COLUMBIA, S.C. — With the help of a pickup truck and six strong people, the Yesterday's cowboy has ridden off into the mountains of Wyoming. All thanks to USC graduate, Katie Pearson.
Pearson grew up in Savannah but had family in Columbia. She remembers visiting Five Points throughout her life and says one staple figure, in particular, will always have a special place in her heart.
"My dad loved Yesterday's so much that we would literally drive from Savannah to go eat... I mean there are pictures of me in a baby bassinet on the table underneath the cowboy."
After graduating in 2014, Pearson moved out west to pursue a job in the beauty of Yellowstone in Wyoming. Then she got surprising news from her college town.
"When Yesterday's had closed, I was really sad just thinking that the cowboy was just going to go in a house and couldn't be enjoyed or anything like that," she explained.
Yesterday's was a staple in Five Points for 43 years, serving families and college students like Katie, but closed its doors in 2020.
It opened in 1977 and placed a legendary wooden cowboy inside the restaurant after Hurricane Hugo in 1989. A local artist was commissioned to carve the cowboy from a fallen oak tree after the storm damage.
Former bartender, Matthew Trent says the cowboy became an icon in Five Points' beloved bar scene.
"I think a lot of people loved taking pictures with it, even though it wasn't for that purpose," Trent explained. "It was just a cool antique... and a lot of people loved it."
When the bar closed its doors, the owners started auctioning off the odds and ends inside, including the big wooden cowboy in the bathtub.
"My boss thought he would be great here so we purchased him and we built him a little spot in the cafe. He's become a huge hit and people love him!" Pearson said with excitement.
The legendary cowboy now sits at Buffalo Valley Cafe in Wyoming overlooking the mountains.