Wine&Dining
Photo provided by Jim Lamb
(Below and right) Cockaboose interiors range from classic to temporary to anywhere in between. All have the Gamecock colors and plenty of unique memorabilia.
The retired cabooses, purchased for the Cockaboose Railroad project, came to their new track in a state that would have scared away most designers. But professionals with real imagination – and more than a little nerve – were charged with overhauling these unusual venues for their garnetblooded owners. Sam Jones, owner of Columbia’s Hampton Automotive and Hampton Jaguar, was one of the original buyers who realized the potential of the project. Sam and his wife Evie entertain prior to and/or after every home game. “We do different things,” says Evie of their hosting style. “Sometimes we’ll have catering. Sometimes I’ll make the food. It all just depends on the game time. ‘Booses have all the comforts of home, from air conditioning and heating to cable TV. But they also have another treat the community pays for: closed circuit television viewing of each home game. There’s nothing quite like sitting up top on a starry night, enjoying a cocktail (and perhaps a cigar) while viewing a live game on screen, and hearing the roar of the crowd rise up from the stadium next door. Hearing that roar without being subjected to the crowds is a goosebump moment, defining in its 30 | a t hom e
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