Comments on: King Arthur's Restaurant / Mother Truckers / Pizza Bistro, 725 Broad River Road + Heilig-Meyers Furniture Co, 100 Greystone Boulevard : 1970s/2001 etc

By: Michael Taylor

Michael Taylor — Sat, 07 May 2011 08:27:05 +0000

Great photo links tonkatoy! On this one, I'd be almost willing to bet that somehow or another a photo of an actual pub in the U.K. got mixed in with the Winter photo collection of scenes around Columbia. There are a few things that give me this impression: if you examine the brickwork in the building, it's definitely more of an English-style "wandering" bond. The building style for both buildings is certainly more British than American. Also, the yellow pole with the red box on top is the classic English call-box, something we don't have in the States. And not that we don't have overcast days in Columbia, but this is your typical day in the U.K.. It's almost like a scene from one of the Britcoms that airs on PBS every Saturday night ("Last of the Summer Wine" comes to mind - great show by the way).

By: tonkatoy

tonkatoy — Fri, 06 May 2011 17:23:15 +0000

Was this the pub mentioned earlier?

http://digital.tcl.sc.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/jwp&CISOPTR=3791&CISOBOX=1&REC=1

By: Dick

Dick — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 04:15:16 +0000

The Dance School was Dee Crunp's School of Dance. Many of the girls I went to school with took dance lessons there.

By: Jim

Jim — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 00:36:38 +0000

You're not dreaming. There was a dance studio across Broad River Road.

By: E.J.

E.J. — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 23:34:08 +0000

Back in those days, wasn't there a "Fred Astaire" dance studio across the street / kitty corner? I think it later became a Chinese restaurant, which I think it still is. Or I could be dreaming all that.

By: Dick

Dick — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 00:55:51 +0000

Ok, being an "Old Timer" I'll tell you about the location. The property was originally an AMOCO Station run by O.Y. Bouknight. He later moved to the corner of Broad River Road & Bush River Road where the Rite Aide Pharmacy is now located. King Arthurs was built on the location of the former gas station. It was the only building on this property at the top of the hill. Wray took over the Helig Myers property and expanded their operations there. The "round building" you described was originally built by Gibbes Volkswagen after they moved from downtown across from the Carolina Coliseum. Gibbes sold out to the Wrays and that is where the dealership originated. I think I might have a picture from my old Columbia High School Annual from 1972 that has a picture of the building. If you'd like me to send it to you, drop me an e-mail.

By: Dick

Dick — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 00:54:54 +0000

By: Del Bazemore

Del Bazemore — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 03:53:49 +0000

I thought there was a gas station there closer to the road back in the late 60's to early 70's before they built the building for King Arthur's...but as said, I may be wrong. I never really did pay attention to that area..but I do know and remember Dees School of Dance across the street on broad river road.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 20:55:13 +0000

@ Del. As I recall the building was built to be King Arthurs's and before that it was all woods.

By: Del Bazemore

Del Bazemore — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 18:38:01 +0000

I think before it was King Arthur's it was either an Esso or American (Amoco) gas station, or it sat in front of what became King Arthurs..but I'm not 100% sure about the gas station..or maybe I'm thinkin' of somewhere else past that area.