Of all the things that the Biden economy has destroyed, in its final days it has taken down one last victim. And being a proud son of the town of Reidsville, North Carolina, this is the most bitter loss of all.
Short Sugar's Pit Bar-B-Q
1949 ~ 2025
The sad word came down earlier today. Reidsville's most famous restaurant has shuttered for good.
Short Sugar's had been hobbled, first by COVID closures but mostly because of economic downturn in the past few years not related to the pandemic. People just couldn't afford to eat out like they used to be able to.
This really does feel like a piece of my heart has been ripped out. Short Sugar's was the kind of place you just knew would be around forever. It is at the heart of the identity of the City of Reidsville, North Carolina. Some of my earliest memories are of eating at Short Sugar's. At first the hot dogs but as I got older it was that wood-fired barbecue. Sometimes I would even order and devour two plates, I could get so hungry for it. I hadn't been back to Reidsville as often as I'd like in recent years but whenever I did, I always stopped at Short Sugar's for lunch and afterward went to Mayberry for a chocolate milkshake. And that was my "coming home" ritual since leaving Reidsville in 2016.
My sister worked at Short Sugar's for a number of years, too. There was a real sense of family at the place. We knew them and they knew us.
I don't know when the next time I'll ever visit Reidsville will be. The more I hear about the place the more it sounds like a foreign country, now. The tobacco field near where I grew up is today a vast solar farm. Some businesses have gone and others have come in. Thomas Wolfe really was right, "you can't go home again." And with the departure of Short Sugar's, I'm feeling that harder than ever this afternoon.
Who knows though, maybe someone will swoop in and resurrect the place sometime. But it would be too different. The Wilson family has owned and operated it all this time, it won't be the same without them.
I'm going to miss that barbecue sauce. A vinegar and brown sugar-based concoction unlike any sauce I've ever encountered. The perfect enhancement for chopped pork. Now I wish that I had stocked up on it.
Wow. So much that could be said about a barbecue restaurant and drive-in. Short Sugar's really was the kind of place that that they don't make any more of in America. In 1982 it was judged as having the best barbecue in the country. I don't know if they held that competition again but if they ever did I've no doubt that Short Sugar's would still be a worthy competitor.
And now, it's... gone.
Damn. I finally feel old now.
Edit 01/17/2024: More than a few have noted something, and I was woefully remiss to mention this. That Short Sugar's was not only famous throughout the state of North Carolina, but also across America and even known throughout the WORLD! Short Sugar's hosted quite an international clientele over the decades. I myself brought friends from Belgium to eat there a few times and they made sure to take bottles of barbecue sauce home with them. I also have it on very good authority that several bottles made it to Germany in 1993. For there to be no more Short Sugar's is truly a loss to us all.
Speaking of the larger world, since making this post 21 hours ago yesterday it has been read nearly 5,000 times. The blog has always had a faithful global audience but yesterday this post especially has found visitors from almost all fifty states and also places like Canada and Ireland.
I have heard from David Wilson, the owner of Short Sugar's, and he is truly overwhelmed by the many tributes that people are making. David, on behalf of everyone: thank you and your family and staff, for everything.
(Note: the photo is from Roadfood. I had just grabbed any pic I could find of Short Sugar's without looking at the link. They're the ones who originated the photo.)
21 comments:
Well said Chris!!
😢
So sad We had kinfolks on my Dad’s mother’s side they started this business
Definitely will be a missed place
An institution has closed. A large part of Reidsville’s history will no longer be experienced, but only remembered. The aromatic smell of the embers smoking pork shoulders will now be only a fading memory. The pint bottles of the famous Short Sugar’s sauce will continue to try to be copied by aspiring cooks near and far only to be imitated, but not duplicated. To the Overby and Wilson families, (Leatrice, David, and Little Dave) your patrons and friends we are grateful. Thanks for the memories. 🩵
😢😢😢😢
It's sad to see this historic restaurant come to a end alot of good memories and great food.😔
Just another landmark gone, in a series of them, that defined the city of Reidsville, NC. I cannot imagine driving there and not seeing the Short Sugars sign. I ate there as a child so many times, some of those sitting at the counter with my dad. I’m just sad………nothing could ever replace it. It’s part of Reidsville’s history.
My heart is breaking. 💔My Daddy used to frequent this place as a Teenager! And I did while growing up.
Now, forever gone!
Just like Strader's Shoe Store will be soon closed! I feel like Reidsville is dying out. And there will never be anything good. Coming back in!
Truly a shame!
I am both shocked and saddened to hear my favorite restaurant since I was a child has closed. So many memories and the place I always HAD to go get my minced BBQ and Brunswick stew fix when I'd go home. I just can't imagine Reidsville without Short Sugars. Thanks for all the meals and memories. I hope the owners will sell their amazing BBQ sauce on line.
I have worked there from February of 2015 til the time we closed the doors, I worked along side of some great people, all the laughs the talks the tears and yes we fussed but we became a family, I sure am going to miss my customers and especially my family. I made alot of great memory's there, everyone of our customers will surely be missed, much love to you all and thank you so much for allowing us to serve you. You all will be terribly missed
Spot on
Strader's Shoe Store is closing too and my heart just broke a little more now :-( Our family bought many a pair of shoes from there. Seemed like we were in there every month, Sam Lindsey (who I just found out is retiring) sizing my foot for a bigger pair. I think with them going that will only leave Belk, Roses, and Bob Adams Florist as tenants in the once-bustling Pennrose Mall.
My hometown is dying. I had thought it was making a comeback. Maybe I was wrong.
Well said!
I am sad to hear this. I spent sixty five years in Reidsville and have eaten at Short Sugars since the fifties. Reidsville was a great place to grow up and live back then. I am sad to see what it has become.
Thank you. I was going to comment about Strader's Shoes closing also! My Mother took me to that Store since I was little! Before it moved to the Penrose Mall.. I'm 60 now.
It's heartbreaking 💔😢 to lose all of the places. That was there for 75 years! Reidsville is dying quickly. And I don't see anything good to replace it.
This is so sad. I have been going there for 65 yrs. and this is a real loss.
This is not only a loss for Reidsville, it's a loss for the state of North Carolina. Some of our home state died yesterday. People all over America know about Short Sugars. Many came to Reidsville just to eat at Short Sugars. It's classic small town America that our parents and grandparents had and enjoyed and were going to pass on to us. This is the kind of thing that could move a grown man to tears. A sad day for the Tarheel State.
Bryan, from Smithfield
I’ve watched this town change so much in the 35 years since my mother first moved us here. I’d really like to know what the local government does nothing to help these businesses. So much money has been spent on one strip of Scales St while the rest of the town deteriorates. Pennrose Mall is a dilapidated mess and the company that owns it isn’t even in this state. I’d love to see the town get some grants to do something with all these empty businesses
The Overby family are the ones who have been there from the start. Clyde and Johnny Overby started it.
Unless I heard wrong, the Wilson family that's operated it for much of Short Sugar's time are related to the Overbys. So it might be stayed in the same family all along. That's the impression I've had.
I'm in New York State the Buffalo area and I heard up here about Short Sugars closing. Going there was on my bucket list of places to visit and eat at. Now I'll never know. And that is saddening.
Post a Comment