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Return to the Mid-Atlantic Gateway
South 21 is located at 3101 E.
Independence Blvd. between Eastway Call 704-377-4509 to place order for pickup.
Hamburger America by George Motz Buy this book here:
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South 21 Drive-In: A Charlotte Wrestling Tradition By Dick Bourne, Mid-Atlantic Gateway Part of the Gateway Series on Great Wrestling Road Food I have been collecting old wrestling programs from Charlotte for many years. I have programs from Crockett shows going back to the late 1950s. Charlotte being the home base for Jim Crockett Promotions, they went all out in providing wrestling fans with a printed program for each and every weekly show at the Charlotte Park Center (now the Grady Cole Center) and the Charlotte Coliseum (later the Independence Arena, now Cricket Arena.) This lasted well into the early 1970s.
Another common item in the programs were advertisements from local Charlotte businesses. The National Hat Shop was a regular, where fans could buy advance tickets to the weekly shows. But the majority of the ads were food establishments, and throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, these rarely changed. Such places as Kofina's Snack Bar on West Trade Street, Little Italy Restaurant on Central Avenue, and the self proclaimed "world famous" Open Kitchen on Morehead Street. But the ad that always caught my eye flipping through these old programs was for the South 21 Drive-In (seen at the top of this page), which had locations on South Boulevard and Independence Boulevard. I think it was the graphic rendering of their famous trademark bulb-lined neon sign in the ad (the same art that was featured on their food boxes) that announced "Curb Service" and the declaration of "Delicious Food".
I came to learn that South 21 Drive-In
was a Charlotte culinary and cultural institution. But for thousands
of fans from 60s through the 80s, it was a Charlotte wrestling
institution as well. The original South 21 was opened in 1955 on
South Boulevard, with the "No.2" location opened in 1959 on
Independence, across and down the street from the old Charlotte
Coliseum. It is this 2nd location which has become the flagship
for the Copsis family, who have owned the
restaurants for the duration.
A recent book called "Hamburger America" (by George Motz, published by Running Press) listed South 21 as one of the top 100 burger joints in the entire United States, one of only three from the state of North Carolina. Their article on the drive-in got me to thinking about how very little about this place had changed over the half century it had been in existence. In fact, practically nothing is different, from the trademark neon sign that blinks "Curb Service" sign, to the big cardboard boxes used to deliver the food ("All our food boxed to go"), to the old metal speaker boxes used to call orders in to the kitchen from your car. The huge wooden painted signs behind the drive-in were particularly nostalgic, boasting of "Golden Southern Fried Chicken" (a special on this every day except Friday), Steak Strip Sandwiches, and their famous "Super Boy" hamburger, touted as "a meal in itself!" At first glance, there isn't much to this old drive in. You could easily look right past it as you drive west on Independence. Today's fast food chains tend to catch the eye more quickly with the colorful logos seen endlessly on TV commercials. South 21 is a throwback to the days before golden arches dominated the landscape. South 21 is a throwback, it is the real deal, a step back in time. And over the years I've learned that small locally owned independents like these don't stay open for over 50 years if they aren't doing something right. In the case of South 21, they do two things right; good food and fast friendly service. Add to that that this place is decidedly old school, and it is a winning combination.
And so after having seen all those ads
in those old Charlotte wrestling programs, and reading the article
in "Hamburger America", I recently headed to Charlotte for a burger
at South 21. It's always such a nostalgic rush driving east on
Independence and spotting the majestic domed roof of the old
Charlotte Coliseum rising up above the trees. So many great
wrestling events were held in that building. From Weaver and Becker,
Hawk and Hanson, Flair & Valentine, Ole and Gene, to Wahoo, Brisco,
Race, and the Four Horsemen, they all did battle in the hallowed
halls of the Coliseum. It was the house that the
A big tip of the hat goes to South 21 for their long time sponsorship of Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling through their weekly advertisements in the Charlotte wrestling programs. That, along with their proximity to the old Charlotte Coliseum make them a Mid-Atlantic Wrestling tradition all unto themselves. I waste a lot of time wishing I could go back in time and see Jerry Brisco wrestle Rip Hawk for the Eastern title or Blackjack Mulligan battle Bobby Duncam in a Texas Death Match, or the Anderson Brothers go another one hour broadway with Paul Jones and Wahoo McDaniel for the tag team championship, all just once more in the jam packed Charlotte Coliseum. And maybe after the matches, we'll stop by South 21 Drive-In for a burger. Sadly, we'll never see Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling again, but we can go have that burger in almost the exact same circumstances we did all these years ago. This is a grand tradition that has stood the test of time and resisted the tides of change. That's an opportunity I ought to take advantage of more often.
© 2008 Mid-Atlantic Gateway • Story published 5/4/08 Burger photo from "Hamburger America" by George Motz. www.hamburgeramerica.com/ South 21 Photos by Dick Bourne, Mid-Atlantic Gateway |
The
programs were full of photos (usually shot by veteran area wrestling
photographer Gene Gordon) from the previous weeks shows, as well as
posed photos with many of the top stars that had been or would soon
be appearing in Charlotte. There was also a list of matches for the
current week's event, promos for the upcoming weekly TV matches on
WBTV-3, sometimes a mystery wrestler contest, occasionally a puzzle.
There would also usually be a letter from promoter Jim Crockett Sr.,
and sometimes guest columns by wrestlers or managers. Arguably the
most memorable of these was the always controversial "Likes and
Dislikes by J.C. Dykes", the author being the manager of the hated
Infernos. 
Over the years, thousands of
wrestling fans enjoyed burgers, hotdogs, and fried chicken at South
21 as a result of being directed there by those ads all those years
in their weekly wrestling program.
Crockett
built. Old man Crockett and his crew did more business in that
building than any other series of attractions, events, or
performances.
