Coastal Grill Business Card 1940s Florence SC Highway 301 Mileage Chart For Sale

This printed artifact is a vintage business card for the Costal Grill, a restaurant located two miles north of Florence, South Carolina, on Highway 301. The card, likely dating from the 1940s or 1950s, serves as a dual-purpose promotional piece and practical travel aid for the motorists who formed the backbone of this establishment’s clientele. One side of the card advertises the restaurant’s amenities with a bold, confident slogan: “THE BEST FOOD BETWEEN NEW YORK AND MIAMI.” The typography is arranged in a clean, blocky layout typical of mid-century print ephemera, listing “REGULAR DINNERS,” “SEAFOOD,” and “WESTERN STEAKS” as menu offerings. The card notes a seating capacity of 175 and the availability of “PRIVATE DINNING ROOMS FOR PARTIES,” a period spelling variant that adds to the item’s character. The owners, Mr. and Mrs. Bob Williams, operated the grill from six in the morning until midnight, catering to the long-distance travelers who relied on U.S. Route 301 as a primary north-south artery before the Interstate Highway System was fully realized.The reverse side of the card is a mileage chart centered on Florence, South Carolina, a thoughtful inclusion for a roadside business dependent on transient trade. Distances are printed for cities northbound, including New York (654 miles), Washington, D.C. (418 miles), and Richmond, Virginia (308 miles), as well as southbound destinations such as Savannah, Georgia (190 miles), Jacksonville, Florida (340 miles), and Miami, Florida (700 miles). This chart reflects the pre-GPS era when such printed references were essential tools for trip planning. The paper stock has aged to a light orange-tan hue with darker toning along the top and bottom edges, consistent with exposure to light or handling. The edges show minor wear and a softened top left corner, but the printed text remains sharp, clear, and fully legible on both sides. This card is a compact document of mid-century American roadside culture, capturing the intersection of family-run hospitality, highway commerce, and the printed materials that guided a nation of motorists.