ESSO Club, Sports bar in Clemson, United States
The ESSO Club is a sports bar near Clemson University in South Carolina, fitted with wooden seating salvaged from the local stadium and an outdoor dining area. The bar serves food and drinks in a no-frills setting that draws both students and long-time locals.
The place opened in 1933 as a gas station and grocery store along the old Greenville Highway. When Prohibition ended, it was among the first spots in Clemson to receive a beer license, which set the course for what it would become.
The walls are covered with old photos and memorabilia tied to Clemson sports, giving the place the feel of an informal local archive. Regulars and first-time visitors alike tend to stop and look at the images, which trace decades of game days and student life.
The bar sits close to the stadium, so it fills up fast on game days for both football and basketball. Arriving early gives you a better chance of finding a seat, especially when a big match is scheduled.
The original oval ESSO sign still hangs above the front entrance, even though the company rebranded as Exxon in the 1970s. It is one of the few signs of this kind still in place in the region, and most visitors notice it right away.
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