University of South Carolina Libraries
Spotlight 16 Friday, February 14, 1986 - - v> U^. ' ' |^fcyr>5?3r^^^ tit Chocolates and roses are two tradition! In the midn anrl |-i o i-inw r uiiu uai iciii By JANIE BROOKS Staff writer In the late-night hours when most Columbia bartenders are winding down the evening with the last call for alcohol, one night club on Assembly Street is just starting to crank up the happy hour music. Since Shannon's stays open latpr than ?nnct ninKt r?li?Kc *r\ tUn IUVVI V1IU1I 1115111 V1UU3 HI 111V area, it's one of the last places Columbians can go. Many of the club's regulars say it's the first place they'd want '.o be. "We want to be known as friendly people and have a friendly atmosphere where people can feel comfortable," Manager Scotte Sumner said. Willie Durkin, a veteran of the restaurant business, opened Shannon's, on 409 S. Assembly St., with a specific clientele in mind. In turn, that clientele has playfully nicknamed his club "the last place you want to be." "I've worked at Beau's and Yesterday's and got to know latenieht neonle. I've tried to offer them a nice place to go with good music, where they could relax after work and have a good time in a safe, comfortable atmosphere. The staffs I'd IliR I I HE | Unive I Suede The R Appean /lr*k %/rtu Feb. 14tl $2.00 Cover H, $175 Pitchers 1 Check Out Our 922 S. MAIN ST. i (across from Kin^" 's) nBBBHHBflHSBBBHEMHHDBBBBHBBBHI - ' " :; ' . V-.-- " " . : I ^fll il Valentine's Day gifts .9 B n I ight hour, n lers flock to previously worked on were very influential in helping me out and getting me going," Durkin said. Durkin said he wanted to offer late-night workers, many of them from the staffs of bars and restaurants, an opportunity to socialize on the other side of the bar. "We give them a chance to have a beer instead of sell one," Durkin said. Some of" Shannon's customers estimate the percentage of its club members who arc in the food and beverage business to be as high as 75 percent. George Mirabal, a bartender at The Loft Oyster Bar and Restaurant, patronizes Shannon's "because of Shannon's being private and most frequented by F & B (food and beverage) people." "Willie and 1 arc very grateful to people in all facets of the food and beverage business, from St. Andrews bars and restaurants to Five Points," Sumner said. "Shannon's is what's happening late night, and we want to keep it that way. We feel we have a very good clientele here, and we want to keep them excited about it and keep them coming back." ur eyes checked? $ ieck out the rsity Telephone Directory Ducane id tavens <ng Live .4. a 7 & 15th appy Hour 8-10 ' 225 Bar Brands New Raw Bar! vl^fllB8^lflCXIH3 ? ^9 & ][' I 1T1 tm RAY GRONBERGfThe Gam?cock ight owls i Shannon's The bar isn't exclusive to night workers, however. Many of Shannon's members are fellow night owls who simply enjoy a late-night place to go. A popular opinion is that the best thing about Shannon's is that it's open when just about everything else is closed. Shannon's, a block from Capitol City Ball Park, is small, but cozy and neat. The morale of its operators is dynamic. Sumner describes the club's mood as "happy and wild, to say the least. TU? ?>. - - * iiiucs u very outgoing, wendisciplined crowd. Wc have a great atmosphere here at the club." For entertainment, the club boasts three poker machines, a trivia game, a dart board, two pool tables, "the best foosball table in town" and good music. Sumner said. "We have a pretty good collection here ? it keeps them happy," he said. The selection in * u: r rx viuuvs tvui yuiiiig iroin uavc Clark Five to the Beatles to R.l-.M. to Springsteen; there are sonic 1,000 albums as well as a number of 45 s in Scotte's repertoire. One special feature of the club Roses $3! Yep. Find al us. Send that i reds. Rememb ] I Roses are r By PATRICK JEAN and MARY JO MILI Staff writers For those who work in the fl< businesses, Feb. 14 is usually not "Valentine's Day is just wild, Jimmy Tokunaga, co-ownei Greenhouses. Last year, the Columbia greenhc Avenue de-thorned and wired r roses, designed more than 300 flo and blew up 200 helium balloons t< on Valentine's Day. "Today will be a rat race if yc flowers for your sweetheart,' Tokunaga of Shandon Grccnhous to encourage people to order tlv because it makes things so much e will always wait until the last mini According to Mrs. Tokunaga, t roses on Valentine's Day is $30 for JOU tor a dozen. And though a r name might spell bankruptcy to limited income, flower sales are bi "Business is going all day," sai manager of The Blossom Shop o "We can barely answer the phone Patton estimates that the shop 8,000 bouquets ? 