May 31, 2013 UBJ

may 31, 2013

The Joy of franchising Upstate entrepreneurs are going into business for themselves – but not by themselves

UBJ Table of contents PRESIDENT/PublIShER Mark B. Johnston mjohnston@communityjournals.com SENIoR VIcE PRESIDENT Alan P. Martin amartin@communityjournals.com ubJ ASSocIATE PublIShER Ryan L. Johnston rjohnston@communityjournals.com EXEcuTIVE EDIToR Susan Clary Simmons ssimmons@communityjournals.com MANAGING EDIToR Jerry Salley jsalley@communityjournals.com STAff wRITERS Sherry Jackson, Cindy Landrum, April A. Morris SENIoR buSINESS wRITER Jennifer Oladipo

16

A Papa Murphy’s Take ’N’ bake Pizza under construction in the Pelham Road store.

Photo by Greg Beckner

coNTRIbuTING wRITERS Dick Hughes, Jenny Munro, Jeanne Putnam, Leigh Savage EDIToRIAl INTERNS Shelby Livingston, Casey Dargan ART & PRoDucTIoN ART DIREcToR Richie Swann PhoToGRAPhER Greg Beckner

F e at u r e s

colu m ns

de pa rt m e n t s

Entrepreneur 14 The Big Chill

by April A. Morris

Digital Maven 8 Tools for Sharing

by Laura Haight

cover Story 16 Big Growth, Minimized Risk in Franchises

by Jenny Munro

Statehouse Report 9 Pay More than Lip Service to Better Government

by Andy Brack

3 6 22 25 26 28 29 30

Profile 20 The Catalyst

by Leigh Savage

create. Innovate. celebrate.

10 A Little Help From My Friends, Colleagues, Manager, Classmates…

by Darlene Fuhst

Verbatim Milestone Square Feet On the Move The Fine Print New to the Street Planner Snapshot

coNTRIbuTING PhoTo EDIToR Gerry Pate PRoDucTIoN Holly Hardin MARkETING & ADVERTISING MARkETING REPRESENTATIVES Lori Burney, Mary Beth Culbertson, Kristi Jennings, Donna Johnston, Pam Putman MARkETING Katherine Elrod MARkETING & EVENTS Kate Banner bRAND STRATEGIST Austin Hafer bIllING Shannon Rochester clIENT SERVIcES MANAGERS Anita Harley, Jane Rogers ADVERTISING DESIGN Kristy Adair, Michael Allen, Whitney Fincannon, Caroline Reinhardt IDEAS, fEEDbAck, oPINIoNS opinions@upstatebusinessjournal.com how To REAch uS 148 River Street., Suite 120 Greenville, SC 29601 864-679-1200

Copyright @2013 BY COMMUNITY JOURNALS LLC. All rights reserved. Upstate Business Journal (Vol. 2, No. 21) is published weekly by Community Journals LLC. 148 River Street, Suite 120, Greenville, South Carolina, 29601. Upstate Business Journal is a free publication. Annual subscriptions (52 issues) can be purchased for $65. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upstate Business, 148 River St., Ste 120, Greenville, SC 29601. Printed in the USA.

2 upstate business journal May 31, 2013

UBJ Verbatim On Greenville’s art patrons…

“Every aspect of Artisphere is ridiculously delightful. Felt honored to be there. Constant, thick crowds of very nice people. … Solid citizens of the best quality. Warm, Southern friendliness, without the over vulgar extravaganza of some.

Speaking softly, smiling authentically, polite for real, a group of smiling individuals living in a booming town. A very successful town, with a very successful art show. They take great pride in their town and well they should. … We could not have but praise and kudos for this town and its show.”

Yoram Gal, an artist from Old Jaffa, Israel, who exhibited on Artist Row in this year’s Artisphere in downtown Greenville

Greektown Grille coming to McBee Station the greek festival may be over, but the Greektown Grille will soon provide all the Greek culture you could want. In just a few weeks, the Greektown Grille will open its new authentic Greek and Mediterranean restaurant in McBee Station on East McBee Avenue.

Peter Kourlas, current owner of Pete’s Original Speros on Pendleton Street, will be coowner of the Greektown Grille, and he hopes the place will bring authentic Greek food, music and scenery to a new area of Greenville, he said. Kourlas stressed that the authenticity of the food and the casual family setting

with indoor and outdoor seating will allow people to get food on the go or relax for a nice meal with the family. Greektown Grille will also offer catering services, said Kourlas.

Greektown Grille will have food for lunch, dinner and deserts or coffee with a lively atmosphere at all times, said Kourlas. If you aren’t sure what to eat, Kourlas suggested the gyros, but there are plenty of other options, including American cuisine. Visit their Facebook page (facebook.com/ GreektownGrilleGreenville) for updates on Greektown Grille’s launch.

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UBJ This Week

Contact Jennifer Oladipo at joladipo@communityjournals.com.

Iron Yard Accelerator Launches Company

By Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer

filtereasy planned to pick up some resources and meet people in the Iron Yard Accelerator who would take the Raleigh company to the next level back home. Yet with its launch last week, owners say they intend to stay and grow their company here.

FilterEasy delivers custom air filters to homes, having customers sign up for a recurring service that sends filters at scheduled times. Its cofounders, Kevin Barry and Thad Tarkington, say their three months in the accelerator have paid off.

A day after launching, the company had 26 paying customers and more than 1,000 unique hits to the website, Filtereasy.com.

Users are located throughout the

country, the owners said.

“If we had not been here, it would not be what it is today,” Tarkington said. The experience has been “pretty much exactly what we thought,” and several people have contributed to help them fill in their skill and knowledge gaps, especially Web designers and developers.

Designers from Zaarly, a local company, and also people from the nationally known Web-based companies MailChimp and Treehouse, helped them discern the best way to lay out the website.

“We’ve worked many, many hours on the user experience of the website. How the workflow’s going to go from the time you go onto the

website until you become a paying customer,” Barry said.

While the accelerator yielded few surprises, Tarkington and Barry said Greenville was an unexpectedly good fit. They had intended to return to Raleigh, splitting their time between the two cities and eventually returning to North Carolina. Tarkington said he knew nothing about Greenville and “was not very excited” after doing some Web research.

After a few weeks, however, it seemed that Greenville was the place to be. The accelerator recently moved to a building at Main and Washington streets, and as with many people, the charm and energy of downtown helped to win them over. The number of young entrepreneurs willing to help them with their own endeavors was also a crucial selling point.

As a result, they have sublet their Raleigh apartments and will remain

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in Greenville full-time. They will continue to make frequent trips to Raleigh, where important parts of the supply chain are located.

The service is available nationwide, but the Upstate is the current focus. Last week they papered Greenville, Greer, Simpsonville and other surrounding areas with 5,000 door hangers as part of their marketing efforts.

“We’re excited to have people interacting with what we’ve been working on for seven months. It’s all about testing and finding out the easiest way to convert people and get them to sign up,” Tarkington said.

The young entrepreneurs say they are continuing to make improvements. They’ve smoothed the issue of oversized shipping boxes that left products damaged upon delivery.

Now they need to figure out how to overcome the problem of potential customers who usually do not know

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5/6/13 2:38 PM

General Machine of Anderson Expands

By Jennifer Oladipo | senior business writer

their filter sizes and are often not in a position to check while they’re on FilterEasy’s website. People checking the site at work tend to forget by the time they return home, or they just might not want to get up from the computer immediately.

FilterEasy is not their first experience in business. Barry, 20, previously ran a marketing office in Massachusetts. Tarkington, 21, ran a landscaping company in that same state for four years.

Other companies in the accelerator will present their work May 30 to June 1 at Greenville Grok, a three-day tech industry conference hosted by the Iron Yard. The point of the event is essentially to replicate FilterEasy’s experience.

“Once you see Greenville for yourself, we think you’ll have second thoughts about leaving,” the Grok information page says at theironyard.com/events/grok.

general machine of anderson announced last week that it will expand its Anderson County operations with an $800,000 expansion. General Machine is a fabricating and manufacturing operation with about 50 employees.

Phase one of the two-phase project was construction of a 4,000-square-foot assembly area, which has been completed. Phase two will be construction of a 12,000-square-foot fabricating facility. That building and the entire expansion are scheduled for completion by November 2013.

“We hope to have the entire project complete by this time next year,” said Bruce Cannon, marketing director.

The company is also hiring, looking primarily for operating technicians and CNC operators.

Cannon said some hiring has occurred since the company started working with the Anderson Office of Economic development last fall.

Mike Ertzberger, president, said, “We thank Burris Nelson and his staff for their work in helping local industries take advantage of incentives like this. Even more so, we thank all of our faithful customers who truly are making our growth and expansion a reality.”

Most of General Machine’s clients are in the automotive and household appliance industries.

The current growth is possible because the company continued to flourish as the recession negatively affected other companies, Ertzberger says. Over the past five years, it has more than doubled its facilities and number of employees, he said. He also

praised the county’s economic development office.

Cannon said that while other companies were forced to make do with the machinery they had, they looked to companies like General Machine for repair and maintenance. As a result, this will be General Machine’s third expansion since the recession began.

“We don’t have anything on the drawing board right now, but if the market continues to expand like it has in the last two or three years for us, that could change altogether,” he said.

General Machine serves a long list of local, national and international companies in textiles, automotive, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, plastics, pipelines, appliances, chemicals, farming, hardware and household products.

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UBJ Milestone

Contact Jenny Munro at jmunro@communityjournals.com.

Infinity Marketing Celebrates 20 Years, New HQ

By Jenny Munro | contributor

infinity marketing, a national advertising and marketing agency based in Greenville, recently celebrated its 20th anniversary and its recent move to more spacious quarters on South Pleasantburg Drive with staff, clients and friends.

The firm, established in 1993, now has more than 60 employees and its clients are primarily Fortune 500 companies, said Tony Williams, CEO and president.

“We’re celebrating 20 wonderful years,” he said.

Williams attributed the agency’s success to “building the right team.”

The company experienced doubledigit growth from 2006 through 2011, and the best year ever was 2012.

Infinity has been named one of South Carolina’s 20 fastest growing companies and is actively involved in the community.

