Breeden's Quality Meats
Bennettville, SC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
If you're passing through downtown Bennettsville, don't be surprised if the old Breeden's Quality Meats sign catches your eye. It's the kind of storefront that's becoming harder to find, the sort of neighborhood butcher shop where quality still comes first. 01-08
Breeden's has been serving the community since 1926, and stepping inside feels like going back to a time when your steaks were cut to order and everyone knew the local butcher. The shop is especially well known for its homemade sausage, along with country hams and other regional favorites that keep customers coming back.
Places like this remind you that not every roadside stop has to be flashy. Sometimes an old storefront that's been doing things the same way for generations is reason enough to pull over.
UPDATE: Breeden's Quality Meats remains open in downtown Bennettsville, continuing a tradition that has been serving the community for nearly a century. 07-26
Variety Shop (Gone)
Tigerville, SC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Check out the faded lettering on this old Variety Shop storefront in Tigerville, South Carolina. It's the kind of ghost sign that's easy to miss if you're driving too fast, but once you spot it, you can't help but wonder how many people walked through those doors over the years. 02-08
The brick building dates back to 1904, when it opened as J.H. Roe & Co., serving the little crossroads community long before the faded Variety Shop lettering appeared across the front. By the time this photo was taken, the old storefront had become another quiet reminder of a different era in small-town America.
UPDATE: The building has since been restored by North Greenville University and now serves as the Eddie Runion Creative Arts Center. The old Variety Shop lettering has disappeared, but the historic building remains part of downtown Tigerville. 07-26
Fewell Cotton Warehouse (Rem.)
Rock Hill, SC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
The long brick Fewell Cotton Warehouse is a reminder of the days when cotton was king in Rock Hill. Stretching alongside the old mill complex, it's easy to picture railcars loading and unloading while the textile industry kept the town busy. 02-08
The warehouse dates to the late 1800s and was part of Rock Hill's first steam-powered cotton mill. Around 1903 it was purchased by cotton merchant Edward Fewell, and just a few years later the neighboring mill became part of the growing Carhartt operation, producing work clothes that would become known across the country.
Today the old warehouse has found a new purpose, but the weathered brick walls still hint at the city's textile past. It's another place that's worth slowing down for if you enjoy old industrial architecture.
UPDATE: The former warehouse is now part of the restored Cotton Factory complex, home to shops, offices, studios, and community events while preserving one of Rock Hill's best-known industrial landmarks. 07-26
Boger City Pawn
Boger City, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Driving through Boger City, it's hard not to smile when you come across Boger City Pawn. The name fits the town perfectly, and it's one of those businesses that seems right at home along the roadside. Just outside Lincolnton, it's been catching the attention of passing motorists for years. 02-08
Pawn shops have always been part of the American roadside landscape, and this one is no exception. Whether you're looking for an old guitar, a set of tools, or something you didn't know you needed until you saw it, places like this are always worth a quick stop. You never know what might be waiting inside.
Sometimes it's not a giant neon sign or a famous landmark that makes you pull over. A simple hometown business with a memorable name can do the trick just as easily.
UPDATE: Boger City Pawn remains open and continues serving the Lincolnton and Boger City area from its longtime location along East Main Street. 07-26
T.P. Wood (Closed)
Tigerville, SC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Here's another old storefront in Tigerville that's worth pulling over for. The T.P. Wood Store looks every bit like the country general store you'd expect to find in a small crossroads town, complete with its weathered character and front porch. 02-08
The store traces its roots back to the 1880s and served generations of local residents as a general store and post office. The upstairs even housed the local Masonic Lodge for many years, making the building an important gathering place for the community.
Like so many old country stores, its days as a neighborhood mercantile eventually came to an end. Fortunately, the building itself was saved before it could disappear.
UPDATE: The old T.P. Wood Store his closed. The building has been restored by North Greenville University and now serves as the university's campus store while preserving one of Tigerville's best-known historic buildings. 07-26
McGill's Store (Closed)
Bethany, SC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
This little time capsule is located in Bethany, SC which is just South of Kings Mountain. It could be said that this is the town of Bethany, as other than a few homes there was nothing else in town. McGill's Store really was a general store in the truest sense of the word, just like in the days of old. Aside from gas, you could get groceries, hardware, boots and of course junk food. I opted for the later and purchased a bottle of Sun Drop. There was a newspaper article on the wall about the place, the clerk told me it was from about a year ago. Clearly this place has not changed in decades. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 02-08
Out in the Bethany community, McGill's Store is the kind of country store that makes you want to pull over and have a look around. Sitting at a rural crossroads, it served generations of local residents long before convenience stores and supermarkets became the norm.
McGill's Store (Closed)
Bethany, SC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
The store opened in 1888 and spent well over a century selling just about everything a community might need, from groceries and feed to work clothes and hardware. It was the sort of place where you could grab a sandwich, catch up on the local news, and probably run into someone you knew.
Like many old country stores, changing times finally caught up with it, and the doors closed in 2020. Fortunately, that wasn't the end of the story.
UPDATE: McGill's has been given new life as the Crossroads Cafe at McGill's. The old store still stands at the crossroads, welcoming visitors once again, this time for coffee, lunch, and a taste of its long history. 07-26
Old High Shoals River Bridge
High Shoals, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
Here is the Old High Shoals River Bridge in High Shoals, NC. The bridge was not in use, bypassed, replaced by the typical boring slab. But for some reason, the bridge was not demolished. It appeared to have been abandoned for quite some time. Many thanks to Richard Weiss for info. 02-08
The Old High Shoals River Bridge stretches across the South Fork Catawba River with its tall steel trusses, looking much the same as it did when it carried Highway 321 traffic through town. Even with a newer bridge sitting nearby, it's the old steel span that catches your eye. Built in 1931, the bridge was the main route across the river until 1983, when it was replaced by a wider modern crossing. Rather than tearing it down, the town kept it standing, giving the old structure a second life. Today it's a quiet place for a walk, a little fishing, or simply stopping to admire the view of the river below.
High Shoals River Bridge Sign
High Shoals, NC Photo courtesy Richard Weiss
There's something about old bridges that makes you think about all the travelers who crossed them over the years. Thousands of family vacations, Sunday drives, and everyday trips rolled across these steel beams long before traffic moved over to the newer highway.
If you're exploring the back roads around High Shoals, it's worth taking a few extra minutes to pull over and walk across it. The bridge is a reminder that sometimes yesterday's highway becomes today's roadside attraction.
UPDATE: The Old High Shoals River Bridge remains open to pedestrians and continues to serve as one of High Shoals' best-known landmarks, offering visitors a chance to experience a piece of North Carolina's highway history. 07-26
Breeden's Quality Meats
Variety Shop (Gone)
Boger City Pawn
T.P. Wood (Closed)
McGill's Store (Closed)
McGill's Store (Closed)
Old High Shoals River Bridge
High Shoals River Bridge Sign
