Garden and Gun Club

[1] Richard Robison started a bar for the Spoleto Festival in 1977 in a former J. C. Penney store at 240-242 King Street as a private club.

More than 700 people paid $5 for memberships, and Robinson expressed interest in keeping the spot open beyond the Spoleto Festival.

After the success of the Spoleto Bar, the newly christened King Street Garden and Gun Club remained open year-round.

[1][3] The Garden and Gun club was well known in the city for its openness, breaking down barriers and allowing people of different classes and identities to mingle.

[5] Southern lifestyle magazine Garden & Gun was named in reference to the club.