A child of Myrtle Beach’s Kozy Korner Diner, Dino Thompson grew up helping in his family’s restaurant and often accompanied his father to Carver Street. There, his dad would visit his friend Charlie Fitzgerald for a drink while Dino played the jukebox.
As a teen, Dino and friends learned dance steps from Charlie’s Place hostess, Cynthia “Shag” Harrell.
When Dino and his friends would tell the other teens at the Pavilion where they had learned the dances, they’d say that they had gone to Charlie’s Place “to dance with Shag,” which may have led to the naming of South Carolina’s official dance.
Now a member of the Charlie’s Place Historic Site preservation board, Dino created and donated the framed posters honoring musical acts from the club.
He can often be found at his restaurant, The Flamingo Grill.
Charlie's Place is a podcast series co-produced by Atlas Obscura and Rococo Punch in partnership with Pushkin Industries and Visit Myrtle Beach. Hosted by filmmaker Rhym Guissé, the show uncovers the hidden history of a legendary Black nightclub in Jim Crow-era South Carolina—and the people who made it a symbol of culture, resistance, and community. Starting July 21st, binge the entire season early and ad-free by subscribing to Pushkin+. Sign up on the Charlie's Place show page on Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus.
