Landrum, the Hidden Treasure of upstate South Carolina, is located in Spartanburg County at the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. The town was founded in 1880 and incorporated in 1912. The area was first settled in 1760 by homesteaders from Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland. The town is 2.3 square miles wide while the downtown section is about a half of a mile long.
Although the main street section is only .5 miles long, we found more interesting shops and people than some larger cities we have visited. Just the buildings that makeup downtown alone are full of history that dates back to the turn of the 19th century. This was one of the fascinating things about speaking with current tenants in the downtown buildings, they all knew the history of the buildings they were now in.
Landrum is becoming more popular among tourist visiting South Carolina, and for good reason. Let’s dive into a few of the places you should visit the next time you are in Landrum.
White Buffalo Collectibles
Mike and Kristal Loescher, co-owners of a Native American Gallery in the heart of Landrum, have just had their grand opening of White Buffalo Collectibles in Landrum, SC. Mike has been collecting Native American art and jewelry for over 35 years. White Buffalo began primarily as an online storefront. While visiting Mike and Kristal, we learned they recently transported thousands of pieces of aboriginal Native American history along with indigenous showcases that include the original blown glass cases.
During their move, they were able to transport these pieces without one piece breaking. White Buffalo Collectibles is not only an art gallery but a trip through time of treasured art and jewelry from Native Americans throughout the United States. They travel all over the US to find these one of a kind pieces. They feature items such as baskets, paintings, stone carvings, pottery, brilliant sterling silver pieces, and much more.
Just about every Native American tribe in America is represented in this gallery. The astonishing thing about White Buffalo is that nearly every artifact is authentic not duplicated or replicated. Mike and Kristal have a true passion for Native American art and will be more than happy to share some amazing stories with you. They both have had tremendous opportunities of meeting Native American designers from around the United States that are featured in their gallery, some living and some have passed on, leaving history with the White Buffalo Collectibles. To visit White Buffalo on the web www.whitebuffalo1.com
Expressions Unlimited
Expressions unlimited is truly a one of a kind antiques and flower shop. I will admit, I have never been one for antiques, but the layout of the store mixed with the friendly employees changed my mind. The vintage gas pumps were especially cool, they remind you of the small town gas station back when you had someone to pump your gas or change your oil.
In addition to all of the one of a kind antiques, they have a chocolate and candy display where you can indulge in some amazing homemade chocolate’s. We tried the Tiramisu candy which you can see above, it was amazing. They also have a flower shop upstairs and more antiques downstairs. This is a must visit while in Landrum.
The Shops at Lam
The shops at Lam in downtown Landrum is not only an antique shop with pieces dating back hundreds of years, but the building itself has a story of its own. The building was built in the early 1900’s and was originally the movie theater to visit in Landrum. This space now has 3 large main rooms with hundreds if not thousands of antiques. This is the history buff or antique collectors heaven.
The employees are all very inviting and knowledgeable about not only the antiques but the buildings rich history. It is truly refreshing to leave the bigger cities and head to a town like Landrum for a change of pace, to remind ourselves that there still are great people in the world.
The Hare & Hound Pub
When you ask the locals where you should eat if you are new to Landrum, many will say The Hare & Hound Pub. This restaurant has been owned by Patty Otto for more than 17 years. On our visit, we asked Patty what is a MUST try. She suggested a few of their most popular menu items, we went with the Friend Jumbo Shrimp and the Fish & Chips. Considering we have been all over South Carolina eating at many restaurants, and especially great seafood restaurants, we wanted to see how they stacked up against some of the others we have visited.
The fish was very fresh and breaded nicely, not too crunchy and not too soggy. The Shrimp was also fresh, breaded to perfection, and like the fish, the breading seemed to be an in-house recipe. The Hare & Hound Pub was voted by locals to have the best french fries and I would have to agree with their consensus. If you are in Landrum anytime soon, stop by and try some of this great food. Tell them we sent you. Visit their website at http://www.thehareandhound.com
P3 Consignment
P3 consignment, a separate entity of Paws, Prayers, & Promises that works closely with this non-profit organization, is a consignment shop like no other. Dana Mayer and co-owners of this shop dedicate their time to help abandoned and less fortunate animals around the area. Their primary focus is the homeless cat populations, but they strive to help all animals by donating their proceeds to animal shelters such as the Spartanburg Humane Society and other non-profit originations that venture out to help our destitute animals. As you walk into their store, you will find kittens available for adoption from various animal shelters in a window enclosure. They are available for adoption thru P3.
As you continue on your venture throughout this storefront, you will find many treasures in this store such as antiques, home decor, candles, clothing, pet supplies and unique items you will not find in many antique stores. If you take a stroll thru the store, you may meet some of the local residents of the shop that are quite friendly. “Cosmo”, the cat is the queen of the disco ball and she loves to greet locals and visitors to this charming town of Landrum, SC. Although this is a consignment store, most of their profits come from donations. Every penny helps. Visit P3 for more information and donations are accepted at http://www.pawsprayersandpromises.org/p3-consignments.html
Southern Delights & More
While strolling through downtown Landrum, SC, be sure to stop by this spot for some cold ice cream on a hot summer’s day or have a hot latte on a cold winter’s day. This charming shop offers more than just ice cream and coffee.
You are in for a real treat with a full lunch menu featuring such items as a savory chicken salad, albacore tuna salad made fresh daily with red onion and relish, and egg salad sandwich piled high on a croissant with lettuce and tomato. No Meal is Complete without Dessert. Southern Delights offers a full display of yummy desserts in their bakery. No small town is complete without the landmark ice cream shop. Check out Southern Delights and more website at www.southerndelightsandmore.com
Tryon International Equestrian Center
Although not in South Carolina, the Tryon International Equestrian Center brings many visitors to the area and many of those visitors also come to Landrum. We simply could not write an article about Landrum without mentioning the Equestrian Center. You can catch an event just about year around. The center is one of if not the largest and most popular equestrian venues anywhere in the world.
Many visitors spend the day in Landrum and head over to the center for an evening show on the weekend, this is about a 15-minute drive. If you are looking to spend the day at the center, they have many competitions throughout the day that will typically wind down late afternoon, they also have various dining options available. Visit Tryon International Equestrian Center at http://tryon.coth.com
Landrum Hardware
Many people would not consider putting a hardware store on a list of interesting and unique places for a town, but we feel like this hardware store deserves to be on our list. The hardware store has been a staple and landmark of Landrum for many years. The local residents of Landrum depend on this place for all of their hardware and home improvement needs. Many of us when in need of anything hardware or tool related have the luxury of having a Lowes or Home Depot nearby, but to Landrum residents, this hardware store is more than enough.
Landrum Hardware will be moving out of the downtown area soon into their new location just off of I-26 on the Landrum exit. It is somewhat of a bittersweet move for the owners but also a much-needed move to acquire more space. This is truly a one of kind hardware store and is somewhere you should definitely visit if you get a chance before the move.
In Closing
Landrum is truly a one of a kind charming town at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Although the downtown area is small, the shops, dining options, and people more than makeup for the size. You can easily spend an entire day here exploring shops, having a bite to eat, or stopping in for a cocktail. Put Landrum on your list for your next small town to visit!
This post was co-authored by Chad Freeman
