Signs, signs, everywhere is signs (in 1960s)….
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It would be nice to have a Pepsi or even Cheerwine billboard somewhere downtown since it’s (Pepsi) a world-renowned beverage company that was started in NC.
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Be careful what you wish for. You could end up with a monstrosity like this. (Don’t look up what is there now, it’s even worse).
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Yeah it would be terrible to put on a tall building but may be nice closer to the ground.
I want a moving neon version of this commercial
Theres the Nehi Bottling sign/mural on Hillsborough Street.
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The Hillsborough St bar scene was a multi-layered demise. In the early 80’s, before the age jumped from 18 to 19, then 19 to 21, Edwards Grocery closed and Crazy Zack’s moved to near Meredith. They were the last wild student bars on the strip. (Crazy Zacks near Meredith finally closed in late 1983, Friday afternoon’s were literally insane for State students).
However, there was still The PR, Daryl’s, Blimpie’s (Buckets), Barry’s, Mitch’s (saloon/drinking Mitch’s). And a few other joints. So not bad, but a little tamer during the 82-86 period.
But after the age hit 21 in 1986, there was another level of demise. A huge reduction of bar attendees.
As was mentioned, it stayed halfway decent into the 90’s. But Mitch’s went respectable 1989 and newer bars like East Village and Pantana Bob’s were further down Hillsborough by Dixie Trail. And most of the clientele were 20 something grads, not students.
Prior to 1986, the Hillsborough strip was a lot of fun for State students. Before 1985, they also had the strip club, My Apartment Lounge, which then became the ACC Tavern. Also, the movie theater next to Mitch’s had soft porn flicks on Wednesday night.
Seems kind of dead now the past few decades.
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I was at State those years, and though I think that you got the gist of it about right, I don’t know that I agree with all of your particular dates of demise and business closings. Then again, there wasn’t an internet or iphone to document all of these things.
First of all, the drinking age was never 18 for everything. It was 18 for beer and wine and 21 for liquor. In the first half of the 80s, the age for beer and wine escalated 1 year at a time until it met the liquor age. It went from 18>19>20, and then to 21. I don’t recall exactly which year that escalation started (82?) but I remember that it never affected me.
While the scene on Hillsborough had its party places, it also had a huge host of independent eateries that were quite “famous” in the State crowd. These included Two Guys, Brothers’, The Rathskeller, and the first Darryl’s. Among the hybrid type places, Mitch’s continues on. I used to eat there for under 2 bucks when they offered their Polish dog and chips for like $1.95. It was insanely cheap even for back then. There was the bowling alley where State students took the “sport” as a PE class, and the movie theater (was it Tuesday night “college night” at 11PM/Midnight for porn, or do I have my days & times mixed up?) that was only really frequented by students when the screenings were cheap and films even cheaper, and when any girl that attended was greeted with a standing ovation. That theater became the anniversary McDonald’s in like 1985 with its retro 50s theme.
Sadlack’s was across from the Bell Tower and was a cool kids (not preppy) hangout for sub sandwiches, and I remember it always being really smoky. There was also a really good ice cream place across the Bell Tower where they would do mixed-ins. The name escapes me but I remember going there A LOT in my later years at State. (Edit: I remember the name! Steve’s)
It was a pretty well rounded college strip back then and it was clearly not just a party street.
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Drinking age started up in Jan 1, 1984. I was legal for 6 months, then not for 6. After that I was grandfathered in.
I still miss the Rath. Fridays at Zacks, with 10 cent buckets, was insane.
H’boro probably will never be a great, sloppy college strip again.
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Remember nickel night at Zack’s? BTW, I still have a Zack’s tshirt!
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Yep. The beer/wine/champagne age went 18 to 19 in January 1984. I don’t recall a jump to age 20, but in 1986 it jumped to 21.
Adding to John: The main strip with Mitch’s (sort of in order) had 4-5-6 Chinese, J Riggins mens clothing, Mitch’s (with unused bar below, still unused to this day, I hear it is a neat property), DJ’s Bookstore, Studio One Theater with Wednesday porn night (funny as heII when a disguised girl was outed) that later became the McDonalds, Angotti’s Restaurant, The Rathskeller, Barry’s II, Esquire Hair (Wendy was the only female stylist), Blimpie, and FastFare.
To the left was Baxley’s (great breakfast), My Apartment Lounge/ ACC Tavern, Two Guys, Brothers, School kids Records, Western Lanes Bowling, and then the old Electric Plant that became Electric Company Mall with some bars and food places.
Going the other way, the only places to drink after Edwards Grocery and the other joints near it closed, were Alligator Alley, Daryl’s, and The PR.
Sadlack’s, basically a sub and beer joint, was frequented by the Designo’s from the School of Design, among other non preppy groups.
The only places west of Campus on Hillsborough were Hardee’s, Swenson’s, and The Brewery. I think I saw NRBQ at the Brewery, but it may have been a different venue. Man-Mur barber and the hot dog place were across the street. In the 90’s, this is the area with East Village, Cantina, Pantana Bob’s.
And way down toward Meredith was the last Crazy Zack’s. Friday afternoon’s with the dime and quarter large cup bucket beers. A total free for all. That all ended late 83/early 84.
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That was a real trip down memory lane for me. Thanks for the list!
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it was fun even if not completely sloppy…but it trended that way.
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So roughly what percentage of these places were national franchises?
Not many. A few were regional mini franchises like Crazy Zack’s, Daryl’s, and Pantana Bobs. Blimpie’s, Hardee’s, and McDonald’s are national. Fast Fare was a 7/11 style convenience store that I believe was regional.
But everything else, all of the fun bars and restaurants, were local haunts.
Swenson’s was a regional or national chain.
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Funny enough an old historical page on FB posted this Hillsborough st picture of Farm House and Katmandu.
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Ugh… That was there when I was at State… Does that mean I’m also “historical”??
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Yes, definitely a scattered posting. There was also a joint down Hillsborough on the other side of The Brewery called the Keg. May have been a dive bar. My memory is fading.
Also, the mens clothing store between 4-5-6 Chinese and Mitch’s, was called The Stagg Shop. I was conflating the name because they sold J Riggins clothing.
And apparently the little bar below Mitch’s is finally open again. I didn’t realize. It’s called College Grill. It used to be owned by “Red” back in the 60’s and 70’s. Red was the old guy that drank at the PR and Mitch’s in the 80’s. Red was gruff, surly, and funny as heII. Sometimes you could chat with Red for an hour, and other times he’d tell you to eff off. Great times!
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If I remember correctly, Zack’s closed after losing its liquor license for letting in under aged patrons. It was truly an experience and I’m glad I got the chance to partake.
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Yep. I only went a handful of Fridays during the fall of 83, right before it closed. But holy heII, that daytime happy hour was so much fun.
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