South of the Border is a large tourist attraction in South Carolina. It’s very close to the southern border of North Carolina. Hence, its name. It’s south of the border.
But how did prohibition lead to its existence?
Overview
I. The Story
A. Good Advice
B. Beer Ban Helps
C. Law Based on Myth
II. Resources
I. The Story of South of the Border
Here’s the story. Alan Schafer was a beer distributor in the city of Dillon in the late 1940’s. Much of his business was just north of the state line.
In 1947, North Carolina passed a local option law. This enabled counties to decide whether or not to have their own prohibition. The following year the counties north of the chose to go “dry.”
This greatly reduced Schafer’s business. He then made an important decision. If he couldn’t come to them, he decided he could entice consumers to come to him.
To do this, he bought a few acres of land very close to the North Carolina border. It was right next to the highway connecting the two states. There, he built his “South of the Border Beer Depot” in 1949. He largely sold beer by the case.
A. Good Advice
The local Sheriff and the state governor both advised him to sell food in addition to beer. This would reduce some of the opposition to his business. Schafer changed the name of the Depot. It became the “South of the Border Drive-In.” He opened a small, ten-seat grill. In local newspapers he advertised his venture. It was “a new kind of drive-in restaurant.” People could eat, drink and be merry. They could enjoy beer with their sandwich in the grill if they wished. But they could also buy beer by the case to take home. That remained his real business.
B. Beer Ban Helpful
In 1949, the city of Dillon imposed a ban on the sale of beer between midnight and sunrise. This didn’t effect South of the Border because it wasn’t in the city. Schafer soon began selling beer 24 hours a day.
His great financial success enabled him to expand. He added a lounge. Then a gas station, souvenir shop, and 20-room motel. (It’s now 300 rooms.) Each room in the motel had a minibar.
In 1958, Schafer opened a liquor store. South Carolina alcohol laws are strict. He had to construct a stand-alone building. State law requires a liquor store to be separate from a store selling beer or wine.
C. Law Based on Myth
This law is based on a myth. It’s that a shot of liquor (distilled spirit)s is more alcoholic than a can of beer or glass of dinner wine. They actually have the same amount of pure alcohol. That’s .06 of an ounce.
As time passed, Schafer added an arcade, amusement rides, restaurants, multiple gift shops and a swimming pool. Also a miniature golf course, RV park, reptile zoo, and observation tower. He even added an adult book and video store.
Alan Schafer’s died in 2001. At that time, eight million travelers a year were stopping at South of the Border. It employed over 700 people. And it had a value of over 50 million dollars. It continues to evolve.
So this beer seller owed a lot to local option prohibition. Without prohibition there would be no South of the Border.
II. Resources
Web
Readings
- Greenberg, P. Don’t Go There!
- King, P. Sombreros and Motorcycles in a Newer South.
- Reeves, J. The Road to Somewhere.
Sombreros and Motorcycles and the South of the Border website are the best single sources.