Star Profile

Bill Dukes

Columbia has a new convention center, albeit compact and with no designated headquarters hotel. It was put together by the man who put together the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, Bill Dukes. On Tuesday, November 27, after 10 years of lending his leadership, Dukes attended his last meeting of Columbia’s convention center authority.

The new, compact convention center is near the corner of Lincoln and Lady and is called The Blue Marlin’s Vista Room, which seats up to 60 inside. It’s a dining and meeting accommodation, the banquet attachment to The Blue Marlin.

Dukes, who has been connected with the food business all over the U.S., was born in Columbia, at Providence Hospital. His father was in the Army, and the whole family moved to California soon after Dukes was born.

After his father’s assignment with the occupation forces in Japan, family moved back to Columbia, and his father returned to his job at Claussen’s Bakery on Greene Street.

Dukes attended Rosewood Elementary, Hand Junior High, and Dreher High School. At Dreher, Dukes played varsity football as an end while working part- time at Creech’s Grocery on Beltline, the Winn- Dixie on Devine, and the Winn- Dixie on Assembly.

While in college at USC, Dukes worked with his father at Claussen’s Bakery.

As a business major, an Air Force ROTC cadet, and an ATO, Dukes got through USC in four years. Following graduation, he took his commission in the Air Force for another four years. The Air Force put him in food service management training.

During the first few months out of training, Dukes ran the officers’ club at K.I. Sawyer AFB on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula about two hours from the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

In the early winter of ’65, Dukes was shipped off to Korat, Thailand, to run their Air Force officers’ club. Besides food, booze, and general operations, Dukes was responsible for entertainment acts, which meant going to Bangkok regularly to inspect and engage entertainers.

Back in the States, Dukes was assigned to a SAC base, Clinton- Sherman, west of Oklahoma City.

Out of the Air Force, Dukes took his first civilian job with Schrafft’s in New York, a restaurant chain no longer in business. Dukes was sent to the Times Square Schrafft’s, long before Times Square was cleaned up.

After a second stint with Schrafft’s, this time in Philadelphia, Dukes came back to Columbia as a statewide franchise representative with Burger Chef.

Dukes left Burger Chef for Steak & Ale, an upscale restaurant chain looking for a site in St. Andrews. Dukes got the St. Andrews Steak & Ale up and running and left for more management training in Oklahoma.

After about a year, Dukes was the chain’s area manager based in Dallas. By 1981, Steak & Ale had 165 restaurants across the country, and Dukes was the company’s senior vice president.

Dukes left Steak & Ale for a startup opportunity in Atlanta. He created the Longhorn Steak House concept with its first restaurant in Buckhead. In 1987, he opened the first Longhorn in Charlotte, and in 1993, the first Blue Marlin, also in Charlotte.

In 1992, Dukes put a Longhorn on Gervais Street, and in 1994, The Blue Marlin moved into the old Seaboard building. Dukes moved back to Columbia for good.

By the end of 1998, Dukes had all the local governments in agreement on the convention center and on the hospitality tax to help pay for it.

Dukes and his wife Jo Ann married 30 years ago in Houston. They have two sons, both in the restaurant business. Ryan, 28, is operations manager for their new catering business, Dupre- Dukes Signature Catering. His son Mat is chef at Wild Dunes.

Dukes’ father, the former member of the occupation forces in Japan, lives in the independent wing at Generations in Chapin.