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Clawson's was originally
home to a grocery store and enjoys a rich historical past. The original
Clawson's grocery was owned by Charles and Mary Clawson who were
immigrants from Sweden and Ireland, respectively.
It's first location was on the south (water) side of Front St. and
its bakery was located behind our current building where Backstreet Pub
is located. The Clawson’s used the original store from 1905 until it's
destruction in 1910 by a hurricane. In 1910-12 the current home to
Clawson's was re-established and served as a grocery store and bakery
for the residents of Beaufort and Down East communities. It was
described as the "finest and most modern building in the
area." In the building that we use today, Mr. Clawson sold canned
goods, fresh produce from local farmers and fresh baked goods from
"The Bakery" which is the oldest brick building in
Beaufort dating back at least to 1880. The fireplace served as the
oven where breads, cakes, and cookies were baked. The reputation of
these baked goods grew throughout Carteret County and perhaps along the
East Coast, as sales to yacht crews that navigated the Intracoastal
Waterway increased. Local delivery was available to town residents in
the form of a carriage drawn by horses known by such names as "June
Bug" and "Dragonfly". Goods were also sent by mailboat to
the Down East communities. Clawson's Grocery & Bakery's business
prospered for many years until The Great Depression of 1929 hit the
United States. Charles Clawson continued paying his creditors but
his customers could not pay their debts to him. This forced the closing
of Clawson's Grocery & Bakery in 1934.
Clawson's grocery was purchased shortly thereafter and served as
home to several businesses including a hat shop (there is a picture of
it in the stairwell), a dress shop, a children's clothing shop, and a
piece goods shop. It was bought and renovated into a restaurant in 1977
by Candy and Bill Rogers. The Rogers chose to use the namesake of it's
original owners as the restaurant name. In 1985 Fred and Joyce McCune
purchased the building neighboring and Fishtowne Alley shops in the old
P. H. Rose 5 and Dime store. In 1989 Joey McClure became a partner and
general manager of the restaurant. The current owners have tried to
emphasize and preserve the history of the building by displaying
memorabilia from the grocery store and Beaufort's past. Pictures of the
building as a grocery store from the 1920's line the stairwell, along
with copies of The Beaufort News. Walls and shelves are filled with
baskets, crates, and tins just to describe a few of the era decorations.
Renovations were made to the restaurant in the winter of 1989/90 when
the patio dining room was added and the kitchen was greatly enlarged to
serve the growing clientele more efficiently.
In 1996, The restaurant was expanded to include the Fishtowne
Alley shops where the current entrance, Fishtowne Java and the Pub are
located. This building also has its own bit of history as it was
originally a P.H. Rose store built in the 30’s. In Roses' flourishing
times, it was connected to the next building which now houses Beaufort
Marine Discount. In 1978, old 5 & 10’s were failing, and a fire in
the front of the building sealed its fate. You can still see the fire
damage over the entrance area on the large wooden beam that support the
roof. After the fire, there were several boutique shops and a series of
bars located in what was then called Fishtowne Alley, including Y'alls,
Tobacco Rosie's (“to back of Roses”), and Clawson's Bar between 1978
and 1986.
The expansion in 1996 allowed Clawson’s to add the Pub, which
features an antique mahogany back bar, Fishtowne Java and Ice Cream,
the Emporium and additional areas to handle guests. The original wood
flooring, painted in some shops, varnished or unvarnished in others, was
re-laid in a random pattern giving the entrance area a unique appearance.
The third floor dining room was also renovated and an old window
reopened to better see the views of the Beaufort waterfront and the Cape
Lookout Lighthouse on Core Banks.
You're invited to come step back in Beaufort's past at Clawson's
1905 Restaurant and Pub and make a little history of your own.
Beaufort,
NC
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