1. Stephen’s 5 & 10 store from the 1940s (courtesy of Robert Knight); 2. A view down Center Street away from the beach, circa 1950s (courtesy of Robert Knight); 3. Folly Drug Store, circa 1950 (courtesy of Robert Knight); 4. The Sanitary Restaurant from the 1950s (courtesy of Robert Knight); 5. Center Street in the 1960s (courtesy of Robert Knight); 6. Folly Villas rental cottages in the 1950s (courtesy of Robert Knight); 7. The Hi-Top snack bar at the pavilion in the 1950s (courtesy of Ellen Hitopoulos Cassano); 8. Chicken Box Restaurant in the 1940s (courtesy of Robert Knight); 9. Center Street facing the ocean, circa 1940 (courtesy of Robert Knight); 10. Locals gather at the newsstand to gossip, circa 1950 (courtesy of Lajuan Kennedy); 11. Snack bar employees, circa 1950; Paul Knight, Robert’s father, is on the far left (courtesy of Robert Knight); 12. Center Street looking toward the pier, circa 1960 (courtesy of Robert Knight); 13. Super Market on Center Street from the 1950s (courtesy of Robert Knight).
The gateway to the beach, Folly’s main drag was always the center of the action
The trip to Folly from town was relatively short but seemed like an eternity. Along the causeway, small islands were scattered here and there, breaking the vast panorama of the marsh. As you crossed the last bridge, you were on Center Street, the main drag of the island. The street was several blocks long and ended abruptly—in the Atlantic Ocean! Talk about a grand vista (today this is hidden by a massive hotel).
Center Street splits the island in two. To the left, the beach is called the east side—to the right, the west side. Islanders have favorites. Both sides have distinct personalities, but together form the island known today as funky or unconventional.
Center Street was lined with eateries and bars. Everywhere you looked there were places that sold food. If you rented a cottage, you probably stocked up before you left town. But if you forgot anything, there was always a little corner store on Center Street or nearby. These little stores did a brisk summer business and relied on the few permanent residents during the winter.
Tom and Kitty Wienges ran the newsstand at the corner of Center Street and East Hudson. This was the place to go to grab your paper or a popular magazine and hang out with all of the locals—a community gathering spot. You could grab a good bowl of soup here and catch all the gossip. (And there was always something to talk about!) Tom was a real estate agent and handled many of the rentals in those days. He knew everything there was to know about Folly. Tom and Kitty are gone now, as is their little newsstand.
Folly offered something for every taste, from little children seeking thrills to old folks who just wanted to eat an ice cream cone at the pavilion, gaze at the ocean, and reminisce about the “good old days” when they were young and probably wild and enjoyed the Folly Beach of the 1920s, when everything was brand new.
Local Legend: Longtime movers and shakers on the island, Carol Linville and her late husband, Bob, moved to Folly in the 1970s and quickly dove into community affairs. Bob served on the planning and zoning board, town council, and then as mayor from 1989 to 1998, while Carol, the founder of Pet Helpers, volunteered her time for injured animals—and still does! The couple created the Folly Beach Christmas Parade in 1990 to attract business and interest in Folly after the devastation of Hurricane Hugo. These days, Carol enjoys the camaraderie among her neighbors but misses the slower pace of life. “I love that Folly residents still have a strong response to calls for help, whether that’s litter cleanup or a fundraiser at the Methodist Church. Center Street used to be more community-driven,” she says. “I miss that.”
