Bowen's Island Destroyed By Fire

[Holly Moore]

Started the morning off with an email that Bowen's Island burned to the ground over the weekend. All the history that was Bowen's Island is gone, but the people and the tradition have survived and will rebuild.

Here's the story.

[Varmint]

Oh, wow, that's really sad. It will be very interesting to see how they rebuild the place. I'm sure they'll find a way to preserve some of that low-brow charm.

[Fat Guy]

Bowen's Island is one of the great American food experiences. If I had to make a very short list of places I'd take an international group of gastronomes in order to demonstrate the uniqueness of American regional foods I'd place Bowen's Island at or near the top. I do hope they rebuild without sterilizing the experience. I think it can be done.

[hazardnc]

I was just coming to this site to post the news - actually was thinking of Holly and knew he would miss it too! My kids have signed the walls of Bowen's Island for the past 6 years, and my hubby and I celebrated our 22 anniversay there this past June. I am very sad...

[chefseanbrock]

this is a heartbreaker.........one of the coolest places on earth is gone

[DTBarton]

Haven't been lately, but I spent a LOT of time there in the early 80s. One of a kind. Eating oysters next to the broken bicycles and screen doors, the best fried shrimp and flounder right off the boat, chatting with ancient Mr. Bowen in his slippers in front of the wall of TVs. He'd tell us about his fancy restaurant on Folly Beach that was destroyed in the 1933 hurricane. "It had glass doors", he'd say, then he'd sigh and say, "and all the tables and chairs matched!" We told him matching tables and chairs were overrated.

Watching first timers get in trouble for going in the oyster room without first stopping at the counter to tell Mrs. Bowen you were going in the oyster room. She was in her 80s, about the same weight as her age soaking wet, and doing all the fry cooking in cast iron skillets with about 2 inches of grease build up all around the sides. We saw her get after some of them with a spatula for going in there without paying first.

Hope they use plenty of old grungy cinder blocks when they rebuild.

[Holly Moore]

My favorite Mrs. Bowen story is the time she chased the mayor of Charleston out of the oyster room because he was just meeting and greeting and not eating.

I'm confident that, with the help of Citadel cadets and locals, Bowens Island no matter how sterile it is upon opening will, over time, evolve to its former glory.

[DTBarton]

Memories keep coming back. The access road is a loop where you stay to the right on the way in, Bowen's is at the end of the loop, and you stay to the right on the way out. You had to remember to check the tide though as the Folly river side of the loop (the way out) could be flooded when the water was up. Knew some folks that drove in to the water there in the dark after a few long necks . No injuries, just might get wet getting out.

[charlestonfoodie]

Some friends of mine are trying to get a little event together to help recoup some of the costs to rebuild. I've photographed maybe 10 events at Bowen's! It is indeed a unique restaurant!

Memories keep coming back.  The access road is a loop where you stay to the right on the way in, Bowen's is at the end of the loop, and you stay to the right on the way out.  You had to remember to check the tide though as the Folly river side of the loop (the way out) could be flooded when the water was up.  Knew some folks that drove in to the water there in the dark after a few long necks .  No injuries, just might get wet getting out.

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