It was once said that Pedro’s fire works, but that may no longer be the case. Ibiblio’s Keeper Of The Chicken Paul Jones is on the story that the monument to roadside kitch, South of the Border, appears to be closing up shop.
To add a story to the legend of South of the Border, a onetime neighbor of ours once played basketball at the University of South Carolina. Coach Frank McGuire was friends with owner Alan Schafer and would bus the team there each season for a basketball clinic. Schafer feted the team during their stay, offering outrageous gifts. He would treat them like absolute kings.
Its said that Schafer basically owned Dillon county, and allegedly had the sheriff’s department on his payroll. Schafer was allegedly tight with the mob, too, enough so that when Interstate 95 was being planned, the route got moved closer to Schafer’s property. At least, so says the rumor. If you look at a map, you can see a little jog in the route right around Pedro’s house.
Boy, I-95 will be pretty dull without South of the Border around. Never thought I’d say it, but I’ll miss those tacky billboards. What other tourist trap could possibly take its place?
Heh – Holly and I stopped there on our way to our honeymoon in Charleston. Didn’t check out the “Heir Conditioned” suite, though.
I haven’t been to SOB in quite some time but it would be a tremendous loss if the place closed. There just aren’t enough crazy people with crazy visions with the drive to relaize those visions any longer.
What a shame.