“We’re hiring,” Williams said, adding that he is looking for media assistants, marketing assistants, graphic artists and more. Unlike many marketing companies, he trains his young employees to provide all the services to a client rather than having different people provide parts of the services needed.

“They own their clients,” he said,

Greenville Mayor Knox White and Infinity Marketing CEO Tony Williams cut the ribbon on Infinity’s new office.

and a client only needs to call the Infinity staffer working that account regardless of the need.

In addition, Infinity has a strong program for college interns, he said.

“The thing I like about this company is it provides jobs and opportunities for young professionals, keeping them in Greenville,” said Greenville Mayor Knox White.

Also, “it provides a Greenville outreach” by bring its clients to town.

The other plus is the move to 874 S. Pleasantburg to the former Leslie

Advertising building, he said. “This is a reuse story,” White said.

Infinity moved from a 6,000-square-foot space, with four to five people per office, to 14,000 square feet of the 22,000-square foot building in April, Williams said. He bought the building from Dean Anderson, an owner of the facility and the former chairman of Leslie Advertising. The purchase was closed in December and renovation was begun.

“I never envisioned the business

being this big,” he said. “Everything I have I owe to the employees.”

Infinity is a full-service businessto-consumer marketing firm, Williams said. His biggest presence is in Florida and Texas, and he does not have much business in Greenville. But Williams, a native of Greenville, established his business and keeps it here because “it’s my home. I have a passion for Greenville” and enjoy showing off downtown to out-of-town clients.

But, he said, “We’ve flown under the radar for a long time,” and much of Greenville is just getting to know the firm.

His corporate goal for the next five years is to continue to provide a healthy company where employees can feel secure in their careers, he said, adding that Infinity experienced only minimal layoffs one time – in 2004.

Infinity Marketing can be found online at infinitymkt.com. The agency offers media planning and buying, production and creative customization solutions, and interactive applications. Among its responsibilities is the management of more than 800 DJs nationwide for a national radio company.

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UBJ This Week

The Fittest of Them All Fit2Lead names winners in team-building competition

By Leigh Savage | contributor

just a few years ago, chuck Driskell was recovering from a BASE jumping accident that led to five surgeries on his left leg, which makes him even more gratified to be named the fittest executive in the Upstate after 12 weeks in the Fit2Lead program.

“I’m quite surprised I won,” said Driskell, president and cofounder at B2B Media. “There were a number of extremely fit people in this competition.”

Fit2Lead, sponsored by Proaxis Therapy, Greenville Hospital System and TeamKattouf, was designed to encourage executives, community leaders and others to participate in a free health and fitness competition

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that would inspire employees from the top down.

Participants were tested at the beginning and end of the program to gauge changes in strength, mobility, flexibility, waist size, cholesterol levels and other indicators, according to Ashley Pastore, who works in business development at Proaxis.

Thirteen teams participated, and the average weight of participants went from 193 to 175. Body mass index dropped on average from 28.6 to 26.4, while average waist measurements plummeted from 36.6 to 33.9.

Brittany Forrester, a member of the Printtek team, was named the most improved female after dropping 26 pounds and 7.5 inches from her

NEARLY NEW

waist. She also said improved strength helped her overcome knee issues that plagued her for years.

Jeff Holder, owner of Printtek, was named most improved male, and said having his entire staff of five head to the Accelerated Sports Institute at GHS’s Patewood campus each Tuesday and Thursday helped his team earn both individual awards and the most improved team award.

For fittest female winner Jennifer Davis, business development director at RAP Index, the program motivated her to work out and eat better.

After presenting barbell awards in a ceremony at SIP, Pastore said there are plans for next year. “It was a great way to introduce people to not just fitness routines, but worklife balance, incorporating wellness and nutrition into their day,” she said. “We’re already thinking of ideas to improve it next year and keep people engaged.”

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FiT2Lead 2013 Most improved male Jeff Holder, Printtek Most improved female Brittany Forrester, Printtek Fittest male Chuck Driskell, B2B Media Fittest female Jennifer Davis, RAP Index Most improved team Printtek Fittest team Proaxis Therapy

UBJ Digital Maven

Tools for Sharing how do you share files with your staff? How do you collaborate on a project – developing a timeline, pricing, scope documents?

If you are like a lot of small businesses, you email files back and forth. You may have an online account tied to a single ID that everyone shares to access and update documents. But that has some serious drawbacks.

Sharing, storing and collaborating on documents with employees, partners and clients is a big part of

and they were sending it in email.

It was nearly the end of me. But this is a common problem to have – even one photo can be more than the 8-10 MB that most email systems can now handle.

• Send Big Files (sendbigfiles.com) offers several levels of accounts – including a free one that lets you transfer files up to 250 MB. Files are not stored here; they are maintained for seven days and then deleted.

Scale up in service offerings, size and cost as your needs change.

By LAURA HAIGHT

(Facebook, Twitter) and emailing via contact lists from a variety of programs including Outlook, Plaxo and vCards. There’s a desktop app, an Android app and an iOS app so you can access your files from any device, anywhere. A free account has ads on your download screen and limits on storage time; scale up to a $2.49 per month pro plan to go ad-free and get unlimited storage.

Those services serve more of a transfer function, but sometimes you need more.

• Dropbox (dropbox.com) gives you online storage, accessibility from

tion. But the downside is that person must have a Dropbox account with enough storage for the shared files.

So if you share a 10 GB folder with someone who has a free 2 GB account, they will have to upgrade their account to access. Other popular competitors: Box (box. com) and CloudMe (cloudme.com).

Each of these services offer a free or low-cost base level that can get you started, but grow as your business needs grow.

But these services are also most useful for either maintaining documents that YOU are working on and sharing final products with others – like sending project plans or contracts to clients. What if you

Sharing, storing and collaborating on documents with employees, partners and clients is a big part of what any business needs to do. what any business needs to do. Four major issues come into play in that process: accessibility, security, efficiency and cost.

There are a lot of services that allow you to share files with people inside and outside your office. There are two distinct issues here: sharing files on a short-term basis via an FTP transfer or maintaining an online file system for storage and collaboration.

A client recently attempted to send me an uncompressed file folder of photos and videos. I had no idea the folder size was 462 MB

• Transfer Big Files (transferbigfiles.com) is the same idea with some differences. You purchase storage space – $5 per month per user buys 20 GB. You can transfer files to others, but they are never deleted – until you delete them.

• MediaFire (mediafire.com) is useful if you have lots of files you want to distribute, as long as they’re under 200 MB each. Uploads are scanned with the BitDefender antivirus engine. Distribution includes sending file links to social media

nearly any device and integration with a vast number of mobile apps.

This is important since iOS devices have no real storage system. But sign a document with DocuSign Ink and you can save the completed file to your Dropbox folder; scan a file with Genius Scan and save it directly into Dropbox. Dropbox has a desktop application as well as a web interface. You’ll find you use the service so often that you’ll quickly have to upgrade to higher paid plans. You can share any document or folder with someone else, which is very useful for project collabora-

need to work together on documents? The days of locally hosted file servers are waning. And the total cost of ownership for true servers with user permissions and file controls is steep.

We’ll take a look at the best tools for collaborating with small teams in next week’s column.

Got a question or comment about this or any other tech topic? Go to facebook.com/thedigitalmaven and post it for discussion.

Laura Haight is the president of Portfolio (portfoliosc.com), a communications company based in Greenville that leverages the power of technology and digital media to communicate effectively with clients, customers and your staff. She is a former IT executive, journalist and newspaper editor.

8 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL May 31, 2013

UBJ Statehouse Report

By ANDY BRACK

Pay More Than Lip Service to Better Government you really have to wonder whether South Carolina legislators fully embrace the whole spirit of more accountability and transparency that they squawk about when elections roll around.

With just a couple of weeks left of this year’s legislative session, there’s real concern by some about whether lawmakers will pass a package of ethics reforms being pushed since two recent high-profile ethics inquiries.

The first involved Gov. Nikki Haley, who was accused but cleared of lobbying for business as a state representative. Subsequently, Haley empanelled a special ethics policy group to recommend reforms.

The second involved House Speaker Bobby Harrell, whose hundreds of thousands of dollars of campaign reimbursements for plane trips last year brought scrutiny, only to be followed by an ethics complaint for using his influence to get business for his drug repackaging company. Harrell returned some of the plane money to his campaign account and has vociferously denied allegations of impropriety. While an investigation continues, Harrell’s House passed ethics reform earlier this year.

The holdup now is in the state Senate, which is expected to consider ethics after finishing the budget.

But there’s been some finger-pointing of late with Haley saying Democrats were slowing down a bill while others said a few GOP senators were doing the same thing.

S.C. Policy Council President Ashley Landess, who made the ethics complaint this year about Harrell, is angry about the whole mess. She says proposed ethics reforms really won’t do much to

meet filing deadlines.

“If the members of the General Assembly already know who they want in the position, that’s who’s getting the seat,” said Charleston philanthropist Susan Pearlstine, who lost a seat on the MUSC board to a brother of state Rep. Leon Stavrinakis, D-Charleston. “There were so many examples of that with the legislator’s relatives.”

You’d think such legislative collusion would spark outrage to upend the way trustee candidates are screened by requiring them to meet certain standards and involving institutions more. Nope.

Instead, lawmakers took a couple of days of bad headlines and moved on with the good-ol’-boy system that’s worked for them for years.

There are lots of things the General Assembly could change if it were really serious about increasing transparency and accountability about

“This whole debate is not about ethics reform. This is about corruption, period. Concentration of power in secrecy is a recipe for corruption every time, any time.”

S.C. Policy Council President Ashley Landess

change a culture of corruption that sets South Carolina’s government apart from other states.

“This whole debate is not about ethics reform – that’s the term they use in the Statehouse,” she said a few days after Haley had a press conference pushing for ethics changes. “This is about corruption, period. Concentration of power in secrecy is a recipe for corruption every time, any time.”

What’s got her miffed – and she’s got a good point – is that the current ethics proposals on the table don’t go far enough. Yes, they would give more much-needed authority to the state Ethics Commission to probe complaints against lawmakers, but legislators generally still would be the ultimate arbiters of punish-

ments. Yes, they call for more income disclosure, closing campaign loopholes and getting rid of leadership fundraising committees, but the proposals aren’t broad enough or have much teeth.

