SHELBY – Fans of mini golf, ice cream and classic cars will find the perfect place for entertainment this summer at Roselawn Miniature Golf in Shelby.
Every Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m. through Labor Day, Roselawn will be hosting the “Church Street Cruise In” complete with door prizes, music and of course, mini golf. It’s part of Roselawn owner Brian Crum’s plan to bring family fun back to Shelby.
“The entire goal of my organization is to get families out to make some memories together,” Crum said. “It doesn’t cost anything, people can walk there from most of town, and we’ve been blessed with good weather.”
Roselawn Miniature Golf recently celebrated its one-year anniversary, though the Cruise In has only been around since mid-June. It started as a way to fill the void left by the disbandment of the official Shelby Cruise-In.
“When Shelby lost the big cruise in, we thought we had to do something,” Crum said. “That one was quite a feat, and unfortunately I don’t have that kind of time, but we thought we could probably put together a weekly cruise in at no cost to the car owners.”
Other organizations in downtown Shelby quickly joined the effort. Parking space for the cruise-in is donated by First United Church of Christ and Shelby Memorial Library, Nyte Flyte Entertainment provides free music, and door prizes are donated from Paul’s Drive-In, Kentucky Fried Chicken, The Fancy Chicken, Nicole & Co., and The Vault Wine Bar.
Attendance at the cruise-in has been steady, with one evening attracting 32 cars in Roselawn’s small parking lot. Car owners come from across Richland County for an opportunity to show off their prized vehicles.
“I like getting out of the house; I’ve been married 60 years, I’ve got to go when I can,” said Art Owens, owner of a 1950 Model Ford. “It’s someplace to go to hear some music, talk cars and shoot the bull, and tell a lie or two.”
Brandon Baker, a Shelby resident and owner of a 2016 Camaro SS, said he learned about Roselawn’s cruise-in via social media.
“Everybody that goes to a car show and brings their car, loves to talk about their car,” Baker said with a laugh. “It’s always fun to see the different cars that show up, and it supports the local community. Plus you can get ice cream and play some putt-putt golf.”
Crum himself is a fan of cars, having worked on his first car with his father at 14 years old. But more than anything, he’s a fan of his hometown.
“A lot of these guys know each other, so it’s a way to come hang out and tell lies about the cars you’ve owned,” he said.
“The biggest thing is we want to see people get out and have fun, whether that’s coming to one of our businesses or being out and about. It’s just something fun for people to do.”
