In the mountains of North Carolina, tucked out between Newland and Spruce Pine in this monstrous signage. It is bizarre to me and I react surprised every time I see this 20 foot tall entrance sign for the now defunct attraction. It makes me wonder in what years this was a mainstay in the local economy. What was the experience like? Does anyone have the back story on this place?
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I don't have any idea what years it was actually open, but i remember eating there fairly regularly in the mid to late 80s. It was huge for the area but we always had to stand in line. People were often dressed up. It had huge fish tanks that you could see from both sides of some of the walls. I remember lots and lots of decoration stuff stacked everywhere in the lobby area, but I was little so I don't remember any details of what any of it was.
ReplyDeleteMy CPA is the grandson of the late owner. He said all the children had to earn their keep by working in the restaurant. People would drive from Boone, NC to Beam's for Chinese food, over an hour drive.
ReplyDeleteSarah, thank you for sharing your memories about Beam's. I wish I had witnessed it in the heyday.
ReplyDeleteAnon, maybe your CPA will sop in and share some info and his memories also. Thank you.
Friends said it closed when the owners got divorced. I gather that the husband was the chef. Too bad.:-(
ReplyDeleteThe owner was a distant cousin of my grandmother, also a Beam. They were distant relatives of Jim Beam, the whiskey maker. When you walked in the restaurant, the front room was a giant glass showcase of every Jim Beam collectible decanter ever issued- Elvis, cars, hunting dogs, birds, ALL of them. One of the neatest things I'd ever seen.
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ReplyDeleteI got to eat there once in the '80s. At the time it was rated the best Chinese restaurant in the Western Hemisphere, with fresh food flown in daily from New York. At least, that's what I was told. I hate that I can't have that experience again.
ReplyDeleteI loved this place we eat here many times during the 70 and 80's in summer they had a huge screen in porch over looking the pond. They had a very large collection of Jim Beam Bottles. The food was great as the place was
ReplyDeleteI loved this place we eat here many times during the 70 and 80's in summer they had a huge screen in porch over looking the pond. They had a very large collection of Jim Beam Bottles. The food was great as the place was
ReplyDeleteThere really are no words to describe the trip and experience. Imagine you're 4, traveling from Ashe County - and would never be back. That must've been 1978. I wanted to return, but my dismay can no more be articulated than my wonder. Quite frankly, I was happier not knowing it was closed.
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Donita and I used to drive in our '64 Volkswagon bus to Beam's in the early '70s from Boone. That was the closest Chinese restaraunt this side of Asheville. I'm sorry to hear it's closed. Another great family owned Chinese restaraunt was the Paradise Restaraunt close to Pack Square in Asheville, It too is now gone. Good memories of the food in each of these.
ReplyDeleteBest Chinese Food ever! at one point was among the Best 10 restaurants in the country. I Worked there, celebrities had their pictures on the wall.
ReplyDeleteI even remember this place when I was just a boy, actually before in became Chinese. I love the place. The Beam's were related to my grandfather Ollis side of the family.
ReplyDeleteI work at a golf course in the Banner elk area, about 25 minutes from where beams was. One of the rangers, that I work with, is one of the former owners grand children. He told me that he has been asked many times if he would ever open back up the Glorious restaurant, but he has said no because of the massive size and he doesn't know how to run a restaurant. Although he has thought of opening up a food truck in the Boone area to serve some of Beams most famous dishes.
ReplyDeleteMy parents had a house in Linville NC from 1972 until 2014. I remember going to Beams when I was a teenager and I loved the resaurant. That was a time when there were not all the Chinese take-out restaurants as there are now. I always got #20 the House Special - I believe it was Chicken, Pork, and Shrimp and Chinese Vegatables. I ordered it the first time we went there and I never got anything else.
ReplyDeleteWe used to eat there when we attended the Hem shoe.. absolutely the best food ever. Oh how I wish I could step back in time
ReplyDeleteThis was my favorite restaurant growing up in the 80/90s. I worked there for awhile around 1994. It was absolutely the best Chinese food. After entering, you would walk up a ramp through a darkened waiting room with glass display cases on both sides. The two dining rooms were separated by a wall with multiple fish tanks in it. A third dining room was on a screened in porch which was over a pond. You could hear frogs and crickets as you ate. I celebrated almost every birthday here when I was growing up. I wish someone would re-open with the same recipes and attention to quality.
ReplyDeleteI worked at this restaurant when I was in college. it was a unique experience to say the least. Richard the chef was the best. I'm sorry to hear it didnt work out between him and his wife.
DeleteMy family ate there all the time in the 70's and 80's. The story we always heard was that theBeam family opened the restaurant and motor lodge back in the 60's and it was a regular restaurant. One of their daughters went away and came back with a Chinese husband and they changes it in the early 70's. They had a huge garden next to the restaurant and grew alot of the vegetables that we're served in the restaurant.i took my wife there on our first date and we've been married for over 35 years now. It was my Dad's favorite place. Really sad that it closed.
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ReplyDeleteMy parents also had a place in Linville Land Harbor from about 72 to 14.
We used to go to Beams as well. Took a few girlfriends there in the 80s
This place was absolutely amazing. I was born in 88 and my family and I lived in Burnsville, which is about 20 minutes west of spruce pine. Beams was THE place to eat for our whole family. We had family reunions here, birthday parties, regular Friday night dinners and on and on. There’s some home videos of our 1990 family reunion there that shows a 2 year old me getting fed sweet n sour sauce for the first time. As a kid this place was absolutely mysteriously magical. It was somewhat dimly lit, peppered with trinkets absolutely everywhere, big fish tanks, beautiful Asian wallpaper, and so many interesting rooms. There was an upstairs dining area that was usually reserved for larger parties so it seemed particularly mysterious for me as a kid. The screened in porch overlooking the pond, which was laden with lily pads, was absolutely wonderful in the summer. Some of my favorite and most memorable childhood memories took place at beams. I can still smell the rooms. And the food! Absolute best. My family is always talking about how they wish they would reopen. They’d probably pay any price for admission. It’s that good. Truly a treasure.
ReplyDeleteIn the early 70's my family lived in Spruce Pine. I attended Harris Elementary school, and have very fond memories of the mountains and dunebuggy riding, exploring caves and going uptown and dowtown, the library.... One sweet memory was us going to Beams.We would go regularly! It was so good! I don't remember much detail about the restaurant, but I loved the food. Those were the happiest years of my childhood. Wish Beams was still open. As we drive thru Spruce Pine and all the places I want to as a child, the memories flood in. I hope to move back. ♥️
ReplyDeleteIn the mid 80s we lived in Marion, N.C. We would go to Beams often. I remember the decanters that lined the hall going to the dining rooms. The fish tanks and the collection of items around the restaurant. I also remember the 1st time going there. They would bring the food out in small metal bowls. We got an appetizer in one and then they brought the fried rice (main course) out in another. After eating that I asked my dad when the meal (on a plate) was coming out. Good memories of that place.
ReplyDeleteAre you wheelchair accessible
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