main Street, in Columbia, S.C.
Cheese Omelet, w/fries, toast, sweet tea ... buck ten.
I went there sober one morning and couldn't believe I had been frequenting the place.
I was there from '67 to '72.... So many changes and so much better than all those years ago. My wife and I sometimes go down and walk the horseshoe and ride around. Today's kids have so much more I just hope it is appreciated.
Hey Jacie, great to hear from you! I'm sorry to bear bad news but that's what is happening. The SC bookstore is my go to pace also. Maybe they stay open, but he sounded like they were closing.
If I remember correctly, there were not very many EEs to graduate in 1972. A friend and I were exempted from taking the final exam in one of our EE classes during my senior year because we messed up the curve. Great days at USC.
Tony's pizza sold out a few years back but the new owners were too cheap to buy the recipes with the restaraunt. It now taste like crap and I can no longer go to my all time favorite place to eat. I grew up eating their pizza. It's so disappointing now
