Dick's Flamingo Club, 925 Leesburg Road: 1978(?) 23 comments
it seems to me that that Leesburg Road used to be more fashionable than it is now. Perhaps since I-77 came through, it's a bit harder to get to, and to describe how to get to. Or it could just be my imagination, since we didn't go there much even back in the day.
In fact, I have only a very vague memory of having heard about Dick's Flamingo Club at all. If I hadn't seen the ad while I was xeroxing the "restaurants" section from the 1970 phonebook, I'm sure I wouldn't ever have thought of it again. I do notice that it was open until 11pm on weeknights, and it seems to me that more restaurants were open late in 1970 than are today. Nowdays, if you can't get there before 10, or even 9 in a lot of cases, you are pretty well hosed.
The property is currently occupied by Parklane Seafood House whose sign proclaims that they are celebrating their 30th anniversary, having started in 1978. Of course, I think they actually were on Parklane then, so I'm not sure the 1978 date was the actual closure year for Dick's.
UPDATE 5 October 2021: Adding map icon.
23 Responses to 'Dick's Flamingo Club, 925 Leesburg Road: 1978(?)'
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badger
22 Apr 09 at 8:03 am
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Parklane Seafood used to be in a building at approximately 7320 Parklane Rd. Use Google Map and look on the east side of the road. The building still stands.
Midnight Rambler
22 Apr 09 at 8:19 am
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Yea, Parklane on Parklane closed and then became a video poker place, I think.
They coexisted, although we rarely ate at the Leesburg Road location. I seem to remember them having a buffet, while the Parklane location was table serviced. We traveled to Parklane quite often, which was quite the haul from St. Andrews. It was stellar. Leesburg, not so much.
Jonathan
22 Apr 09 at 11:02 am
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Striders was on Huger Street between Blossom and Gervais on the river side on the street in a warehouse. I think it is a gym now.
Tom
22 Apr 09 at 11:36 am
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Dick's was an awesome steak house in the '60s and '70s where deals were done by some of Columbia's elite late at night but the only viable business on Leesburg Road today is the final destination point of Greenlawn Cemetery.
Leesburg Road is located at Exit #9 on I-77.
There are 2 nice new residential areas built since 2006 directly behind the seafood restaurant. -
I believe the name of the nightclub that occupied the building was Scruples.
Robert
5 May 09 at 8:17 pm
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My parents enjoyed going to Dick's back in the day. I actually was able to accompany them on the condition that I didn't through a tantrum. Back then toddlers and young children were rarely seen in Super Clubs. Since I didn't throw a tantrum, or throw food, I was always welcome. I loved the staff, especially Ms. Mary Dixon.
I can still remember dad driving the car into Dick's and seeing that giant pink Flamingo on the road side portion of the brick drive exstension and the smell of steak and seasonings mingled with cigar and cigarette smoke as you walked in the door.Miriam
10 Jun 10 at 10:22 am
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My dad owned Dick's Flamingo Club and we all worked there. He was the best cook EVER and we had some great times there. After Dick retired he did rent the building out and there was a club there called "Scruples". The building sat vacant for a few years until Parklane Seafood bought it. Dick passed away on March 22, 2006 at the age of 83.
cathi gladden
9 Sep 10 at 1:31 pm
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Hi Cathi, I remember you from school, I grew up off Leesburg Road across the street from Saint Marks Wood. We used to go to Dick's all the time back in the 70s.
I remember the Steak Sandwich with Potatoe Wedges, man that was good, and a good price also. Dick enjoyed showing us his kitchen, and a regulation kitchen it was with all the ammenities.
During that time I believe it was a little different from when it was a supper club. We would have a beer and shoot pool.
The last time I saw Dick was around 1987 or 1988, I installed Satellite TV systems and I went to his house, out near Hopkins I believe at that time, to do some repair work for him. I still remember him like it was yesterday, beard and overalls. I miss those days at Dicks Flamingo Club. I'm sorry to hear Dick is gone.rick
16 Jan 11 at 2:04 pm
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Parklane Seafood has the ominous hand-scrawled 'Closed for remodeling' note on their door.
badger
27 Oct 11 at 8:09 pm
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Wasn't Lower Richland Motors or some other used car outfit there for a very short time?
tonkatoy
28 Oct 11 at 6:47 am
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Six months later, and Parklane Seafood is still closed. Haven't seen any activity going on with the restaurant, but the garden center is still operating behind it.
badger
1 May 12 at 10:04 am
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Well, I took some pictures and was going to do a closing, but the phone-number is still active, so I didn't know what to think...
ted
1 May 12 at 12:59 pm
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Parklane is owned by David and Marcia Pressley. They have always done a tremendous catering business besides the actual restaurant and have for years thought about closing down the actual location but continue with Parklane Catering. This may be what is going on, in fact I would bet money on it.
Elizabeth
7 Jun 12 at 2:17 pm
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My sister-in-law's family is friends with the Pressleys and I asked my sister-in-law's parents when I last saw them about a month ago what was going on and they didn't seem to know for sure...
Andrew
7 Jun 12 at 3:09 pm
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We used to travel weekly from St. Andrews to Parklane Seafood when it was on Parklane. That says a lot, because it was truly "on the other side of the world."
jonathan
7 Jun 12 at 3:50 pm
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Found out this weekend that yes, it is officially closed. They live at Lake Wateree and have opened a restaurant outside Ridgeway. I also understand the house at Wateree had a major fire recently.
Elizabeth
18 Jun 12 at 8:22 am
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Here's a mention of the Pressley's new restaurant in Ridgeway: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g1-i12105-k5519191-Introducing_a_new_Resturant_or_Attraction-TripAdvisor_Support.html
Hey, Elizabeth, if you check back in, any chance you used to work there at Parklane?
badger
9 Jul 12 at 2:14 pm
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The building now has a 'For Sale' sign.
badger
27 Jul 12 at 8:18 am
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Dick's was fantastic! We used to get take-out quite a bit. Amazing beef sandwiches and the best fries (big wedge cut potatoes dredged in deliciousness - crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside) EVER! I'm sure mom and dad visited for a beer every now and then as well. Dick was a really nice guy. Remember the awesomely tall pink flamingo neon sign out front? I still think about the great food to this day.
A
10 Jul 13 at 11:51 am
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Dick Greenwood was married to my mother.
Ms. Catherine. He was not a nice person.Daniel Hambrick
27 Jun 20 at 6:43 pm
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Dick Greenwood was married to my mother.
Ms. Catherine. He was not a nice person. Let me restate that, he was great to the public, heard nice stories. Sure they are true. Not so much within the family. I know.Daniel Hambrick
27 Jun 20 at 6:52 pm
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Folks, I don't do a lot of deletions but there are limits and I had to delete a comment.
ted
6 Jul 20 at 4:49 pm
Parkland Seafood has been at that location since 1986. This might have been the location of an old club called "Striders" before that.