A house RESOLUTION

to congratulate the Sno-Cap Drive-In Diner on its sixtieth anniversary and to recognize and honor it as an institution in North Augusta.

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to learn that the Sno-Cap Drive-In  in North Augusta celebrated its diamond anniversary, sixty years of serving the community on Thursday, May 16, 2024, with a Birthday Bop and Drive-In Movie Night. Ice cream cones were a dollar, and the 2023 film, The Hill, was shown. It starred Dennis Quaid and was filmed at various locations around Augusta, including the 1950s and 1960s Sno-Cap exterior and d cor; and

Whereas, the words "tradition," "unique," "nostalgic," "Americana," "legendary," and "good ole memories," swirl around the local, retro drive-in restaurant, a place where patrons can relax and enjoy good food and great service without having to push a bunch of buttons; and

Whereas, since 1964, the restaurant has offered some of America's favorite foods, such as hamburgers, smiley fries, ice cream, and milkshakes. A hangout spot for high school kids, the Sno-Cap originally would show movies during its peak, but now movies are shown only during special occasions; and

Whereas, the original owner of the business, Herbert Wamble, sold it to Charles Terry, who held it for twenty-three years. Mr. Terry sold it to the Franklin family in 1996, who owned it for twenty-four years before selling it to Havird Usry and Augusta's Fat Man's Cafe  Hospitality Group in 2019; and

Whereas, in 2023, the Sno-Cap was awarded a forty-thousand-dollar historic preservation grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation's "Backing Historic Small Restaurants" program. The diner recently experienced an invigorating facelift to bring it back to the vibrant family drive-in it was; and

Whereas, at one point, the Sno-Cap was a franchise with over fifty locations, but only four are left. The original restaurants sold root beer and operated as a drive-in for movies in the 1960s and 1970s, but some of the drive-in's specialties remain, including fudge cake and the long dog; and

Whereas, the Sno-Cap focuses on fresh, quality, and local ingredients, and the menu features handmade burgers, hot dogs, frosty floats, and dipped cones, as well as specialty shakes and monthly meal specials. It boasts coleslaw and chili from secret Sno-Cap recipes; and

Whereas, the Sno-Cap hosts community bike nights and cruise-in events for classic and collector cars; supports the North Augusta community initiative, Third Thursday; and is a sponsor of the Augusta GreenJackets baseball team; and

Whereas, the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives are grateful for the iconic Sno-Cap Drive-In and celebrate with the owners and patrons the Sno-Cap's six decades of service in the community. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, congratulate the Sno-Cap Drive-In Diner on its sixtieth anniversary and recognize and honor it as an institution in North Augusta.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Havird Usry.

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