Even more troubling is that socalled ethics reforms don’t address lots of other continuing problems with accountability and transparency at the Statehouse.

An example: the way elected representatives cozy together to elect family members as trustees to state colleges and universities. In recent weeks, lawmakers elected 10 trustees with ties to family members, including at least one who didn’t

state government. It could strengthen open records laws, create competitive legislative districts, open the budgeting process more, reduce the overwhelming legislative influence for appointments on countless boards and commissions, and shine sunshine on the process that millions of state tax dollars are awarded as incentives to big businesses that want to move here.

Even if state lawmakers have time this year to pass the ethics reforms that are on the table now, they still have a lot of work to do if they want to make “accountability and transparency” more than an electiontime gimmick.

Andy Brack, publisher of Statehouse Report, provides weekly commentary.

He can be reached directly at brack@statehousereport.com.

May 31, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 9

UBJ Create. Innovate. Celebrate.

By darlene fuhst

A Little Help From My Friends, Colleagues, Manager, Classmates… career success can be gauged many different ways. To some, it is measured in bonuses, fat paychecks and generous benefit packages. To others, it’s defined by how much pleasure or joy is derived from the work itself. Still others may value the impact their efforts have on their community. Most people derive job satisfaction from a combination of all of these factors.

In my working life I have been gainfully employed in a wide variety of industries, from furniture sales to custom millwork design to managing editor for nationally distributed magazines to marketing director for a business school – all along pursuing my art career “on the side.” The thing that defines career success for me is being able to work in an environment where I support and am in turn supported by all the people I interact with on a daily basis.

My office is at Clemson at the Falls in Greenville, which houses all the Clemson graduate business pro-

grams – primarily MBA – along with a few other centers and institutes.

Most of my job tasks consist of promoting the MBA program. What I like best about our team is the spirit of cooperation we all share.

But what’s even more fun is to see that same spirit of cooperation among the other groups in our building.

One of our busiest classrooms is near my office, so I am afforded many opportunities to interact with and observe the students. One day last week, the accounting students in that class spent most of the day working together in small groups scattered about in the hallways, developing projects together that they were presenting to a visiting professor. It was great to observe the way they approached the assignment, with a “we’re all in this together” attitude.

Earlier this week, I witnessed several members of the graduating class of MBA in Entrepreneurship

students working together to refine their business pitch presentations.

These students are technically in competition with one another – they are presenting their ideas to a panel of judges to try to win $20,000 in startup cash as part of their final course required for graduation. But rather than trying to undercut one another, they chose to come together in support, each of them rehearsing over and over, giving and receiv-

genuine sense of camaraderie among a group of people working together toward a common end.

This camaraderie is born through small, seemingly unimportant gestures – the coworker who helps clean up after an event, even though it’s not their job – or the colleague who brings you a cup of coffee because

What can make the day-to-day grind more than a miserable slog through a never-ending to-do list is camaraderie among a group working together toward a common end. ing feedback in an effort to make everyone’s presentation the best it can be. In competitions leading up to this finale, they have enthusiastically cheered one another on, genuinely celebrating the winner’s success as if it were their own.

We all know that to be successful in our careers we need to have the knowledge and skills to perform our job requirements, and it seems as if everyone I know is working harder and wearing more hats than ever before. These are the facts of working life. But the variable that has the most potential to make the day-to-day grind something more than a miserable slog through a never-ending to-do list is the

they see you’ve been stuck at your desk on the phone for two hours and could really use a little pick-me-up.

No one does these favors expecting to be paid back - nor do they need to, because when everyone is working in this way it always seems to even out in the end. It is a hallmark of a great manager to be able to create this type of work environment, often seemingly without effort.

My goal in sharing these random observations is to inspire you to foster this type of true partnership among colleagues in your own job or remind you to appreciate it if you have it already, because in my opinion it truly is one of the best measures of career success.

Darlene Fuhst is the marketing director for the Greenville programs of the Clemson College of Business & Behavioral Science.

10 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal May 31, 2013

UBJ This Week

Pint Bill Moves Ahead after a couple months of delays and amendments, both the state House of Representatives and the Senate voted last week to pass a bill that would increase the amount of alcohol beer breweries could serve on their premises. Now it will be up to Governor Haley to sign the bill next month.

The bill allows brewers to sell 48 ounces per customer within a 24-hour period, while the current law allows only 4-ounce samples, among other provisions. It passed with a vote of 73-37 in the House, and 31-1 in the Senate.

Opponents worried about drunkenness and drunk driving were able temporarily to stall the bill, and succeeded in having the proposed consumption allowance lowered to 48

from 64 ounces.

Among the rules are requirements that beer be sold at prices comparable to retail prices elsewhere in the county, and that intoxicated persons be denied served. A $1 million liability insurance requirement remains in the bill. Brewers have called the liability provision unfair because other places that serve alcohol are not subject to such a requirement.

There are currently 12 breweries statewide. Supporters have emphasized the importance of on-premises beer consumption in their ability to take advantage of increased beercentered business and tourism in the region. They cite Sierra Nevada and New Belgium Brewing, large beer companies that recently moved to Asheville, as proof of the trend.

Bi-Lo Holdings Signs $265M Acquisition Deal the holding company of bi-lo and Winn-Dixie supermarkets has an agreement to purchase substantially all of the Delhaize Group’s Sweetbay, Harveys and Reid’s supermarkets.

Bi-Lo Holdings, the company created by Lone Star Investment when it merged BI-LO and Winn-Dixie last year, said it would pay $265 million in cash to acquire the grocery stores.

The Belgium-based Delhaize Group’s main operating supermarket is Food Lion, which is not affected by the proposed sale.

The acquisition will add to both BI-LO and Winn-Dixie brand footprints. The 72 Harveys supermarkets are in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The

11 Reid stores are in South Carolina, and all of the 72 Sweetbay stores are in Florida. The acquisition also includes leases for 10 prior Sweetbay locations.

The three supermarkets employ approximately 10,000. The transaction is expected to close late this year.

When Lone Star, the private equity firm that owned BI-LO, acquired Winn-Dixie and merged the two, it said it intended to look for future acquisitions in the Southeast.

With the merger, BI-LO’s corporate office was moved from Mauldin to the larger WinnDixie corporate offices in Jacksonville, Fla. A regional office is maintained here.

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UBJ Downtown

Victors Named in Main Street Challenge Haute Mama, Local Hiker, Motte & Son will receive subsidized rent and startup help for downtown Spartanburg businesses when sara mcclean riddle needed maternity clothes, she couldn’t find them in downtown Spartanburg.

If Michael and Kathy Silverman and their two children wanted hiking boots and other outdoor gear, they weren’t going to find them in Spartanburg.

Michael and Eugenia Motte need the right place to start a legal moonshining distillery, somewhere with traffic downtown.

With entrepreneurial inspiration arising from need, these three couples put themselves through five months of competition in Spartanburg’s Main Street Challenge for $12,000 in subsidized rent and $8,000-$10,000 in startup services.

They won, and so did retailstarved Main Street with the promise of three new retail businesses to fill vacant storefronts this year. Even more are possible as entrepreneurs who didn’t win raise capital and refine business plans.

Last Wednesday, the seven finalists gave concluding pitches for the free rent and in-kind services before judges and an overflow crowd at Hub-Bub’s Main Event hall.

Riddle’s store, Haute Mama, was born of her frustration at finding nowhere to buy maternity clothes short of traveling to Greenville, Asheville or Columbia or going to a box store where selections are limited and “service is nil.”

However, Riddle said Haute Mama will be far more than a place to buy maternity wear. She plans to create a gathering place for expectant and new mothers to gain support from one another and take exercise and educational classes.

Meanwhile, Michael and Kathy

The winners of the Main street Challenge show off their checks to an applauding crowd at Hub-Bub’s Main event hall in spartanburg.They are left to right, The Local Hiker, The Haute Mama, and Motte and son.

Main Street Challenge THe winners: Haute Mama, maternity store The Local Hiker, outdoor clothing and equipment Motte & Son, distillers

12 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal May 31, 2013

wHaT THey won: $12,000 in subsidized rent $8,000-$10,000 in startup services

Silverman of Woodruff were pondering the riddle of 600 miles of hiking trails in the Upstate, and no place in downtown Spartanburg to buy sturdy hiking boots and other outdoor clothing and equipment.

Being an “outdoor-affiliated family” – they have kids in Boy and Girl Scouts – they plan to open The Local Hiker as early as July and become “the outdoor equipment supplier of choice.”

The Silvermans already have lined up many hot outdoor suppliers, Patagonia being one. They see their store becoming a destination for outdoor enthusiasts with classes and perhaps such organized activities as kayaking trips.

Then there’s the family affair of Motte & Son, which is well on its way toward putting a microdistillery someplace on Main.

Mike Motte is CEO, Eugenia Motte is chief financial officer, and one of their four sons, 21-year-old John, is distiller.

The other winner at the Main Street Challenge grand finale was Endeavor Forever, a proposal for an everything-Greek store that came out of the sorority loyalty of Jessica Cole and Krystal Borsch, two students at the University of South Carolina Upstate.

Their presentation was the audience-choice winner, and they took away $1,032 in prize money, which was all the proceeds from the $5 admittance fee plus the $1 charge to submit a ballot.

Patty Bock, Spartanburg’s economic director, and Will Rothschild, the city’s communications manager, said the turnout for the final business presentations exceeded all expectations. The Main Event’s fire-

Contact Dick Hughes at dhughes@communityjournals.com.

Photos by Gerry Pate

By Dick Hughes | contributor

Wealth brings choices.

We’re here to help you choose wisely. code limit is 170, but Bock believes as many as 250 drifted in and out of the presentation room.

“It was extremely successful, and we need to do it again,” said Bock.

She said she believes the contest “will become a model” for other communities looking for creative ways to fill empty storefronts in their downtowns.

The enthusiasm for the Main Street Challenge is just another indication, she said, of “a lot of good things going on in Spartanburg right now.”

Bock and Rothschild said they expect the city will repeat the contest again after reviewing what worked and what didn’t in the program. The city put up the $36,000 for the rent subsidy.

