In the chronicle of Statesboro lore, many remember the legendary nightclub, The Flame. Situated off of Chandler Road, the somewhat notorious nightspot opened Friday, November 13, 1970 and catered specifically to Georgia Southern students, faculty and staff. A group of Statesboro investors called College Center Incorporated conceived of the establishment. When the club opened, patrons could pay five dollars per month or two dollars for admission as a non-member. Over the years, The Flame became a venue for local and regional bands like The Critical Mass and Wheatstone Mission.
The November 24, 1970 edition of the George-Anne covered the opening weekend. A description of the interior decor is enough to take you straight back to the days of disco:
“The color scheme includes cadet blue, oxblood gold, and lime green. An optical illusion of vertical stripes is behind the bar. The entire club has blue-green carpeting, except for the green-checkered dance floor.” In addition to visual stimulation courtesy of the decor, the club featured pool tables, pinball machines, a jukebox, and a bar serving affordable libations. By catering to the university crowd exclusively, the Flame provided a space for students to blow off steam, decompress after classes, and enjoy live music and entertainment. One writer called it “the closest Statesboro has to big city entertainment ” in 1977.
The club had the tragic fate of living up to its namesake and burning down not once, but twice. It also came under fire (figuratively this time) for its lack of parking, and contribution to dangerous pedestrian traffic off of Chandler Road. With its demise, many students and alumni lamented the loss of their favorite haunt and an iconic piece of campus life. Whether alumni called it “The Flame” or its “classier” nickname “Le Club Flambeau,” many who attended Georgia Southern in the 1970s and 1980s remember the club as an iconic facet of campus culture.”
