Good Printed Things, a small press in Greenville SC dedicated to producing small-batch book projects, has announced the forthcoming publication of The South Carolina BBQ Project: Signs, Symbols, and Stories from the Pit, a visual narrative journey through South Carolina’s iconic barbecue culture by designer and author Nathan Spainhour. Part history, part design study, and part love letter to the state’s most treasured foodway, The South Carolina BBQ project explores the culture of barbecue in the Palmetto state. Through hand-painted signs, roadside architecture, styrofoam plates, and everyday ephemera, Spainhour reveals how design shapes our sense of authenticity, memory, and tradition.
Originally created as Spainhour’s MFA thesis, the project evolved into a deeper fascination for the culture of barbecue across South Carolina. The book blends storytelling, visual research, and cultural history to offer a fresh perspective on a beloved regional staple. As author Nathan Spainhour writes, the book helps “tell a story of barbecue that’s as layered and complex as the part of the country it calls home.”