The Main Street Challenge was announced in December and attracted 58 proposals for retail businesses. The field was narrowed to 19 and then to the final seven.

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Hub City Co-op Secures Loan The Hub City Cooperative has gotten a loan to help purchase its new downtown Spartanburg home.

Last week, the Co-op secured a $571,800 loan from Lowcountry Housing Trust (LHT) to aid in the purchase of 176 N. Liberty St., a former auto dealership, from its current owner, Champion Investment Corporation, the Co-op announced.

“Securing the loan from Lowcountry Housing Trust is a huge step toward accomplishing our fundraising goal,” said Erin Ouzts, board chairwoman of the Hub City Co-op. “With the support of the LHT, not only are we closer to reaching the funding goal, we also have the support of an outstanding community development organization that believes in the power of the cooperative business model to

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build stronger, more economicallysound communities.”

The Hub City Cooperative consists of more than 980 individuals and businesses. Since spring 2013, the Co-op has offered owners the opportunity to further invest by allowing them to purchase preferred shares and loan offerings.

According to a statement by Hub

City, “Co-op owners and their investments will be critical for the progress of the Hub City Co-op over the next two months, as the loan from the LHT is contingent on the Co-op meeting its fundraising goal of $3.58 million by mid-July. Currently, $1.62 million in investments have been committed to the project, but the outstanding $1.96 million must

be raised from owners by July 12.”

In order for construction to begin by mid-August, the Co-op’s fundraising goal must be met by July 12.

If that happens, the store can be open as early as May 2014.

Hub City Co-op will focus on fresh, local, natural and sustainably sourced products. For more information, visit hubcitycoop.org.

May 31, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 13

The Big Chill Jacob billingsley found his thrill with his blueberryfrog franchise and his new gringo’s restaurant

Jacob billingsley of blueberryfrog and gringo’s. He owns five blueberryfrog locations and gringo’s is billingsley’s latest venture, located on West camperdown Way, just around the corner from the original blueberryfrog.

14 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal May 31, 2013

Photos by Greg Beckner

By april a. Morris | staff

It was a hit in the 1980s as an ice cream alternative, and these days, frozen yogurt is enjoying a roaring comeback. Upstate businessman Jacob Billingsley was on the cusp of the resurgence with blueberryfrog, a yogurt shop on Greenville’s Main Street that serves a tangy, organic version of the sweet treat. Now Billingsley has five blueberryfrog locations in the Upstate and recently opened a new restaurant, Gringo’s, just around the corner from the original blueberryfrog.

How did you get into the yogurt business?

I grew up in West Texas and went to school to be an actor in Southern California. I did a handful of TV shows and film and taught film acting, but I got tired of Southern California and that industry. I moved to Atlanta and worked in restaurants, also had a desk job during the day. I saved up a bit and decided I was tired of working for someone else. I was looking at a few things and I had picked up on a new way of doing frozen yogurt out West.

Why frozen yogurt?

It’s a lot simpler than opening a full restaurant and I decided to go with that. I modeled a lot of it after In-N-Out Burger in the simplicity of it all and using fresh ingredients. Just having a few products that are great rather than just throwing everything out there for the masses. We just wanted to focus on what we did and doing it great all of the time.

How did blueberryfrog develop into a franchise?

In 2008, I opened that first store in downtown Greenville and it took awhile. That first winter I ate a lot of yogurt because I couldn’t afford to eat anything else. I spent a lot of time in that store because I only had one staff member.

I never really thought of franchising, I just wanted to keep things great, but people began to ask if it was a franchise.

It was the first yogurt shop of its kind in South Carolina.

Then the yogurt industry got really competitive really quickly and I had a number of people who were interested. I opened my first franchise in March 2010 in Simpsonville. The day before that store opened, a couple came in and wanted a store, as well. I don’t really advertise it, but I get about one request every week.

What are some of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned?

Rely on your staff; they have better ideas than I do a lot of the time. One of my employees who has been with me since the beginning has helped to build the system as much as I have. Another is that the franchise investment is bigger than you think, even for yogurt.

any mentors along the way?

I was fortunate enough to have my store right next to Pomegranate, which is owned by Ali Saifi, who owns 390 Subway

“That first winter I ate a lot of yogurt because I couldn’t afford to eat anything else.”

Jacob billingsley on opening his first blueberryfrog yogurt shop, which now has five locations. restaurants. He is a wealth of knowledge and one of the most generous people I’ve ever met. So when it came time to franchise, I talked to him.

What’s your favorite part of blueberryfrog?

I’ve had a hand in building most of the stores and I really enjoy that process. Also, working with the franchisees. Seeing their success is great.

is there an ambience you try to create in blueberryfrog?

I designed most of the décor for the stores. I want it fresh and clean-feeling. None of the stores are the same, but they carry roughly the same elements. A really laid-back vibe is what we’re going for. We know you aren’t going to be sitting there for hours – it’s only a cup of yogurt. We want it to be a bit of an escape. For example, in Easley, an escape from the Wal-Mart parking lot.

any plans for expansion?

blueberryfrog locaTIons 624 S. Main Street greenville 375 Harrison Bridge Road simpsonville 215 Pelham Road greenville Easley Town Center, easley 393 College Avenue clemson

no frogs were harmed in the making of this yogurt at one point, Billingsley had an a-frame sign outside his Main street location with a note that read “approved by peta.” Billingsley laughs and adds, “we later got a letter from the corporate council of peta and they were offended that this little shop in south carolina was using their name. so i had to take that part off the sign – but i did save the letter.”

I kind of just play it by ear and I try not to push things. I see a lot of other yogurt shops that get a lot of money from investors, open about 100 in a year and then within a year close about 40. That’s not how I like to operate, but I try to keep the quality the same – and I’m only one guy. I never really envisioned that (type of expansion) for blueberryfrog.

If it grows, great, I just want it to grow right.

What about the name?

I knew some guys who did marketing for Mercedes Benz and told them I wanted something fresh and whimsical. In one night, we probably went over 100 names and landed on strawberryfrog, one word. I couldn’t get it out of my mind.

I found there was another company with the same name, so I just changed the fruit on it.

May 31, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 15

cover

story

Big growth, MiniMized risk

in Franchises Striking out on their own with the backing of a national brand, local franchisees are finding success

By Jenny Munro | contributor

16 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal May 31, 2013

go figUre Like many businesses, franchise operations also felt the recession beginning in 2007, but are beginning to pull out of it with increasing numbers of units and employment.

2007 establishments direct employment output

Austin Wilson, director of operations for Papa Murphy’s Take ’N’ Bake Pizza, in the Pelham Road store.

2008

franchises – bUsinesses bUilt on an existing

business model developed by a successful enterprise – are a good fit for an entrepreneur who wants to minimize the risk inherent in owning a business. ¶ “They’re all entrepreneurs, risk-takers,” said Ali Saifi, developer of Subway franchises in South Carolina. “They’re risk-takers who want to control their own destiny but calculate the risk they are willing to take.”

Photos by Greg Beckner

Many well-run franchises tend to thrive in good economic times and bad, although they generally mirror the business cycles of their industry.

However, about 80 percent of franchises survive the first three years of business while only 50 percent to 60 percent of stand-alone businesses survive that time period, said Scott Whelchel, area manager of the Greenville Area Small Business Development Center.

That relative success is due to franchise owners being vetted by the franchisor and having a marketing plan, a brand and name recognition when they open the doors, he said.

a thriving part of the bUsiness landscape Although heavily concentrated in the food industry, franchise opportunities also can be found in service industries and retail establishments.

They tend to draw entrepreneurial business leaders because it’s a way to run your own busi-

770,835 7,994,000 $675 billion

ness with a little less risk, said Frank Knapp, president of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce. The owner has the knowledge, experience and often financial support of an established business, he said.

Greenville and the Upstate are a hotbed of franchises. Consumers are using franchises when they eat at McDonald’s, Arbys or Subway. They are using them when they stop at Hickory Knob or Quick Trip convenience stories. If they use Merry Maids, they’re using a franchise. And if they purchase batteries at Batteries Plus, they’re also shopping at a franchise. Many hotels also are franchises, owned by a local entrepreneur and flying the flag of the hotel company. 9Round is a fitness company started in the Upstate that franchises its method of fitness.

After three years of growth restraint, more than 10,000 new franchise operations opened nation-

establishments direct employment output

774,016 8,028,000 $703.8 billion

2009 establishments direct employment output

746,646 7,800,000 $683 billion

2010 establishments direct employment output

740,335 7,786,000 $708 billion

2011 establishments direct employment output

735,571 7,934,0000 $745 billion

2012 establishments direct employment output

749,499 8,102,000 $782 billion

(continued on page 18)

May 31, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 17

“They’re risk-takers that want to control their own destiny but calculate the risk they are willing to take.”

Ali SAifi, developer of Subway franchiSeS in South carolina

(continued from page 17)

not in bUsiness by yoUrselF Franchisees are entrepreneurs, people who put up their own capital to own and run a business, Knapp said. Some entrepreneurs want to strike out totally on their own. Others want the added security of having a recognized brand, experience, marketing and sometimes capital behind them.

“Some franchises are quite pricey,” he said.

Others, particularly those just moving into the franchise industry, may be more affordable.

“There are plenty of new franchises all the time.”

With a franchise, the owner is part of a bigger community, said David Milhalic, owner of The Entrepreneur’s Source franchise in Greenville.

“You’re not in business by yourself. You are in business for yourself,” he said.

Still, the franchise’s success ultimately rests with the owner, Knapp said. The owner needs

lEfT TO RiGHT: Manager trainee Keith Ruby, foreground, and store manager Mike Stocz at work at the Papa Murphy’s Take ’N’ Bake Pizza store on Pelham Road; Papa Murphy’s Take ’N’ Bake Pizza is cooked to taste in the customer’s home, served hot out of the oven.

to be capable of wearing many hats and dealing with all aspects of the business. He needs sufficient capital to start up the business and keep it operating until it turns a profit. He needs to be able to hire the right employees.

Each franchise works a little differently. Some give great autonomy to franchisees. Others provide a detailed blueprint. Some provide capital assistance. Others demand the franchisee put up all the money and have a specified operating fund.

