Patrons eagerly give their IDs to bouncer Sam Corbett after waiting in a line extending down the street from the Five Points Saloon. Photos by Olivia Sisson/Carolina Reporter
As the summer heat fades, bars and restaurants around USC welcome back the “heart of Columbia”: the students.
But that comes with a few complications.
The University of South Carolina has seen a steady increase in enrollment for more than a decade. This Fall set another record high for the freshman class, 7,829, out of a student body of more than 40,000.
Steven Cook, owner of Saluda’s Restaurant and a member of the South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association, said students have a big impact on his business and an increase in enrollment does not frighten him at all.
“Just like any growth, I think there is some growing pains,” Cook said. “But I think that in a lot of ways, USC is sort of the heart of Columbia and as that gets stronger and stronger, it only helps the city.”
As for the surrounding nightlife scene, Cook says that people often target the bars as a bad part of the college atmosphere.
Will Cox, a bouncer at Pinch, a popular Five Points business, agrees. He said he has noticed an increase in city police and state officers patrolling the entertainment districts since the beginning of school.
“Freshmen don’t know any better in the beginning, like, that their fake IDs won’t work down here, and so they come in droves,” Cox said.
That in turn means bouncers, bartenders and bar owners have to be on high alert, especially with a new set of liquor liability laws set to go into effect statewide.
Gov. Henry McMaster signed the new liquor liability reform bill in May. The new laws, which begin Jan. 1, spreads the liability for underage drinking and intoxication to more than just the bartender. It also encourages the use of forensic ID scanners.
Even of-age undergraduates, Cox said, are increasing.
One student, Anthony Mitchell, said he was frustrated with the long lines.
“Last year, I would come to TLC, and it would take me less than an hour to get in,” he said. “Last Tuesday, I literally had to jump the fence or wait in line for four hours.”
The state Department of Revenue said an increase in enrollment doesn’t pose a threat to bars unless they cater to underage students.
Law enforcement must ensure the codes are followed.
Bars know that, said Riley Hodell, a bouncer at a Five Points bar.
“I think there has been a huge influx of cops around for sure,” Hodell said. “Everywhere is hiring more bouncers and being stricter.”
ABOUT THE JOURNALISTS
Olivia Sisson
Sisson is a senior journalism major and media arts minor at the University of South Carolina. She spent much of her life with her father on the road and was exposed to a multitude of cultures and experiences. Now, after studying writing in high school and college, she tries to find inspiration in all places and most importantly, in all people.
Camille Molten
Molten is a senior journalism major at USC from Charleston, S.C., with minors in business administration and psychology. She hopes to attend law school in the Fall of 2027. Her interests include reading, writing and the arts. Her favorite book right now is East of Eden by John Steinbeck.