6,000 to be del state, and 2,000 to be delivered el the most popular bouquets, a "Cu from Teleflora, is sold out. Aside from the ever-popular ro designs such as tulips, daffodils, sold well, Patton said. About 10 pc Valentine's Day business has com community, he said. If you think Cupid seems to ha> the calendar, most florists wouldi you. ^ann?n'* is happy hour every night until midnight. The club is open every evening but Saturday. However, the main attraction is definitely the hot dogs. Sumner claims they're "the best dogs in the world ? Willie Dogs." Willie Dogs are served with chili, onions, mustard and ketchup. It's interesting to speculate on what it would be like to have to work such a reversed schedule. Besides Durkin and Sumner, there are two other employees. It seems to be merely a matter of getting accustomed to it. "It's really different," Sumner y I pr-^p ) a dozen? I your floral needs with special person a dozen er us for formals. . , Flower Mart Florists 4/0] Devine Street (formeHy Jew?W?) ed, business -ER "Other holida publicized as 'we* ural and balloon 'days.' That evci a bed of roses. hasn't caught on just crazy," said Mike McFarland, ' of Shandon Rosewood Drive. Business at Mc niseon Millwood pectcd. "We get norc than 2,500 majority of our Miiungviiiviiio VII1IIIIC UU31llC5d V. 3 fill orders taken Compared to < factor of Valcn >u want to order McFarland said. said Debbie College studer es. "We've tried modest part of tl cir flowers early can't afford to sc asicr, but people come in or call ite." sweethearts," Mc he going rate for cd unusual order a half-dozen and wine." ose by any other Fleeing anticip _ __ l: r? ? - it pcison on a attuciiiug lor an ; risk. searching for an id Roger Patton, cling to saleswom >n Devine Street. Dee on Park She s." Valentine's Day s lias sold almost tached to a stuffc ivered within the clown. Isewhere. One of "The lunchtirr pid Bear" design Gray said. "Peoj buy satin hearts se, mixed spring Valentine's Day. and mums have day, we're extren rreent of the total "And telephon e from the USC Florists, retaile Valentine's Day's 'Q sneaked up on provide no relief, n't disagree with "Next year, ii moaned. "That's BjnjHB ) daylight remarks. "The first part of the week I'm a regular full-time college student, but the second part I turn into a vampire type. It was hard to get used to, bui I've been able to discipline myself. I've been doing this for about seven months, so I've definitely adjusted." I NEED \ CON! t INFORM V * All methods of bi y Pregnancy testinj V VD testing and ti y Herpes testing ar J 6 Blocks fro 7! Barm A Columbia, I |P# PHONE: *1 i; ,?>?#& ?* xr ^ ** k I & tu | . Gu^k IL ^ | frozen yogurt in a cone; I I1?*?! > is hectic iys, such as Mother's Day, arc sks' by floral companies instead of is out business for florists, but it ^ i with Valentine's Day yet," said , manager of Rosewood Florist on FarlanH'c clmn ic ItricL' nc hp fv telephone orders all day, and ihe in-shop sales come from the lunrowd from 12 to 3," he said, a normal business day, the stress tine's is about "100 to one," its have been responsible for a le sales. "Most students probably ' nd flowers out of state, but many to buy flowers for their local :Farland said. "We've also handl s, such as Hawaiian flowers and ^ ated high prices, many people are ilternativc to roses, and others are alternative to any flowers. Accorlan Diane Gray, Balloons by Dec >re Drive has sold about 25 or 30 specials: heart-shaped balloons atd animal, delivered by a costumed le business is especially brisk," )le come in throughout the day to and other items that we have for Compared to a normal business lely busy, but we love it. ? e inquiries never stop coming in." rrs and customers arc harried by falling on a Friday, but 1987 will t's on a Saturday," McFarland going to be fun." H Hi WU If - \ : \ :' i K SpM jjj? . i SEAN KEEFERrrhe Qanwcock | Twenty-one is the age required to visit Shannon's, and an ID card is a must. Most customers are in their 20s and early 30s. There is a Utrnno momhnrchm -- ? C and newcomers arc encouraged to join. Memberships are $10, ~ and applications arc available at the door. BIRTH \ ["ROL ? [ATION? ? rth control t _ g f ? reatment, including id treatment V m Capstone X J \ eoJrt, 1 iQpe&al! I 12^^14-9 I # ; I9( coch g I CAROLINA MAU fi ? ? ' . m