Ok folks, this is for the Hartsville old timers. There was a motorcycle shop on West Carolina Ave back in the 60’s that sold and serviced Harley’s. What was the name of it? It was later the home of Dub Walters upholstery shop. I think I know, but I want to see what else comes up.
2012 Carolina Avenue may not be the accurate address for Nettles shop, but it was listed as that in multiple issues of American Motorcyclist Magazine dealer’s directory. Gene Nettles was a Harley Davidson dealer in the Hartsville area until January of 1964 when he moved his shop to Surfside Beach. He retired in the late 70s and sold his business in Surfside which later became Myrtle Beach Harley Davidson.
There was another motorcycle repair and custom shop on W. Carolina operated by Tommy Shumate and associates called “The Rat’s Hole”.
That sounds like the right place. All that info falls into what I remember. I had the name wrong, but I do remember that they moved to Surfside Beach. Thanks for finding that for me. Now I hope another ghost from the past doesn’t pop up in my head and I have to over tax my brain trying to remember the answer.
I bought two motorcycles from Gene back in the late 40’s when I lived in Hartsville and worked at Sonoco. Those were the good ole days when we had a motorcycle club and enjoyed some good times together. Later, after I moved to Atlanta, my wife and I visited Gene at his shop in Surfside. He was getting ready to retire and offered to sell me the business. It was the last time I saw him. I recently saw on the TV show “American Pickers” where the two guys that go around buying antiques and collectables for resale bought some of Gene’s old motorcycle parts. I do not recall the persons name that sold them. The program does not give locations but it must have been in the Surfside area.
Answered by my husband, Harry:
Nettle’s Motorcycle Sales
2012 W. Carolina Avenue
owner: Gene Nettles
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