VALDOSTA — An old favorite has returned to downtown Valdosta. The Sportsman Club, one of Valdosta’s hottest hangouts in the 1950s and 1960s, reopened Friday, Aug. 18, with a new look and a fresh atmosphere.

Originally opened in 1952 by Ellis Clary, former professional baseball player and Valdosta resident, The Sportsman Club was a gathering place for local sportsmen to stop by for the “world’s greatest hamburger” and to drop off a photograph. Over the years, Clary compiled quite a collection of photographs portraying local heroes.

As downtown’s popularity faded and the commercial district on St. Augustine began to boom with economic development, the Club lost many of its patrons. When Clary could no longer manage the restaurant, it changed hands several times and slowly transformed into more of a bar than a hamburger joint. Several years ago, it finally closed down, leaving behind a legend that three downtown enthusiasts couldn’t bear to see fade.

Albert Slone and Stan White purchased the business, recruiting David Cook as manager. The three men researched and restored The Sportsman Club, essentially breathing new life into the old favorite.

“There was life in the historic buildings facing Central, and I wanted to spread it across the parking lot — to strengthen the feeling of community and bring this legend back to life,” Slone said. “It also brings more people into downtown, it stimulates the economy and gives those of us in the ‘village’ another place to hangout.”

Before reopening, years of cigarette smoke and filth had to be removed. Drastic renovations included removing of layers of broken, cracked plaster, old paint and rotting wood to create a new, urban style. They stripped the ceiling back to the rafters to expose the original wood and used the beadboard previously there to create internal walls for the kitchen and a closet and bathroom.

The restaurant was originally created from an alley by joining two buildings with a floor and roof. Their renovations revealed some of the original signage from long ago when the long, side walls were really exterior walls.

After these renovations and three months of cleaning, The Sportsman Club had a brand new look created from its own history. The walls are brick with multiple layers of old paint exposing the many different time periods the building experienced. Brand new flooring is black and white checkered tile and decor includes a sampling of Clary’s collection of old sports photos, some dating back to the early 1900s.

The powerful combination of new and old makes the restaurant unique and interesting. Customers are drawn to the renovated Club to search for relatives in the old photos, reminisce about the old days when The Sportsman was thriving and to test whether or not it still offered the “world’s greatest hamburger.”

Manager David Cook claims that the latter is definitely true. With the return of this famous burger also comes the introduction of its vegetarian cousin the “world’s greatest blackbean burger.” The Sportsman also offers wings, salad, a club sandwich, grilled tilapia, grilled cheese and a BLT sandwich. Sandwiches and burgers come with French fries made from fresh potatoes by the Sportsman staff.

Everything is made fresh from high quality ingredients. Prices are comparable to other restaurants offering food of a similar caliber. Traditional drinks are offered as well as 43 different kinds of beer, several of which are on tap. Happy hour is from 5-7 p.m. and 10 until close with 39 cent wings and all drinks 2-for-1.

While beer is offered, The Sportsman is no longer a “bar.” Families are welcome to dine comfortable in the smoke-free environment. Guests may opted to eat at outdoor tables where smoking is permitted or challenge each other to a game of pool or arcade game.

Cook explained that his restaurant is very casual and laid-back, accepting people from all walks of life. Although the old name includes the word “club,” The Sportsman is anything but exclusive. Anyone looking to have a great dinner, maybe a drink or two, while relaxing with have good conversation will love the Sportsman experience.

“The building was created from an alley and our restaurant carries a similar feel in that there are no barriers,” Cook explained. “Conversation and activity just flows from one end to the other.”

His favorite part of managing the restaurant is hearing the old stories that returning patrons share with each other and the staff over dinner. Guests can point out the local sports heroes they knew and tell about the fun times they had when the place thrived. It’s Cook’s desire for the new Sportsman to return to the days of old with a clean, friendly atmosphere, great food and stimulating conversation.

“It’s meeting our expectations so far,” he said. “It’s not about the money — we want to preserve the memory of the Sportsman by providing an environment with values similar to what Clary originally offered.”

The Sportsman Club has received the official Clary approval. Not from Ellis who passed in the summer of 2000, but from his own daughter, Carol Clary Herndon, who attended opening night and tried the world’s best black bean burger.

In a letter of thanks to Slone, she said: “I very much appreciate your keeping alive the legend and maintaining the initial integrity of the Sportsman Club … I’m sure many people who remember the original Club in the ’50s and ’60s will stop by with nostalgic stories … ”

If you remember the original restaurant or even if you don’t, The Sportsman Club promises to be an experience worth having. Slone, White and Cook have breathed new life into it, preserving its history to create a bright future for an old favorite.



The Sportsman Club

Owners: Albert Slone and Stan White

Manager: David Cook

Location: 116 W. Hill Ave.

Hours: (temporary) 5 p.m. until 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday; new hours will take effect soon: 11 a.m. until 11 p.m.

Information is also available on MySpace at www.myspace.com/thesportsmanclub.