Tony Kerr, who owns the VooDoo BBQ and Grill franchise in Greenville with his wife Karen and son Patrick, said the unique concept – barbecue with New Orleans and Caribbean flavors – is working here. The restaurant on Woodruff Road has been open for 18 months, with his son as general manager.

When the three began talking about opening a business, they began researching franchises, he said. VooDoo, a Louisiana company, had restaurants in Baton Rouge, where the elder Kerrs live. When Patrick Kerr moved to South Carolina with his wife, they opened the first VooDoo restaurant outside Louisiana, the elder Kerr said. The three hold the license for eight restaurants in the area and expect to open all of them within six or so years.

“We liked the concept,” Tony Kerr said. “We thought it was distinctive.”

The key to success on the part of VooDoo is awareness, he said. The barbecue is different from most in the area and a consistent marketing effort is necessary.

“Once people taste it, they come back,” he said.

18 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal May 31, 2013

Finding new territories Maria Ahn-Wilson first became involved with franchises through Comfort Keepers, a service that helps senior citizens live in their homes longer. When she saw a need for diversification, she became involved with Papa Murphy’s, a franchise that provides fresh pizzas that are baked by the consumer.

Her Comfort Keepers territories are Greenville and Pickens counties, each with one office, she said. She currently has three Papa Murphy’s stores and is opening a fourth off Woodruff Road in July.

She became interested in franchises initially because “I loved seniors,” she said. “This is a way to give back to my parents.” She said she would see senior citizens in nursing homes and all of them said they wanted to go home. She decided to see if she could find a way to help them.

When the recession hit, Comfort Keepers was affected, she said, because consumers cut back on spending. So diversification became an issue.

“I wanted something that was relatively recession-proof,” Ahn-Wilson said. “Regardless of the economy, people have to eat.”

With no restaurant experience, she didn’t want a restaurant and she didn’t want the expenses associated with one. But she found the Papa Murphy’s concept and loved it. The company estimates the cost of setting up an initial store is about $171,000 to $300,000.

“I researched it. I loved the concept,” she said.

“Papa Murphy’s is a retail store with take-and-bake pizzas. All our pizzas are freshly prepared daily.

We make our pizza crust from scratch every day.”

photos by Greg beckner

wide in 2012, fueling a 1.5 percent increase in the franchise industry, according to the International Franchise Association. About 168,000 additional jobs were created by that growth. Since 2011, the start of an initiative to hire veterans and increase the veteran ownership of franchises, the industry has hired more than 290,000 veterans and their spouses, according to the IFA. In addition, revenue growth increased by about 5 percent last year to $782 billion.

A report by the IFA earlier this year projected franchise growth by 1.3 percent with employment increasing by 1.9 percent in 2013.

“Franchises are a big part of the business community in South Carolina,” Knapp said. As long as they are locally owned, they are considered a local small business. They also are part of the job-creation machine, he said, adding that small businesses in the first five years of their existence create the majority of new U.S. jobs.

Ahn-Wilson also said she likes the idea that her prices can be lower than other pizza restaurants because she doesn’t have expensive equipment or large seating areas. Residents using the SNAP program also can buy the pizzas because they are unbaked.

“It’s a new concept” in South Carolina and she’s a pioneer leading the way, she said. She’s owned the franchise for three years, but the stores continually educate their customers and others because the concept is so new.

$67,000 to $77,000, the company said.

After owning that franchise for 10 years now, he’s still going strong, he said.

“People need help because there are so many choices and pitfalls” when it comes to owning a franchise, he said. And the biggest mistake can be to focus on a product they know about or to become infatuated with a service. Potential owners need to realize that not all franchises are “sexy.”

“People often really don’t know where to start,” Milhalic said.

‘YoU need to do YoUr Homework’

simplicitY and control

Saifi, on the other hand, became involved with Subway in 1980 when only 154 Subway restaurants had opened.

He looked at about 150 different franchise concepts, including several fast-food restaurants, hotels, corporate staffing and tire and oil change stores, before settling on Subway.

“There are hundreds, if not thousands, of franchise opportunities. You need to do your homework,” said Whelchel.

Milhalic, who initially bought a Money Mailer franchise with the help of a career coach, said he sold that franchise after three years and bought The Entrepreneur’s Source because he was so entranced by the idea of coaching and helping others become franchise owners. The franchise fee is $45,000 and total investment ranges from

Saifi began as the owner of one franchise in northern Virginia, and both he and his wife worked in the store. That told him he didn’t want to be involved in actually working inside the restaurant. But he saw potential.

Since his wife is from western North Carolina, they decided to move closer to home. So he became Subway’s developer for South Carolina – anyone who wants to open a Subway in the state goes through his office, he said. As developer, he provides staff to vet potential franchisees and to help with location, construction, training, opening the store and other procedures. The development company receives a percentage of sales as a royalty, splitting it with the parent company.

Currently, Subway has 403 franchises in the state, the largest franchise operation in South Carolina, said Saifi.

“People think franchises are sold. They are not.

They’re awarded.”

DaviD Milhalic, oWNeR of The eNTRePReNeuR’s souRce

The franchise fee is $15,000, he said, and the entire cost to open a Subway in South Carolina averages $225,000.

“What intrigued me about Subway was simplicity and control,” Saifi said. “Subway had the paperwork to show how they control every aspect of the system.”

He also added he liked not having to deal with “a temperamental chef.”

ReseaRch Goes both Ways foR fRanchise neWcoMeRs ReseaRch is key foR entrepreneurs interested in opening a franchise, but those potential owners also are researched by the parent company that wants a good fit with the franchisees it selects.

The first decision: Will the business be a franchise or will it be a stand-alone, independently owned business?

Both entrepreneurial methods have advantages and drawbacks. franchising, which relies on a parent company for advice, methods of operation, marketing, the brand and its reputation and perhaps capital, can lessen an individual’s risk, franchise owners said. still, franchises can be expensive to buy.

“The biggest part of the decision is comparing the pros and cons of both,” said David Milhalic, owner of The entrepreneur’s source in Greenville. “if you try to open your own

business, you have to do so much research, hire the attorney, do everything,” said Maria ahn-Wilson, owner of comfort keepers and Papa Murphy’s franchises. “you have to spend so much money. With a franchise system, most of that is already done. They will train you.”

Milhalic agreed: “it takes a leap of faith down to a step of faith.” franchise systems are seldom rigid, ahn-Wilson said. The parent company provides guidelines, but the business owner can use as much or as little assistance as desired.

“They want us to be successful,” she said, because that enhances the success of the parent company.

Milhalic said franchise coaching helps many potential franchise owners find their niche without making

expensive mistakes. after deciding on the franchise route, entrepreneurs then must survey the industry to find the opportunity they want. franchising includes many types of businesses – service, food, retail, automotive, commercial and residential service, real estate and more. franchises can also be online enterprises. ali saifi, developer for subway restaurants in south carolina, said he studied about 150 different concepts before settling on subway.

Potential owners need to identify their goals, needs and lifestyle. That will all figure into the type of franchise they will fit with, he said. They need to study profiles of the parent company, make assessments of how well it is operated and determine if it will provide what the potential franchise owner is seeking.

People interested in owning

Contact Jenny Munro at jmunro@communityjournals.com.

a franchise need to talk with as many current owners as possible, ahn-Wilson said.

Those owners tend to be honest about problems and benefits. scott Whelchel, area manager of the Greenville area small Business Development center, also suggested talking with new franchise owners.

They are the ones going through what the researcher will be going through.

While all this is going on, the franchisor also is doing research.

“People think franchises are sold. They are not. They’re awarded,” Milhalic said. That means many potential owners may be weeded out. for example, chick-fil-a receives about 10,000 applications a year and accepts between 75 and 80 annually, the Georgia-based company said.

Whelchel also suggested

that potential business owners without business experience should talk with someone who has that experience. franchise advisors can be found in many ways, he said, and they can be helpful. his organization will also work with franchisees once they become serious about a concept.

But like all small-business owners, franchise owners have to know that it’s not cheap to start a business.

“Nobody who starts a small business can expect it to support you right away,” said frank knapp, chairman of the south carolina small Business chamber of commerce. a franchise will help potential owners know about how much they need to open and operate a business. But the franchisee still needs to have enough money for living expenses – that often can come from a second job or a spouse working.

May 31, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 19

PROFILE

The Catalyst Rook creates projects that spur growth

Ben Rook

“If you design a building, what is the business strategy behind that building? It needs to meet its objective.”

20 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL May 31, 2013

Photo by Greg Beckner

By LEIGH SAVAGE Contributor

ben rook, an arChiteCt for 44 Years, foUnDeD Design

strategies in 2002 with a focus on “catalytic projects,” or those that inspire additional development. previously chairman and Ceo of odell associates in Charlotte, then the largest firm in the southeast, he moved to greenville in 2001 when he found out that the only residence on his design resume was for sale. he decided to buy it, move to greenville, and start a company.

The firm, which employs 50, has worked on many high-profile projects, including the Liberty Corp. headquarters, Michelin North America’s headquarters and projects at the International Center for Automotive Research.

Now working on Cancer Survivors Park, set to break ground this fall between Cleveland Park and Falls Park, Rook plans to continue bringing his unique blend of skills and expertise to projects that benefit the community.

masters in real estate, MBAs, people with degrees in consulting, people who are planning and design-oriented, landscape architects, interior designers. The whole gamut of putting together an environment, filling in a void the client can’t.

We can help with strategic business planning, help with organizational structures, do demographic and market analysis. Clients hire us when they have disparate groups they are trying to merge. We can pull those entities together.

What services does Design strategies llC provide?

Our firm is really focused on catalytic projects – projects that lead to additional projects or leverage other projects around the site. Not only do we design environments and buildings, but we design strategies for people to be successful. A typical engagement might not even include buildings. We look at how we can improve processes and procedures, how to streamline what we are doing. We do lean evaluations for our clients to help them do more with less. And if you design a building, what is the business strategy behind that building? It needs to meet its objective.

What is your educational background?

I went to Clemson undergrad, and then to graduate school there. Those are architecture degrees.

Then I did graduate work at Berkeley in design methods, and then a degree at Harvard that focused on strategic planning, business planning, putting public money with private money.

