Polka dots mean ABC



A view along SC Highway 125 South heading out of Allendale. The highway parallels the rail line, as many older routes do, and a polka-dotted building is visible off to the right of the picture. These red dots signify a liquor store in South Carolina, or an ABC (Alcoholic Beverage Control).

Another distinct feature of drinking in the Palmetto State is that if you order a drink at a bar, it will be prepared using singles, or miniatures, those tiny bottles of liquor you see at the checkout in ABC stores. Bars do not have quarts or fifths of liquor behind the counter. Two advantages to this system for the consumer: the booze is more difficult to water down and the measurements are precise.