Construction puts brakes on Florence's Speedway Grill

FLORENCE -- There was news to be shared at Speedway Spill and Grill on Wednesday, but it couldn’t be found in the thumbed-through newsprint on the tables.

As patrons of the longtime eatery/convenience mart lingered over their morning meals — egg sandwiches, cigarettes and coffee in Styrofoam cups — the familiarity of their routine was infused with talk of things unusual. After more than four decades, the popular locals’ hangout was preparing to serve its last hand-patted burger, its final egg and sausage sandwich.

In fact, at closing time today, the grill be be shut down and, well ... that’s that.

Property owner Dr. Morris Anderson has signed a deal to lease the strip of land, located on the corner of Old Ebenezer Road and U.S. 76, to pharmaceutical company, CVS. He said the work on preparing the site for the new construction will begin Jan. 12.

Most of the six tenants of the soon-to-be-demolished building are planning to relocate their businesses nearby. Speedway Grill, however, will not be one of them.

Carla Niles has owned business with her husband, Larry, for eight and a half years. As she patted hamburger meat, she explained why they made the decision to dissolve the Speedway.

“It’s really bittersweet for us,” she said. “With the economy the way it is right now, I’m kind of ready to get out of the business.”

The affordability, quick service and casual atmosphere at the Speedway were a draw for many, especially local blue collar workers.

“We used to get a lot of contractors in here all the time, but with no building going on, they’re not coming in anymore,” Niles said.

While she won’t miss the financial struggles, there still will be regrets as she locks the doors for the last time today.

“I will miss my customers.” she said. “I made a lot of good friends here.”

Among those friends is Charlene Daniels, who said she visits the grill three times daily.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do when this place closes,” she said.

Shannon Smith, a full-time student at Florence-Darlington Technical College, has been a grill cook and clerk at the Speedway for more than three years.

“I’m real sad about it closing,” she said as she cracked an egg on the griddle. “After the first of the year, I guess I’m going to hunt for another job.”

Just last week, the grocery/grill already was revealing signs of something amiss: half-empty coolers, depleted shelves, a few pocketknives leftover in a once-full case. The pool tables in the back room were deserted. Posters and other convenience store objets d’art had been removed from walls.

Even a life-size cut-out of Dale Earnhardt Jr. seemed a bit put out to have been taken from his glory spot and positioned for sale amongst his competitors on the floor.

Speedway loyalists such as Glen Tisdale, a 10-year patron, will begin the quest next week for a new home away from home.

“People like to come here and read the paper, have some coffee,” he said. “I guess I’ll have to find another place — maybe Delmae Grocery or someplace like it.

“There aren’t many left, that’s for sure.”