Planet Follywood Celebrates 20 Years on Folly Beach with a weekend-long celebration
by Lorne Chambers | Editor
Since the early 2000s, Planet Follywood has been a Center Street staple. As ingrained into the fabric of the island as the sand and salt are.
“We’re a community-oriented dive bar. You can walk in wearing swim trunks, high-class attire, or low-class attire. Everybody’s welcome,” says DJ Rich, who owns the bar along with his grandmother, Florence O’Donnell (a.k.a. Mama Flo), his uncle, and cousin.
This month, the popular local dive bar will celebrate its 20th anniversary. However, it has actually been around a little longer than that. True, it’s been 20 years since Rich, his grandmother, and his aunt first bought the place, but it had been around for a few years even before that.
“It was a neighborhood dive bar and one of my grandmother’s favorite hangouts,” recalls Rich. “She didn’t want an out-of-towner buying it and changing everything, so she asked me if we wanted to be an owner with her. We brought my aunt in on it and we bought it and remodeled it.”
Aside from the initial remodel, little has changed at Planet Follywood over the last two decades. And that’s just the way locals like it.
“Yeah, we couldn’t do too many upgrades. We wanted to keep it the way the community loved it,” says Rich. “This place progresses slower than the rest of Folly, and we kind of like it that way.”
One big change did occur in the spring of 2017 when Planet Follywood officially went smoke-free, ending its run as one of the island’s last indoor holdouts.
“We went non-smoking, which was a big deal. So, we had to build a nice place out back for the smokers,” he said. “Since then, the biggest expansion was cutting a window into a door and opening up to the back patio.”
From the iconic mural on the side of the building to the décor inside, Follywood has maintained its classic beach dive aesthetic. Each photo, painting, or memento hanging on the walls tells a story. Some stories, Rich, who also serves on Folly Beach City Council, would rather not put in the local newspaper.
When Rich first joined Planet Follywood, he never envisioned holding public office. He was in his mid-20s and working at a restaurant in West Ashley at the time. Now he’s the longest-standing member on the council.
“The old-school councilmen used to be regulars here,” recalls Rich. “They told me, ‘You’re the next generation.’”
Rich says that being on city council has pros and cons when it comes to running a business on the island.
“It’s helped me see things through different lenses, both as a resident and a business owner, he says. ““The downside is, if people don’t like what you do on council, sometimes they stop supporting your business. That hurts in two ways.”
Through the good and bad, Planet Follywood has always been an oasis for the Folly community. It’s where people meet during storms to figure out what’s going on when they lose electricity. Follywood’s generators have powered many a’ hurricane party over the years.
“Most of our employees live on the island. We have generators. So, we’re open in snowstorms, hurricanes, you name it.”
The bar has also always been a place to go on Thanksgiving if you didn’t have anywhere else to go, offering a free potluck meal.
“I grew up watching my grandmother say grace at Thanksgiving and make everybody hold hands,” he says about the legendary Mama Flo, who just celebrated her 95th birthday. “As she’s gotten older, I’ve been able to help her when she needs it.”
For Rich, Planet Follywood is a true family affair. Both his Follywood family, the regulars who have been sitting at the same bar stools for 5, 10, 15, even 20 years. And his actual family. In addition to his grandmother, Rich’s aunt was a longtime owner. He recently bought her out and has now brought in his uncle and cousin.
“He handles breakfast and bingo. She helps run the bar,” says Rich.
Highlighting the 20th anniversary festivities this month is a 3-day celebration, March 6-8. On Friday, March 6, local troubadour Thomas Champagne returns to familiar stomping grounds and plays a show at Planet Follywood, starting at 9 p.m.
Then, on Saturday, March 7, the first block of East Eerie Avenue will be closed off to for a street party from noon until 5 p.m., featuring music by George Fox, Jessie Pritchard, Charlie and Miranda Stonecypher, The Shakin’ Martini’s, and Dan Marsh & the Cosmic Sailors. Additionally, Waves 4 Women and Shambles Boutique will be setting up pop-ups during the day.
Then on Sunday, March 8, Planet Follywood is bringing back an old favorite in Hermit Crab Racing at 3 p.m. The Hopeaholics will close out the weekend festivities that evening.
It’s all adding up to be another Follywood classic, like so many memorable parties, fundraisers, and promotions over the years.
“We’ve hosted everything: women-less beauty pageants—men in dresses for charity—hermit crab races, karaoke, bingo, live music, celebrations of life, potlucks, chili cook-offs, water balloon fights, Mardi Gras parties, we’ve done Christmas carols for shut-ins, litter sweeps, we even built a pirate ship for the float frenzy,” recalls Rich fondly.
Asked what’s in store for the next 20 years, Rich shrugs.
“Who knows, maybe we’ll have flying cars and teleportation machines next,” he jokes. “If the next 20 years are as fun as the last 20, it’ll be a good time.”
Planet Follywood celebrates 20 years on Folly March 6-8. For more information, look at their ad, or call (843) 588-7380, visit www.planetfollywood.com, or follow Planet Follywood on social media. Planet Follywood is located at 32 Center St.