You offer many services not typically found at architecture firms. is that by design?

We have an uncommon array of services. We have a broad mix of educational expertise here:

besides the Cancer survivors park, what other public-private ventures have you been involved in?

I did the original master plan for ICAR and did the first building out there, the BMW Information Technology Research Center. Then while serving as chair of the South Carolina Endowed Chairs Program, we were taking money from the lottery program and placing that in publicprivate ventures to be catalytic for research, building the knowledge-based economy.

Here in town, we did Main@Broad, the green beside City Hall, Greenville Health System’s Patewood and Greer campuses and the building for the new medical school, among others.

When did you decide you wanted to be an architect?

I wanted to be an artist, and my dad convinced me I shouldn’t be. He was right. Architecture was the path I chose, and I’m glad I did. People who are artistic gravitate toward it because you want to create inspiring environments.

You’ve served on numerous community boards, including artisphere, the United Way and the March of Dimes, along with advisory boards at Wofford College, furman University and Clemson University. What inspires you to be involved in so many organizations?

I grew up in Newberry, S.C., a small town, and there wasn’t an awful lot of activity. I was very involved in Boy Scouts and pursued the Eagle Scout program. When you are going through 20 or 30 merit badges and they are all community service, you either love it or you don’t, and I loved it. Helping people is something I always try to do. It’s the attitude of trying to make a place better than when you began.

You’ve worked closely with arts organizations.

Why do you feel they are so important?

Greenville’s arts community is magnificent, and I’m passionate about that. Arts programs have a lot to do with the growth of the community, since companies are looking for activities for executives and their families to participate in.

Because of that, we’ve been fortunate to recruit companies that other communities haven’t. Arts are catalytic to Greenville’s growth.

The Basics: Ben Rook occupaTion: Architect and founder of Design Strategies LLC

graduate work at University of California Berkeley and Harvard University

BesT advice: “Think of the other person first, before you take action.”

homeTown: Newberry, S.C.

LaTesT pRojecT: Cancer Survivors Park

favoRiTe pLace in GReenviLLe: Paris Mountain

RecenT Read: The Steve Jobs and Bill Gates biographies

educaTion: Undergraduate (1968) and graduate (1974) degrees from Clemson University; further

peRsonaL Life: Wife Becca; children Kelly and Jennifer

ResTauRanT: “I like them all and visit them all!”

favoRiTe vacaTion: Carmel, Calif.

Contact Leigh Savage at lsavage@communityjournals.com.

favoRiTe spoRT: golf

May 31, 2013 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal 21

UBJ Square Feet

Contact April A. Morris at amorris@communityjournals.com.

Greenville County to investigate new offices, multi-story building

By April A. Morris | staff

since the mid-1980s, greenville County government offices have occupied the converted shopping mall at County Square on University Ridge. Now the county intends to investigate the possibility of a new office building on the site, county officials say.

The idea has been floating around for about a year, said Council Chairman Bob Taylor, and County Council approved a budget line May 21 for a study to determine the best building for the site. County Administrator Joe Kernell called the study a “preliminary step.”

The current building is not “particularly customer-friendly” and definitely not energy-efficient, Council Chairman Bob Taylor told the Journal last week. Talk has centered on replacing the sprawling government complex with a multi-story building of up to eight stories, he said.

Taylor said he envisions “that entire building going.” Because the footprint of a multi-story building would be smaller, there could be room on the roughly 30-acre parcel for mixed use, condos or retail space, he said.

“I envision that entire building going.”

Greenville County Council Chairman Bob taylor

Taylor said the council discussed partnering with Verdae to develop the site about four years ago, but nothing materialized due to the economic downturn.

The county purchased the property in 1984 at a time when county offices were scattered in various locations, said facility project manager Rick Brookey. He said United Way agencies occupied some of the space when county operations first moved into County Square, but as those agencies left, county departments moved in. As of 1996, 98 percent of the facility

Greenville County SquAre evolution May 1984 Greenville County purchased former Bell Tower Mall

1990 The first of six major renovations completed

1996 98 percent occupied

2005 Final renovation completed

BY THE NUMBERS

325,000 square feet in County Square

30 acres size of property

was government-occupied, he said.

County Square houses the majority of Greenville County operations, including county administration, council offices, family court, planning and codes, register of deeds, auditor, election commission and emergency medical services (EMS).

In the years since the county purchased the defunct mall, development has mushroomed around the complex. The Drive stadium, NEXT complex, Falls Park and the SC Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities all enhance the property’s value, making it the “high spot” of downtown, Taylor said.

However, don’t expect to see any “For Sale” signs. The council chairman ruled out selling the property and moving county offices to another locale. The county is not looking to move from its “reasonably central location,” he said.

NAI Earle Furman

Industrial Industrial Services Services

Wonder what your property is worth?

Our 15 industrial brokers specialize in sales, leasing and opinions of value for industrial properties. Contact us today for a discussion of your real estate needs: 864 232 9040 industrial@naief.com

101 E Washington Street Suite 400 Greenville, South Carolina 29601 864 232 9040 naiearlefurman.com naiearlefurman.com

Commercial Real Estate Services, Worldwide.

Commercial Real Estate Services, Worldwide.

Photo by Greg Beckner

A New Fate for County Square?

Multifamily Housing Down First Quarter home sales in the upstate might be weakening demand in the multifamily sector, according to a recent report from MPF Research, a Texas-based provider of data and services for the rental housing industry. Despite an expanding economy, first quarter revenue of 2.2 percent represented “the weakest performance here since second quarter 2010,” the report said. Although the economy is expanding, strong job growth in the area is fueling demand for homes, not apartments.

MPF reported that capacity in Greenville/Spartanburg/Anderson is at 93.8 percent, down 0.3 points from the previous year. The area had net move-outs from 51 units in the first quarter, putting annual demand at -33 units. At the same time, rents increased very slightly at 0.2 percent for the quarter.

Year-over-year, Greenville posted rent growth of 2.5 percent.

Lisa Shellnutt, who heads real estate lending at United Community Bank, said multifamily activity in Greenville is shifting away from suburban areas, and all of the activity has moved to the downtown area.

“Suburban has been flat, and it’s lucky that prices in Greenville held for the last six months, even out in the suburban locations,” Shellnutt said. She said there is a pent-up demand in the Greenville’s the Central Business District that is hard to quantify, but more building will draw more people. She said to expect a variety of different types of units in the next 12 to 24 months.

The first quarter 2013 report from NAI/Earle Furman compiled MPF data and showed that net absorption and occupancy were down throughout the Carolinas, including

Charlotte and Charleston. Columbia, however, followed the more usual pattern of increased rentals trending alongside job growth.

Notable multifamily traNsactioNs The Vinings aT RopeR MounTain 230 Roper Mountain Ext., Greenville 268 units Buyer: Bell Partners Seller: Easlan Capital

New Development Planned for Rocky Slope Road according to a land development permit filed with the city of Greenville’s Planning Commission, SF Capital LLC plans to build a 156-lot residential development on around 41 acres of Rocky Slope Road in Greenville.

Verdae Development Inc. is listed as the landowner.

This proposed project would join Verdae’s 1,100-acre development along Laurens and Woodruff roads, which includes residential, retail, office, and green space.

Broker: NAI Earle Furman $25 million

CoMpanion aT CResCenT poinTe 1500 South Oak Street, Seneca 144 units Buyer: Investors from California Broker: NAI Earle Furman $10.33 million

TapesTRy aT hollingswoRTh paRk 201 Rocky Slope Road, Greenville 242 units Developer: Arlington Properties Inc. $26.1 million, under construction

Meet Our Team Robert L. Brissie, Jr. Agent of the Year 2012

Greenville native specializing in commercial real estate brokerage throughout the state.

Over 60 commercial real estate transactions in the last two years.

Clemson University graduate with a B.S. in Business Management Representing Buyers, Sellers, Tenants and Landlords in Office, Retail, Land and Industrial.

www.SpectrumCarolinas.com

Spectrum Commercial Properties 864.335.3030

135 S. Main St., Suite 800, Greenville, SC 29601 OFFICE • INDUSTRIAL • RETAIL • INVESTMENT • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

UBJ Square Feet Bristol Renovations Near Completion davis property group llc, a Greenville-based real estate development, investment and consulting firm specializing in multifamily properties, recently announced project leasing and completion plans for the newly renovated Bristol Apartment Homes on Cleveland Street in Greenville.

Davis Property Group is finalizing renovations to the entire complex, formerly known as Crossroads Apartments – repositioning the property to match the growing demands for reasonably priced rental housing in the city.

The Bristol Apartment Homes will feature washers and dryers and other new energy-efficient appliances, new upgraded finishes and large balconies, some of which are screened in. In addition, the complex will include a new clubhouse with a computer lounge,

fitness center and yoga area, a pool with new cabana and two dog parks.

Austin Knapp, development director at Davis Property Group, said “the convenience of The Bristol provides direct access to downtown Greenville and the Swamp Rabbit Trail, offering residents an uncommon combination of proximity to Greenville urban amenities and affordability.”

The Bristol is managed by Greystar, and model apartment units are now available for tours upon request.

Davis Property Group expects the first move-ins to take place in May with project completion by fall.

Pricing for The Bristol includes onebedroom apartments beginning at $775, two bedrooms at $845 and three bedrooms at $1,110.

For more information on The Bristol, visit LivetheBristol.com.

DEALMAKERS SPECTRUM COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES ANNOUNCED: Rob Brissie recently represented the tenant, THG Master Lease LLC, in the lease of 2,616 SF for their offices located at 314 Lloyd St., Greenville.

Rob Brissie recently represented the tenant, Community Options Inc., in the lease of their executive office space at The Historic Chamber of Commerce Building in downtown Greenville.

Jack Snedigar represented the landlord, Kent Properties.

Rob Brissie recently represented the tenant, Chen’s Chinese Restaurant, in the lease of 3,000 SF for their restaurant at Edenwood Plaza, 2451 Charleston

Hwy., Cayce, just outside of Columbia.

LANGSTON-BLACK REAL ESTATE, INC. ANNOUNCED: Bobby Hines recently represented the seller, Brookwood Community Church Inc., in the sale of 10.6 acres at Brookwood Point Place in Simpsonville. The purchaser, Brookwood Townes LLC, plans to expand their townhome development at The Townes at Brookwood or possibly construct single family homes.

