July 17th, 2026 Greetings from Carrboro, We had to take a detour. In the summer, getting to Highway 17 around Myrtle Beach is never easy. Especially driving from North Carolina. But this was really bad. Even for July. The road was a parking lot of pickups and minivans just waiting to overheat, each and every one stuffed with beach gear and antsy children. And, mind you, this was a few years before your phone could tell you the alternate routes to avoid this steamy, very South Carolina version of hell. The only reason any of us knew that we were in SC at all was the ubiquitous Black Cat fireworks tents that dotted the side of the road. After an hour of crawling, I pulled out a map – the oddly folded paper kind – and decided to turn, fingers crossed, down an unmarked side road hoping to navigate through the pine forests and black water swamps of eastern South Carolina all the way to Pawley’s Island. Why not? At least we’d be moving.

I think we stopped in Hemingway to get gas. There was a store that sold sweet tea, potato chips, and barbecue sandwiches on white bread (you could get an additional two slices of bread in a ziploc bag for fifty cents). The place didn’t have A/C but someone had set up a contraption that turned several ceiling fans using a series of belts and a converted bicycle. Boys and girls were paid with popsicles to pedal the stationalry bike rigged on the front porch to turn the network of ceiling fans inside the store. A group of kids sat on the stoop waiting their turn. Outside the air was thick and the only sound was the bicycle chain clinking as the kid pedaled and the constant thrum of cicadas.

We eventually did make it to Pawley’s by late that afternoon and the glories that only the beach can provide. I specifically remember a rather perfect gin & tonic sitting in the sand. But standing in the Acme parking lot this morning, I was reminded of the trials of that scorching hot day. You know, the kind of day where the unrelenting heat feels just a little bit cruel and it’s hard not to take it personally. The kind of day when you really don’t want to have to do anything except find a way to make it end well. And after a long, hard week, why should you have to do anything? Especially because today is Friday, dammit. And even the mere thought of buying another rotisserie chicken at the store is painful.

That’s exactly where we come in. Seared Carolina tuna from Salvador at Tom Robinson’s Seafood. Acme’s tomato plate. Ice-cold martinis. Crab cakes. Acme cornbread. Grilled 16oz ribeyes. Acme Smashburger. Watermelon margaritas. Cast-iron seared sea scallops. Summertime peach & melon salad. Sweet corn & oven-dried tomato risotto. Martha’s chile relleno. Perfect fried okra. Southern tomato pie. Flash-fried flounder. Acme’s BLT bento box. Pints of cold beer. Peach & blueberry cobbler. Blackened salmon. Your feet may not be in the sand, but I promise your Friday will end pretty damn well.

Weekends are just better here.

Well, that’s all the news from Carrboro. The Staff at Acme look forward to serving you soon.

Cheers,

The Staff at Acme