31 www. ReadMPM. com | www.MountPl easantMagaz i ne. com | www. ShemCreekRes taurant s . com became popular in the 1960s, Jack’s Hamburgers was the first to arrive on Coleman Boulevard, next to where Topsail Restaurant stands today. Who could resist the catchy jingle that some old-timers can still sing? “Jack’s Hamburgers for 15 cents are so good, good, good. You’ll go back, back, back to Jack’s, Jack’s, Jack’s for more, more, more!” Hardees and Dairy Queen followed shortly thereafter. Today’s food trucks have nothing on the little silver trailer diner that once stood on the corner of Coleman Boulevard and Erckmann Drive that was affectionately known as “the silver cockroach.” Barbara Hanf Henson remembered eating “the best toasted tomato sandwich” there in 1965, but the place was also known for great hamburgers, french fries and a good, hearty breakfast. Krispy Kreme was also a favorite on Coleman Boulevard. Lucky for Moultrie High School students, it was close enough to grab a donut before school. Brian Ballzinger recalled one of his teachers sending him there to get her morning coffee during homeroom. “And I took sips of her coffee on the way back to school,” he said. “I remember it was the best coffee I ever had.” After school, a milkshake at Krispy Kreme was a daily fix for many, and the Moultrie Generals football team stopped in for donuts and milk after practicing at Jasper Green field. The shop was also where retired men met for coffee each morning and to discuss football. MULTIMEDIA MOUNT PLEASANT The Seabreeze drive-in movie theater was another popular spot in the 1950s. Some longtime residents claim to own one of the speaker boxes left behind when the theater site was abandoned and the Cooper Estates neighborhood was established. An indoor theater called the Parkway was also on Coleman in the 1950s in the building where the GDC store is located today. Harry Gregory, the store’s owner, said, “We never took out the rear wall that held the movie screen. The spots where the projector and large fans that cooled the un-air-conditioned theater are also identifiable and the upstairs balcony and the ramp going down into the theater are still there, too.” The town has always been home to military veterans and their presence on Coleman Boulevard was obvious. The American Legion and the VFW meeting halls provided opportunities for them to socialize and share their yarns over a frosty beverage any night they wished. As a salute to the large Navy presence in the area, Channel 2 at the west end of Coleman Boulevard used the call letters WUSN when it went on the air in 1954. Appealing to the youngest viewers, the station’s owner added a zoo of sorts on the property with an alligator, exotic birds, a kangaroo and a donkey. But the real star was “Suzie Q from Channel 2,” an Asian elephant who could be viewed on the front lawn of the studio by every passing car on Coleman Boulevard on their way to the bridge. Local talent was showcased on the annual televised March of Dimes telethon at the Channel 2 studio and donors, both big and small, were urged to call in or stop by with their gift. The highlight was when local firefighters arrived on air to empty their boots of the dimes they’d collected from motorists. In 1975, WUSN’s call letters were changed to WCBD as a nod to the tri-county area. A SHOPPER’S DELIGHT The Moultrie and Sea Island shopping centers provided one-stop shopping for the essential business of running the family household and still remain important fixtures on Coleman Boulevard. Moultrie had the Colonial Supermarket, Berkeley Drugs and Grant’s Department Store. Sea Island was anchored by the Piggly Wiggly and included Belk department store, Western Auto, a liquor our town Sea I s l and Shoppi ng Center c i rca 1968 .
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