Chuck Langston recently assisted Barbie McDonald, owner of Creative Housing, in the purchase of their new 3500 SF office building located at 60 Parkway Commons in Greer.

SHOWCASE HOME ANNOUNCED ON PARIS MT. Dillard-Jones Builders LLC was recently named

24 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL May 31, 2013

the exclusive builder for The Ridges at Paris Mountain, which broke ground May 22, and announced the new 18-residence community on Altamont Road as the site of the 2014 Southern Living Showcase Home opening next spring.

The Ridges At Paris Mountain was planned

by Malloy & Co. of Cheraw, S.C., and the community offers eight home sites with panoramic views of downtown Greenville and Furman University on the south side of Altamont Road, and 10 home sites with views of the Blue Ridge Mountains and direct access to Paris Mountain State Park on the north side of Altamont Road.

All of the homes in the development will be built by Dillard-Jones Builders, a two-time winner of the Southern Living Builder of the Year Award. Homes will range from the $600’s, featuring woodland level plans. Two homes, including the 2014 Southern Living Showcase Home by Dillard-Jones Builders, will open for public tours next spring.

UBJ On the Move HIRED

HIRED

HONORED

HONORED

RETURNING

Anne Marie Maertens

Lindsey Pfrommer

Toby Humphries

Alexi Papapieris

Joined Camp Opportunity, a nonprofit dedicated to disadvantaged and at-risk children in the Upstate, as its executive director. Maertens has over 12 years of experience serving children in foster care and individuals with disabilities and special needs in the fields of direct services, advocacy and accountability.

Joined Liquid Catering, an event-bar management company, as its new sales coordinator. Pfrommer is a recent graduate of Indiana University. She was a 2012 summer intern for Liquid Catering and was active in the PULSE Talent program.

She will manage sales accounts and coordinate Liquid Catering’s social media marketing efforts.

Supervisor at ReWa; was recently recognized at the South Carolina Environmental Conference with the Water Environment of South Carolina Dennis Pittman Collection System Award.

The award is given annually for excellent achievement in the maintenance of a wastewater collection system in South Carolina.

Received the Charter Business PULSE Volunteer Award for May. A member of the PULSE Leadership Committee, Papapieris has worked at NAI Earle Furman since 2007. He also volunteers with Meals on Wheels and Hands on Greenville and is a member of the Young Philanthropist Council for the United Way of Greenville.

BANKING/FINANCE:

CertusBank recently announced that Donnell Drummond has been named community development manager.

Drummond was formerly the branch manager at the bank’s Laurens Road location. Prior to joining CertusBank, he served in various roles at Bank of America, Fannie Mae and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

Edward Jones, the financial firm, recently announced that Kerry W. Crum has been authorized by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards to use the certification mark CFP. Crum successfully completed CFP Board’s initial certification requirements, which include completion of financial planning coursework and passing a comprehensive examination.

CONSTRUCTION/ENGINEERING:

KTM Solutions recently announced that Joseph Neff and Jacob McDaris will participate in their Mechanical Design Apprenticeship summer program. Neff is a returning intern and rising junior aerospace engineering major at Virginia Tech. McDaris just completed a high school internship; he will participate in the summer program

and will continue this fall when he enrolls at Greenville Technical College.

Recently rejoined Wyche after serving as law clerk to United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs. Jefferson focuses her practice on litigation and appellate work.

Prior to her clerkship with Judge Childs, she was an associate at Wyche. She began her career serving as law clerk to Jean H. Toal, chief justice of the Supreme Court of South Carolina.

HIRED

REAL ESTATE:

The Marchant Company recently recognized the following realtors for outstanding performance through April 2013. Agents honored included: Tom Marchant for volume listing agent of the month; Joey Beeson for unit listing agent of the month; Kathy Slayter for sales unit agent of the month; Joan Rapp for sales volume agent of the month; and Nancy McCrory and Karen Turpin for sales team of the month.

Coldwell Banker Caine recently recognized its top producing agents in property sales and listings from each of its five offices – Easley, Greenville, Greer, Seneca and Spartanburg – for the month of April. The top producing agents from each office include: Heather Parlier, Carol Walsh and Suzanne Cook of Easley; Jacob Mann, Sharon Wilson and Helen Hagood of Greenville; Shelbie Dunn, Faith Ross and Susan Wagner of Greer; Pat Loftis, Tammy Davis and Jere duBois of Seneca; and Beth Beach, Francie Little and Andrew Little of Spartanburg. Top listing agents in each office are recognized for listing the highest

Meliah Bowers Jefferson

MARY PORTER SHULL total volume of residential properties last month and include: Carol Walsh, Susan McCoy and Kathy Gallamore of Easley; Sharon Wilson, Jacob Mann and Helen Hagood of Greenville; Faith

MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Joined Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd P.A. as their business development specialist. Shull recently was marketing coordinator and acting manager at McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture. Prior to coming to Greenville, she was the marketing coordinator at Stevens and Wilkinson of South Carolina in Columbia and director of development for the Cultural Council of Richland and Lexington Counties. She was also involved in the Urban Land Institute, Opportunity Greenville, the Junior League of Greenville and Leadership Columbia.

Ross, David Glenn and Hilary Hurst of Greer; Pat Loftis, Jere duBois and Tammy Davis of Seneca; and Francie Little, Eva Sandfort and Lori Thompson of Spartanburg.

New hires, promotions and award winners can be featured in On the Move.

Send information and a photo to ONTHEMOVE@UPSTATEBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM.

May 31, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 25

UBJ The Fine Print Changes in Upstate Radio Market

Steve Sinicropi atlanta-based cox media sold four Greenville radio stations to Summit Media LLC this month. In the same week, Steve Sinicropi resigned as Cox’s market manager for Greenville, moving to Entercom/ Greenville in the same role.

The four stations acquired by Summit include WHZT Hot 98.1 and WJMZ 107.3 Jamz, and translators 97.7 Chuck and Alternative X 98.5 owned by Tower Above Media but operated by Cox. The Greenville stations are part of a $66 million deal that included stations in other markets such as Louisville, Ky.; Richmond, Va.; and Birmingham, Ala. The transaction completes a deal that had been announced in February.

“We are pleased to acquire these stations and very excited to be associated with the outstanding radio industry professionals in each market,” Carl Parmer, Summit Media chairman and CEO, said in a statement. “People are the difference in this industry and we could not be happier with our team.”

At Entercom, Sinicropi now overseas WFBC 93.7, WORD 106.3, WROQ 101.1, WTPT 93.3 and WSPA 98.9. He had previously spent 10 years at Cox.

Ten at the Top, Hughes Announce Small Grant Program up to $50,000 in grants will be awarded over five years to community projects through a new initiative from Ten at the Top (TATT) and Phil Hughes and Hughes Investments Inc. As part of the Hughes Investments Vibrancy Initiative, two of the Elevate Upstate $5,000 grants will be awarded each year, beginning in 2013.

The fund will provide seed funding for programs “that promote community and economic vibrancy in local areas across the Upstate,” according to

a statement from TATT, an organization that encourages community progress through collaboration. These could include projects such as public art or festivals.

“We are very fortunate to have leaders within our region like Phil Hughes who recognize not only the importance of promoting community vibrancy, but who are also willing to help provide funding support to help communities take projects from idea to action,” said TATT Executive Director Dean Hybl in a statement.

Neighborhood associations,

civic or community based organizations, nonprofit organizations and local governments are eligible. Projects must occur within Abbeville, Anderson, Gaffney, Greenville, Greenwood, Laurens, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg or Union counties. Applications will be accepted between June 1 and September 15 at tenathetop.org.

First Citizens Bank Ranks High in Customer Satisfaction first citizens ranked highest in customer satisfaction in the Southeast, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2013 Retail Banking Satisfaction Study based on responses from more than 50,000 consumers.

Banks are rated in the areas of financial advice received, inperson service experience, problem prevention and account information clarity.

The Columbia-based bank operates in South Carolina and Georgia, with more than 30 branches in the Upstate.

There are more than 300,000 households in the company’s market area, said Jim Apple, First Citizens’ chairman and CEO.

26 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL May 31, 2013

“First Citizens is a relationship-focused bank, and our bankers go to great lengths each and every day to meet and exceed the financial needs and expectations of our customers,” said John Wood, senior vice president and commercial relationship manager for First Citizens. “We are pleased to be

ranked highest in the Southeast in customer satisfaction. This award demonstrates that we excel in the areas of financial advice received, in-person service experience, problem prevention and account information clarity. We appreciate the positive feedback from our customers and thank them for the privilege of serving as their trusted financial partner.”

J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company providing forecasting, performance improvement, social media and customer satisfaction research. It is a part of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

Real Estate Women Recognize Wyche

Juan Gilbert

$5M for Clemson AfricanAmerican Computer Science Institute clemson has won a $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to launch the Institute for African Americans in Computer Science. Its aim is to increase participation in computer science among African Americans.

The institute will be headed by Juan Gilbert, chairman of the Human-Centered Computing Division at Clemson, and Shaundra Daily, assistant professor in the School of Computing. Among its specific goals is developing AfricanAmerican leaders with computing

expertise in academics, government and industry. Gilbert said AfricanAmericans represent about one percent of computer science faculty and researchers in the U.S. “Computing enables almost every sector of our economy and is among the fastest-growing areas of projected job growth,” Daily said. “The institute will not only mentor future leaders with established computing expertise, but also encourage underrepresented groups to explore the field of computing.”

the upstate south carolina chapter of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) awarded the Wyche law firm its “Outstanding Leadership Organization Award” for 2013. The award recognizes community organizations that help advance women’s success in the real estate industry.

Wyche attorneys Rita Bolt Barker, Jo Watson Hackl, Maurie Lawrence and Megan O’Neill were recognized individually for outstanding leadership or contribution to significant real estate transactions at the CREW Upstate 3rd Annual Awards Reception May 9 at the Palmetto Bank headquarters.

