Sweat's was a religious experience

It’s always a bit sad when you pass a place along the side of the road – once full of so many happy memories – and it’s no longer there.
It’s either gone out of business, something has taken its place or it has been torn down.

I got that feeling late Tuesday afternoon when I turned off I-16 onto Highway 29, about six miles north of Soperton.

In the tiny community of Ormond, not far from the interstate ramps, a gas station and the local Huddle House, I pulled into what used to be Sweat’s Barbecue.

My mouth started watering just sitting there in the parking lot.

I lost track of the number of times I went there over the years. We used to stop there regularly on our family beach vacations to St. Simons.

I can’t say Sweat’s was my all-time favorite barbecue place. That honor is reserved for Fincher’s in Macon.

But Sweat’s was legendary, and folks would travel great distances to eat there. The theory is time-tested. People will go a long way to get good barbecue.

Anyway, Sweat’s closed several years ago. I know it’s been at least 10.

I know at least one other restaurant tried to make a go of it in the old Sweat’s location. It was a seafood restaurant, I believe.

When I passed by in recent years, it looked closed.

But there were signs of life on Tuesday. In fact, a new addition was being added to the front. I don’t have any official word about the renovations, but judging from the façade, it looks to be another one of those metal-sided churches.

That won’t bother me too much.

Eating Sweat’s Barbecue was always somewhat of a religious experience.