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A view of Maurice's in 2007, before the flag came down. Photo: AP.
Maurice's Gourmet Barbeque's Maurice Bessinger, who hoisted the stars and bars over his nine Columbia-area restaurants on the day, almost a decade ago, when South Carolina permanently lowered the Confederate flag from its capitol dome, told a local television station this week that he could no longer afford to keep his controversial flags flying -- and it's not for the reasons you'd think.
Bessinger's empire, built on a secret recipe for yellow sauce and his reputation as an old-style Southern charmer, was once the nation's biggest commercial barbecue operation. But his open embrace of a symbol indelibly associated with slavery disgusted many of his customers and dismayed most of his business associates. Walmart pulled his Southern Gold sauce off its shelves, and, according to Bessinger's autobiography, Defending My Heritage, the company lost 98 percent of its wholesale business.
Still, Bessinger claims he isn't trying to woo back barbecue fans who were repelled by his rebel politics. He's instead blaming the recession for the rising cost of dry cleaning.
"Bessigner says the flags cost too much money to maintain," a report on WLTX's website explained.
The Confederate flag will still wave over two Maurice's locations, but the South Carolina state flag will fly at the other restaurants in the chain. According to the WLTX report, the Confederate flags will return if "the economy picks up."
Bessinger did not return calls seeking comment.
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2-24-2010 @6:50AM Joey said... Janeyre, It's obvious you didnt read all of what i wrote because I did mention the KKK. Also yes I did take history in school and we did study about black people in my history classes. We did not however have a black history month. We studied about them in the context of history. Their history here in the United States did not exist at a different time than other American's history here. It existed at the same time. Also if there were more history about whites than blacks here in the United States it might be because there have been more white people than black people here, hence more history. It sounds to me like you need to read your history.
2-23-2010 @11:51PM Mike1043 said... People need to put on their big boy pants!!! It is none of anyone's business what flag he flies. It is HIS business, HIS flag and HIS right. How and what it stands for is up to each person. Whether you agree or disagree, it doesn't matter. If you don't like it, don't eat there. What is the big deal about a person exercising their freedom of speech? I am from the south (Bama) and my opinion of what flag he flew is just that, my opinion. Walmart pulled his sauce from the shelves. Again, that is their right to pick and choose their vendors because it is THEIR store. Leave the man alone and if you don't agree with him, eat somewhere else.
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2-24-2010 @12:48PM MH said... No one is saying he doesn't have the RIGHT to fly any flag he pleases. We're saying it's a stupid, dumb, and hateful flag to fly. Of course he has the right to be stupid, dumb, and hateful, but why would you want to be?
2-23-2010 @11:50PM Janeyre said... The Confederate Flag represents a Foreign Government. That would be what was, and isn't any more. Dumb racists, can't get it through their heads. This is the USA and your flag does represent the USA, not some Confederate Flag...
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2-25-2010 @11:29PM Daryl said... I'm sorry but all this PC nonsense has gotten silly. If someone has a Confederate flag that means their a racist and/or a bigot?
If someone has a noose hanging in their car, truck, home or makes on for the heck of it, that means they to are a racist and/or bigot?
If someone uses the word nigg*r(edited for censorship purposes, don't wanna offend any) that to means they are a racist and/or bigot? I recall the OJ trial, they asked if the officer ever used the word nigg*r during the trial and he said "Yes". Everyone said see he's a racist. He planted the evidence and OJ walked after commiting double murder!
If someone didn't vote for Obama for president, that means they are a racist and/or bigot?
LMAO, Don't you people see how freaking ridiculous all that sounds? Yet, you wonder why America is going to hell in a hand basket! Really!?
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2-24-2010 @12:04AM Mack said... A little late to pray for them.
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2-24-2010 @12:11AM Samantha said... Maurices restaurants are too expensive. They also try to get you to order the buffet, which is always old and dry looking. So even if you find something appealing on the buffet, you are only allowed to go through the line ONE time.
I think Hudson's BBQ is offering some tough competition.
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2-24-2010 @12:17AM RB said... I have a confederate flag flying in my yard along side, but lower, than the American flag. I fly this flag in honor of my father and mother who was born in the south. My father worked in cotton fields after quitting school while in the 8th grade to help make money for his family. It is a rebel flag and it is a dixie battle flag. I also have a rebel flag plate on my car and a Bourbon Street plate on my car. It doesn't mean anything about race. No I don't have a black power panther flag in my yard. Is that racist?
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2-24-2010 @12:48PM MH said... You should ask yourself why you don't think the Stars and Stripes represents the south. Or fly your state flag if you want to honor your southern state. Even if your parents are from different states, just get one for each. You have many flags to choose from, all of which honor the south without being hateful. Why do you pick the flag associated with slavery and racists?
