Racing History Minute - October 29, 1967
Stock Car Racing History
Dennis, seeing the photo you posted of James Sears' car owner, Harold Carmac of Ramseur, NC reminded me that back in the 70s when I'd drive from Wilson to hook up with my buddy, Frank in Siler City to go to Charlotte races, we'd always look for the Ramseur sign on U.S. 64. That indicated we'd soon be stopping for a snack at the Blue Mist Barbecue. I haven't been thta way in quite a while and I was saddened to just find the following story: July 23, July 23, 2013
Blue Mist, landmark restaurant, closes
THE MISTS OF TIME — Blue Mist, the place where you could get a barbecue sandwich, a blue plate special and homemade cobbler, the place known as a landmark by millions traveling along U.S. 64, an iconic location since the 1940s, has closed its doors. (Greta Lint/The Courier-Tribune)
By Greta Lint
ASHEBORO Gary Thompson had stopped by Blue Mist for supper. It was going to be a take-out. He did that pretty often. But on Saturday afternoon, he had to go somewhere else. The restaurant closed its doors on Sunday, July 7.
Blue Mist, the place where you could get a barbecue sandwich, a blue plate special and homemade cobbler, the place known as a landmark by millions traveling along U.S. 64, is no more. It was always a convenient meeting place, as everyone knew where it was located. It was a favorite place for truck drivers to grab a bite to eat.
Bob Garner, a restaurant reviewer on UNC TVs North Carolina Weekend and author of three barbecue books, the latest being Bob Garners Book of Barbecue , said Its always sad to see a famous North Carolina restaurant close. It was one of the few barbecue places in the state where you got fresh ham, in addition to pork shoulders, cooked over wood. That was their specialty.
He added that in the 1940s and 50s, the Blue Mist was the meeting place for people traveling between Raleigh and Charlotte. Long before the (I-40/I-85) interstate came through, the Blue Mist was a popular type of roadhouse. Everyone knew the name Blue Mist and associated it with Asheboro.
He said that the only other famous barbecue restaurants in the state which have closed were A&M Grill in Mebane and Bob Meltons Barbecue in Wilson. Meltons was the first sit-down barbecue restaurant in the state.
They closed because because their number of customers decreased and owners could no longer keep the doors open.
Blue Mist owners, Jeff and Robin Clifton, were unavailable for comment. But passersby had noticed the parking lot wasnt as full as it had been in years past. New restaurants had opened in Asheboro. Drivers were opting to use Interstate 40 and I-85 to get to their destinations.
In October 2012, the N.C. Department of Transportation held a public meeting and announced that the proposed U.S. 64 loop corridor would be taking the land occupied by Blue Mist. The loop will start in the area of the restaurant, take drivers south of the N.C. Zoo and then reconnect them onto the current U.S. 64 near Stutts Road on the west side of town.
Jeff Loflin, district engineer for NCDOT, said he didnt know anything about the Blue Mist closing. It had nothing to do with construction plans. He said the contracts would be let in August 2014 with the actual acquisition of property beginning in spring 2015.
Peering through the restaurant windows, you see the signs of supplies being packed up. Kitchen utensils, commercial-sized rolls of toilet paper, boxes of condiments and sauces, Styrofoam beverage cups and take-out boxes are all methodically lined up.
Decades of memories are piled up on tables and leaning up against chairs. Old framed photographs and newspaper clippings, such as one from the The Courier-Tribune , dated June 17, 1999, with a heading, Happy Birthday - 30 years old. A photo shows employees standing under a sign which reads, Blue Mist Drive-In Menu.
