BRICK STREET COFFEE BREAK AND THE USS SUMTER LST 1181

Brick Street Coffee Break is located downtown at 9 Caldwell Street in Sumter, South Carolina. The building was constructed in 1915 and housed mostly auto parts businesses. In 1998, Carol Hallgren and Jay Ingersoll purchased 9 Caldwell, which had been unoccupied for some time. They renovated the building and opened the coffee shop in 2001. Caldwell Street, which occupies one single block, is Sumter’s last old, downtown brick-paved street. The significance of this location and building is far reaching and reflects the unique history of Sumter, ranging from locally produced building materials to families whose roots and business connections
reach into the early history of Sumter and South Carolina.
Sumter’s history is the ongoing theme of Brick Street Coffee Break, where many displays, photographs and pictures depict Sumter and Its history. One unique display features the last of several naval ships named for General Thomas Sumter, the USS Sumter LST-1181. This amphibious landing ship was christened by Mrs. Strom (Nancy Moore) Thurmond and commissioned in 1970. Plank owner, Jay Brown, has donated most of these items in honor of the ship, its crew and the man for whom the ship was named.

Now all this was said because the establishment has the only known (so far), extensive display of USS Sumter LST-1181 memorabilia around! As you can see below, the items are displayed with other "Sumter" related memorabilia in an antique cabinet. All you Sumter Sailors  who might be passing through the town, should take the time to stop and have a cup of coffee and maybe even a good meal and say hello to the owner of this fine "Museum" and peruse down memory lane.