“Wyche won this award because it has a unique culture that cultivates unmatched talent, empowers attorneys to take key internal leadership positions, and values a strong commitment to making a positive

impact on the community,” said Kasel Knight, award presenter and commercial counsel at Milliken & Company. “The effect of Wyche’s culture is particularly evident in the accomplishments of its female real estate attorneys.”

Other award recipients were a Rising Star Award to Kacie Jackson of ECS Carolinas LLP, and an Outstanding Leadership Individual Award to Maggie Kleger of Britt, Peters & Associates Inc.

Thermoforming Companies Merge a new entity called blue Ridge Thermoforming is the result of a merger between PFC Systems and Blue Ridge Packaging. The arrangement was financed by Greer State Bank, with Vice President Tim Lincolnhol leading the process.

Blue Ridge Thermoforming produces multiple gauges of thermoformed plastic parts, including medical device packaging, totes, trays, containers, reusable industrial packaging and protective equipment cases.

As a separate company, PFC Systems, located in Greenville, manufactured plastic parts for

custom component applications and packaging. Blue Ridge Packaging of Simpsonville created a variety of packing including snap-and-lock device trays and clamshells. Now the single company will have three in-line thermoforming production lines and three rotary thermoforming production lines that will operate in more than 30,000 square feet on Commerce Road.

Over the next twelve months, Blue Ridge Thermoforming expects to hire six to 12 new employees depending on continued demand and favorable market conditions, a spokesperson said.

May 31, 2013 UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL 27

UBJ New to the Street

Fairytale Florist

1. Fairytale Florist, a full-service florist and gift shop, recently opened a retail location at 1099 E. Butler Road in Greenville. The shop will host Diva Nights to teach groups the art of arranging flowers and decorating for the holidays. The gift area of the shop will carry soaps, lotions, notecards, hand-poured candles, linen towels and frames. The shop will be open Monday-Wednesday and Friday from I-385

r Rd Mille

1

Woodruff Rd

E Butler Rd

10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m.6:30 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

For more information, call 864-234-9881.

2. Toys R Us/Babies R Us recently held the grand opening of their new combined location at 1025 Woodruff Road in Greenville. The combined store is in the Magnolia Park development. Toys R Us moved from its

Woods Crossing location and Babies R Us moved from Haywood Road.

3. Aspen Dental recently opened at 3517 Clemson Blvd. in Anderson. The new Aspen Dental practice will provide dental services that range from dentures and preventive care to general dentistry and restoration. For more information, visit aspendental.com or call 864-932-4147.

Liberty Hwy

Woodruff Rd

vd Bl e rda Ve

28 Upstate bUsiness joUrnal May 31, 2013

2 I-85

3

I-385

Pearman Dairy Rd

Clemson Blvd/ N Main St

Photos Provided

Fairytale Florist

UBJ Planner MONDAY JUNE 3 PUBLIC POLICY LUNCH SERIES Poinsett Club, 807 E. Washington St., Greenville; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Speaker: Mick Zais, South Carolina Superintendent of Education Topic: State of Education in South Carolina Cost: $25, includes lunch. Open to Greenville Chamber members only.

Contact: Elizabeth Edwards at eedwards@ greenvillechamber.com.

BI-LINGUAL TOASTMASTERS University Center Auditorium, 225 S. Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville; noon Contact: jeff@ alfonsointerpreting.com

HARD HAT TEA PARTY Habitat for Humanity ReStore, 5201 W. Wade Hampton Blvd., Greer; 4-6 p.m.

No cost, but attendees are asked to donate a gift card from any store that sells home construction supplies or appliances or make a cash donation to Habitat for Humanity.

Contact: Janet W. Christy at 864-244-4117 or janet@scwbc.net

TUESDAY JUNE 4 COFFEE CLUB

Coffee and pastries provided RSVP to: 864-8629023 by June 3

UPSTATE BUSINESS EXCHANGE Java Jolt, 1099 East Butler Road, Mauldin; 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Contact: Deb Abshire, The Investment Center at 864-297-1190 or 864-275-0496 or deb. abshire@ticsc.com

SPARTANBURG HEALTHCARE NETWORK Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce, 105 North Pine St., Spartanburg; 10:30 a.m.-noon Topic: Veterans Benefits Guest Speaker: Greg Walker and Lynn O’Dell of the Spartanburg County Veterans Affairs office Cost: Free Register at: spartanburgchamber.com Contact: Meric Gambel at 864-594-5030 or mgambel@spartanburg chamber.com

HUMAN RESOURCES ROUNDTABLE Carolina Springs Country Club, Palmetto Room, 1680 Scuffletown Road, Fountain Inn; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Contact: Yancey Epps at 864-770-5407 or yepps@fountaininn chamber.org by May 31

NONPROFIT ALLIANCE

Edward Jones, 117 South Main St., Fountain Inn; 10 a.m.

Greenville Chamber of Commerce, 24 Cleveland St., Greenville; noon-1:30 p.m.

Speaker: Paul M. Valentine, financial advisor

Open to all Chamber member executive

directors of area nonprofits or their designates.

Cost: Free for Greenville Chamber members, $20 for non-members.

Lunch will be provided at no charge.

Contact: Claudia Wise at 864-239-3728

WEDNESDAY JUNE 5

three or more Register at: spartanburg chamber.com Attendees will need to bring their own laptops for class (2010 or 2007 Excel installed) Contact: Meric Gambel at 864-594-5030 or mgambel@spartanburg chamber.com

AM THINK TANK

WOMEN’S BUSINESS NETWORK

Chamber Office, 211 N Main St., Simpsonville; 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Quality Inn, 3755 Grandview Drive, Simpsonville; noon-1 p.m.

Event Description: Discuss business ideas and challenges with other members who might have faced the same circumstances and how they got through it. Bring a beverage and a snack.

Cost: Free to attend as part of your Chamber membership.

Contact: Becky at 864-963-3781 to RSVP.

Speaker: Adrienne Franklin, TSA Choice Topic: Women In Technology: Breaking Down the Barriers Cost: $15 for Simpsonville Chamber members, $20 for non-members Contact: Allison McGarity at amcgarity@ simpsonvillechamber.com.

TEN AT THE TOP UPSTATE VISION FORUM: DESTINATION 2030 THINKING BIG AND BOLD ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE UPSTATE CU-ICAR, AT&T Auditorium, 5 Research Drive, Greenville; 3-5 p.m.

Theme: Natural Resources and the Upstate Economy Contact: Meredyth Boaz at 864-283-2317

MICROSOFT OFFICE EXCEL 2010/2007: LEVEL 1 Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce, 105 North Pine St., Spartanburg; 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Cost: $195 for Spartanburg Chamber members, $294 for non-members, $169 per student in groups of

Greer City Hall, 301 East Poinsett St., Greer; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Speaker: Mayor Rick Danner Topic: Horseshoes, Rabbits’ Feet and Four-Leaf Clovers; Being Lucky is Hard Work!

Cost: $10 for Greer Chamber members; $15 for non-members

GOT A HOT DATE?

Contribute to our Planner by submitting event information for consideration to EVENTS@UPSTATEBUSINESSJOURNAL.COM

The Commerce Club, 55 Beattie Place, Greenville; 6:30 p.m.

THURSDAY JUNE 6

FIRST FRIDAY LUNCHEON

CA L E N DA R

BREWMASTERS

Host: Christiana Miller, Lazy Magnolia Brewery Cost: $20 for Commerce Club members, $24 for non-members Contact: lynn@nature walkphotos.com or visit ccbrewmasters.com

FRIDAY JUNE 7

#1 AGENT FOR PRUDENTIAL FOR 2 CONSECUTIVE YEARS TOP PRODUCER FOR PAST 10 YEARS FINE HOME SPECIALIST CERTIFIED RELOCATION SPECIALIST CHAIRMAN’S GOLD CIRCLE – TOP 2% NATIONALLY

Planning a move in the Upstate?

I’ll take you from dreaming about a new home to owning one.

864-918-1734

WWW.GREENVILLEAGENT247.COM

Got an event you’d like to share?

Submit your photos to: events@communityjournals.com

Photos by Gerry Pate

UBJ Snapshot

Nearly 250 people crowded Hub-Bub’s Main Event space for the climax of Spartanburg’s Main Street Challenge competition. Three winners were named, who will receive subsidized rent on downtown space and startup help. Read the full story on page 12.

Historic photograph available from the Greenville Historical Society

Photos by Greg Beckner

Photo Provided

Claussen’s bakery, located on Augusta Street near the West End business district, was Greenville most aromatic business. The large bakery supplied bread and cakes to most of the grocery stores in the county. Claussen’s was also the manufacturer of cookies for the Girl Scouts’ annual fundraising sale.

While no longer a bakery, the building remains intact.

From “Remembering Greenville: Photographs from the Coxe Collection,”

by Jeffrey Willis.

CONNECTING THE DOTS SERIES:

ARE OUR CHILDREN READY TO SUCCEED? July 16:

Learning doesn’t begin when a child enters Kindergarten. Great work is being done to ensure children enter school on track and ready to succeed.

Join us for a series of conversations highlighting challenges and bright spots in our community’s efforts to give children the best opportunities for their education.

Sessions are FREE 8:00am–8:45am Register online: dotsgreenville.eventbrite.com

SPONSORED BY:

Quality Counts: How Can Parents Find Quality Child Care?

June 11: WHY Early Childhood Matters, A discussion with Susan Shi

Greenville Tech Child Development Center, 620 S Pleasantburg Dr, Greenville

United Way of Greenville County 105 Edinburgh Ct, Greenville

June 18: Improving Outcomes for Expectant Mothers through Nurse Family Partnership Greenville Health System Nurse Family Partnership Office 1200 W Faris Rd, Greenville

June 25:

July 23:

15 Minutes A Day Can Improve Literacy Rate

Innovations in Policy and Practice

Center for Developmental Services

Location TBA

29 N Academy St, Greenville

July 9: Predictors of Early Success A Child’s Haven 1124 Rutherford Rd, Greenville

PERSONALIZATION

INNOVATION FLEXIBILITY

GROWTH All that and more, right here in Greenville.

Learn how you can get the MBA that’s right for you at one of our monthly information sessions.

Register at june25info.eventbrite.com.

Clemson.edu/mba · mbaprograms@clemson.edu · 864-656-8173