Archive for the ‘out-of-area’ tag
Flo's Place, 3797 US-17 Business (Murrells Inlet): Late 2018 2 comments
I had not realized that Flo's Place in Murrells Inlet was closed until I drove by recently and saw a different sign. I never ate there myself, not being a big seafood fan, but an aunt did, and declared the place "fun". Last week I was able to google up a news article to the efect that the owners were retiring, but today I can't find that information. I do see a listing for an auction of the quirky decor, which took place in early 2019, leading me to put the closing date as late in 2018 (and there are reviews up through September 2018).
Here is a 2017 Sun News article on Flo's in operation.
The space is now American Steak & Oyster Bar.
Indian Wells Golf Club, 100 Woodlake Drive (Murrells Inlet): 22 December 2019 no comments
Indian Wells Golf Club is on the Garden City Connector, a short cut-through that joins US-17 Business with US-17 Bypass just north of the former Pink Pony. As is usual for the Grand Strand, the area has developed quite a bit in the last decade, and there is now a Wal-Mart on the east end of the connector.
According to The Sun News, the plan is to replace the golf course with up to 520 houses and townhouses. This, understandably has upset the locals who already live by the course, who would see their green spaces replaced with houses and traffic, and there have been protests against the development plans.
The course was 36 holes, and opened in 1984 with Hole #9 named to the "Grand Strand's Dream 18". You can see some pictures of the course in manicured operation here. By the time I walked the course on 1 November 2020, I couldn't really tell where the holes had been (though I did find a sandtrap) as it had grown over very quickly during the year of closure.
It was a very pleasant outing though, as the cart paths are still there, and without golf, your "nice walk spoiled" is just a nice walk. There are a number of ducks and herons on the water, and I have seen folks out in canoes from time to time as well; the place is now an unofficial park, and I can see why the folks living behind it will miss it.
Kangaroo Express, 680 Wachesaw Road: 5 August 2020 (Reflagged) 2 comments
Kangaroo was bought out by Circle K several years ago, and in the Midlands, most stores transitioned some time ago.
This one, in Murrells Inlet held on for some reason, though as you can see the gas canopy recently underwent the re-branding. As I was driving by, I noticed the boxed sign out front which would complete the switch, and I expect next time I get down to the area, Kangaroo will have hopped away.
UPDATE 20 August 2020: Add "Reflagged" to the post title to note this is basically a branding change.
The Golf Center, 74 Litchfield Drive: 2019 no comments
I noticed on my recent trip to the beach that this golf store in Litchfield Beach had closed. I'm not a golfer, so I never went inside, but they always had a note on their sign to the effect of "Come see the train", so I was tempted to stop every now and then just to see what it was.
This article from the Sun News says that the owner passed a few years ago and that his wife was continuing to run the store with a daughter, so perhaps she has now retired.
The Desert Inn, 5570 South Kenansville Road, Yeehaw Junction Florida: 22 December 2019 no comments
That Was The Week That Was: July 2020 3 comments
Bruce Munro: Southern Light, Brookgreen Gardens: 6 June 2020 1 comment
Due to scheduling issues of one sort and another, I did not get to Brookgreen Gardens Nights of 1000 Candles in 2019, so I was looking forward to seeing the Bruce Munro Southern Light installation this Spring. Well, then there was, of course, COVID-19, and that was put on hold for a while.
Now however, the display is up and running, and I found a chance to take it in on 6 June 2020. It was one of those unseasonably cool nights we have had this Spring, so the bugs were down, but it was still very comfortable, and there was also a beautiful full moon to go with the lights. My favorite part was towards the last of this set of pictures, a profusion of small color-changing bulbs on stalks planted across one of the more open and less sculpture-studded sections of the gardens. I felt as though I could probably have sat out there for some hours, but as the display closes at 11pm, I had to move on out before I was quite ready.
The exhibition runs from 8pm-11pm through September, so if you are in the area, it's well worth checking out.
Snake River Golf Gem & Fossil Mining Adventure, 4827 South Kings Highway (Myrtle Beach): August 2019 no comments
I enjoy goofy tourist attractions (one reason I like Florida so much) and had been marginally aware of Snake River over the years but it was too far North to be a mini-golf destination for us, and I had never stopped by. Last time I was in the area, I noticed it had shut down, and got these pictures.
Judging by the Google reviews, this place was already on its last legs when it closed sometime around last August and the course as decribed doesn't actually sound much different from the state I found it in! Interestingly, none of the reviews I saw mentioned anything about the gem & fossil mining side of the attraction.
There is more to the course, but while I was walking around, I noticed a car parked in the main building area, and decided to not go over there.
Freebird Lounge, US-17 Georgetown: 1990s 1 comment
I don't know much about the Freebird Lounge other than it occupied a very distinctive building on the east side of US-17 south of the Sampit river bridge in Georgetown. I would often note it as I drove to Charleston. In the years when the signage was still up, there always seemed to be a table lamp visible through an upstairs window at night.
The lounge has been closed for some years -- I'm going to say since sometime in the 90s, and I noticed last year that the building itself was for sale. I haven't driven that way in a while, so I can't say what the current status is.
Dairy Queen, 462540 State Road 200 Yulee Florida: Fall 2017 2 comments
I noticed on my last trip to Fernandina, that this old-school Dairy Queen on historic Florida Route A1A, just off of I-95 in Yulee Florida was closed. (You can see it, poorly, in operation in the first shot).
If I had to guess a cause, it would be the interminable road construction on this stretch of A1A, which has made this parking lot almost inaccessible, especially if west bound. Of course the walk-up design has its drawbacks as well: One review advises eating in your car to avoid the no-see-ums.
For now the nearby produce & souvenir stand is holding on despite the acess problems. I would be sad to see that go, as it has been there forever, and always has good citrus & candies.