Magnolia & Main: Riverbanks Zoo

Thank You for 41 Years

8:19 AM

in #thankyousatch

5 comments

If you've been around here long enough, you know a few things that I love:

Clemson Football

Kiawah

Breweries

Riverbanks Zoo

The zoo in Columbia has always been one of my very favorite places to go. I can't remember the first time that I ever went there. I can't tell you the exact count of times that I've set foot there {but it's definitely in the several hundreds, including a visit last week}. I can't tell you the number of times that I've raved about this zoo to other people. But I can tell you that going there is the best. If you've been to Riverbanks, you get it. If you haven't, you might think I'm a little crazy because of how much I enjoy visiting and walking around there.

It has always been a special place to me, so you'll have to excuse me for a minute while I go on a trip down memory lane and bombard you with a few zoo pictures today. Satch Krantz, president & CEO & Head Monkey of Riverbanks for 41 years, is officially retiring at the end of the day.

I've been going to the zoo since I was little, but luckily for y'all, I've only got pictures from the digital age on my laptop ;)

... & mom to the rescue! She texted over this addition to the post:

Satch used to drive the zebra striped zoo van home sometimes and y'all, it was ALWAYS the highlight of my week. He'd drive the van home, load us up in it, and drive around the neighborhood. For five year old me, it was the best thing EVER, and it's quite possibly the reason I love the zoo so much now, ha.

Baby Lion, 2008

Lights at the Zoo, 2009

Zoofari, 2013

Zoofari, 2014

Rhythm & Blooms, May 2015

Brew at the Zoo, 2015

Proposal, August 29, 2015

Lunchtime visit to the zoo!

Wine Tasting, 2016

Bridal Portraits, 2016

Zoofari, 2016

Thank you, Satch, for making Riverbanks Zoo into an incredible place. Thanks for a world class, award winning zoo; for all of the behind the scenes tours from baby lions to gorillas to sea lions; and for putting on fun events like Zoofari, Brew at the Zoo, and the wine tasting in the gardens.

Cheers to 41 years!