2-24-2010 @5:57AM darrell said... The flag does represent racists attitudes to many people especially black folk. However, to many white folks in the deep south the flag represents a lost heritage that is sorely missed by many. Not talking about slaves and all that but more like the yes mam and no sir that was spoken more freely years ago when folks knew how to raise children.
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2-24-2010 @12:48PM MH said... That kind of 'heritage' (politeness) continued long after the Confederacy. Anyone who claims their Confederate flag only represents southern hospitality is being incredibly disingenuous.
2-24-2010 @12:26AM chitown8452 said... I used to need to clean my colon out with expensive drinks some idiot sold on the internet. Now i found that taking a sh#t was all I really needed to do. In the process i met a beautiful millionaire coming out of the Sh#thouse who cleared up all of my facial pimples. With my new face i got a wonderful job getting spammers off aol so now my life is perfect and it didn't cost me a dime only a roll of toliet paper............AMAZING
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2-24-2010 @1:12AM Barney said... Interesting. The United States was born with most if not all states slave states so the Stars and Stripes actually represent slavery as much or more so then the Stars and Bars. The thirteen original colonies were slave holding and the north brought in most of the slaves. Not to forget that at the outset of the Civil War the capital of the country, Washington, was a slave owning area.
The folks who adopted the Stars and Bars as a symbol did not adopt or see it as a symbol of slavery but as a symbol of a new country. More interesting is the fact that the Stars and Bars was simply a battle flag and NOT the official flag of the Confederacy. I'll bet that you could fly the real Confederate flag and not even get noticed.
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2-24-2010 @1:39AM Ken said... .......a couple of comments......first, I am a southerner who can form a sentence without using the term "ain't"......I have never thought of the Rebel flag as flaunting the support of slavery.......just someone showing pride in their southern heritage........very much like an African-American ocassionally wearing some of their traditional African apparel. Secondly, I can't stand "political correctness" as it is nothing more than forcing people to "water down" what they really mean.
In this case, it seems like political correctness, in itself, is causing the controversy. As a result, I am planing a trip to Columbia just so I can eat this guy's BBQ and show him that I still believe in freedom of speech.
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2-25-2010 @12:16AM loneone said... tyrebitre, learn your history better, Kentucky wasnt a confederate state, they pulled out of the recession and stayed with the union. As far as the rest of this foolishness about the flag, you people are stomping on the right of free speech for these individuals. They have the same right to bare this flag as people who wear Malcom X shirts , hats or anything else with his likeness on it. We all know he hated whites as much as whites hated him. So therefor his stuff represents hatered to whites. It is true a few people use it as a hate flag, mainly because they are cowards. No this flag doesnt represent slavery no more than the American flag. As it flew before, during and after slavery.
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2-24-2010 @1:45AM Jerry said... The flag in question is NOT the Confederate national flag and never has been. It is the Confederate naval battle flag. If you want to see what the REAL Confederate national flag looked like, google the Georgia state flag. Remove the state crest from the circle of stars and you have the first Confederate national flag. (There were three in all.) If you want to see the flag that flew over slave states for more than 70 years after the adoption of the Constitution, go down to your local post office. They are flying it on their flagpole.
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2-24-2010 @2:20AM shane said... I have white pride And love the South And one day it will rise again and well be the greatest nation ever SOUTHERN HERITAGE
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2-24-2010 @3:54AM Rich said... So Shane boy...does that mean y'all are planning to secede from the union again? Please do let me know, cause I think if you play your cards right the rest of the country might be willing to be well rid of you.
2-24-2010 @2:28AM chuck said... I like the comment wood wrote,besides him being so dumb he can,t put a sentence together i like the part about mexico not being racist,if your not a mexican national you can,t be a officer in their army,can,t own land,can,t run for public office,so you need to study,start with your spelling(dumb-a$$
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2-24-2010 @3:12AM Fly it proud!!!! said... I believe that many people of color died in the Civil War on both sides. If you were black and survived the war you returned home a free man. Now, I find it wrong, living here in Miami ( just like elsewhere) that people from other countries can fly their flag or wear symbols or portraits of Black Racist Americans and tell everyone what we can say or which flag we fly or what we can wear. Most of these people have never been touched by slavery themselves and they should be happy to live a country where they have the freedoms we all share. Blacks cry about Segragation but they are the worst offenders. Even within their own...one is too dark, one is too light, to red. There will never be a solution until when asked what "race" you are, say "human". Unfortunantly I will never see that in my lifetime
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