If you're driving from the northeast to Florida, you're going to want an oasis half way there. And if your idea of an oasis includes Tacky-with-a-capital-T souvenirs, buildings shaped like sombreros and crude sculptures of mustached poncho-wearing Mexicans named Pedro, you can't top South of the Border in Dillon, South Carolina. A Mexican-themed (for no apparent reason) tourist trap, SOB has been pulling millions of weary travelers off I-95 since the 1950s with promises of deluxe accommodations, wonderful gifts, and delightful eats. You may or may not get all that but you will get a retro tackarama, bursting with unnecessary but essential junk for the taste-challenged road warrior and lots of neon festooned pseudo-stucco. We didn't spend the night here, alas, but we did have a nice meal at Pedro's Casteteria and loaded up on plenty of googahs, whatnots and tchochkes at their deluxe gift emporiums. I've never been to Tijuana, but I get the feeling this might be a reasonable facsimile only without the vice and diarrhea. It would have been great to see all the neon lit up at night. I was especially taken with how much the place appears unchanged since the 1960s. The same junky souvenirs I loved buying on roadtrips as a kid back then are here, on painted wooden shelves with hand-lettered signs advertising their greatness. Bliss! SOB is so vast, I've split up the pictures: this post shows the architecture. I'll get to the souvenirs next. Til then, manana, amigos!
Day 17: Moving on to Illinois
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We’re gonna be here a while. I spent 15 days in Illinois before turning
tail back to California. So, 15 posts will be coming your way over the
coming weeks...
4 days ago
6 comments:
Great images. Makes me wanna ask my dad "can we stop! can we stop! Plleeeze can we stop!"
"I've never been to Tijuana, but I get the feeling this might be a reasonable facsimile only without the vice and diarrhea."
Hands down the funniest thing I've read all day! :D
I remember being there once as a kid - your pics make me want to go back!
Is that the coffee cup "The Beave" got stuck in? It seems to have the steam pouring out of it.
Rick: I know the feeling. I get those same pangs every time I see a tacky tourist trap!
Fuzzy: Thanks! You must go back... you MUST!
Bill: Hahaha! I'm not sure, but I might have spotted Beaver's friend Larry Mondello in Pedro's gift shop.
Great pictures of a rather embarrassing corner of Americana - the racial or nationality-themed tourist trap.
In Michigan, it was Indians who were depicted in these stereotypical kinds of images and statues.
Down South Stuckey's used to sell all kinds of negro-themed items. Some are quite collectible.
Nice work, and good writing. It's great that you are documenting all this stuff.
A book in the works?
Jeff
Hooray for SOB! you've popped it up to the top of my Retro Roadmap Revisit trips :-)
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