How does south of the border stay in business

You can browse the multiple gift shops selling sombreros and t-shirts, admire the view from the Sombrero observation tower, or take a ride on one of the attractions at Pedroland Park. While most people only pass through on their way north or south, you can also spend the night at South of the Border.

Many have spoken out against the billboards that can at best encourage racial stereotyping and at worst be overtly racist against Mexican people. But owner Schafer responded by saying he hires people of all races, employing between and people over the years, and has even stood up against the Ku Klux Klan.

Anyone ever thought this was a front for some illegal business? I mean what company has signs over 50 miles in both directions advertising and the place looks barely full. It was just as we expected-we enjoyed the animal figures and the quirky surroundings. It has grown so much since stopping almost 20 years ago. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The problems are already there. Schafer said due to the political climate in recent years, there has been a reemergence of overt racism in his community.

That part of it kind of has gone away up until recently. After working on the documentary intermittently for about a year, Torres and Villarosa put it on pause. The co-directors said funding and timing constraints motivated the break.

Torres said he notices similarities between South of the Border and Mexican restaurants across the U. He said many Latinx-owned restaurants cater to white people in a Schafer-esque way. Owners of restaurants and attractions that use Latinx caricatures, he said, often do so for profit without considering the negative implications of such stereotypes. DTHCityState city dailytarheel. To get the day's news and headlines in your inbox each morning, sign up for our email newsletters.

Thank you for reading! Many people have asked for a history of the South Of The Border, so with this brief story, we will attempt to tell you how it all began. South of the Border has been a landmark of the southeast for nearly 70 years, and we see no end in sight!

Our attitude is our philosophy — take it easy on the road of life! In , Mr. As it adjoined the North Carolina counties, which were dry of alcoholic beverages, business boomed. A few years later a seat grill was added and the business was re-named South of the Border Drive-In. Schafer added 20 motel rooms. Schafer shortened the name of his business to South of the Border.

Business was steadily expanded with Mexican trinkets and numerous kitsch items imported from Mexico. The site itself also began to expand to include a cocktail lounge, gas station and souvenir shop. In , South of the Border expanded into fireworks sales, potentially capitalizing on the fact fireworks were illegal in North Carolina. In it was announced that the route for I would pass right by South of the Border, and the facility would be next to two exits and within view of the highway.