Simply known as “The Corporation,” this establishment was Clemson’s mega-club of the late ’70s and early ’80s. Located on Old Greenville Highway/SC 93 (not far from campus), The Corporation was huge – a sprawling venue with multiple bars and a dance floor that could accommodate a big crowd. It was the kind of place you’d go when you were ready for a big night out. In the disco era, The Corporation was king: mirror balls, flashing lights, and DJs spinning everything from funk to new wave. But its legend truly grew thanks to the live concerts it hosted. The Corporation brought in popular touring bands of the time, effectively doubling as a concert hall. Alumni recall seeing memorable shows there – for example, regional rock/new-wave band The Producers played live gigs at The Corporation to packed housestigernet.com. Given its size and popularity, it often reached capacity on weekends, and lines would form outside. The club developed a bit of a notorious edge as well; it employed some burly bouncers who didn’t hesitate to (literally) throw out troublemakers, earning a reputation for rough-and-tumble handling of drunks. One legendary tale from the era describes a 300-pound bouncer at The Corporation physically hurling an unruly patron into the parking lot – behavior that, while extreme, underscores how rowdy the scene could gettigernet.com. Despite (or because of) its wild side, The Corporation was a favorite for Clemson students looking for dancing and live music on a grander scale than the downtown bars. By the mid-1980s, attendance waned and the big club concept gave way to smaller venues; The Corporation eventually shut down, and the building later housed restaurants. Yet its name still brings a smile to those who remember sweat-drenched dance parties, cheap pitchers of beer, and even late-night keg parties in Calhoun Courts after The Corporation’s 2 AM closingtigernet.comtigernet.com. In Clemson’s social history, The Corporation looms large – quite literally – as the one-time hub of nightlife where “Workin’ for the Weekend” was more than a song, it was a way of life.
