the one

table of
contents

Ready to Capitalize on National
Accolades 06

Finishing What You Started 10

Film Industry Blossoming in Spartanburg 16

Connecting Small Business to
Big Business 22

A Q&A with Hub City
Spartanburgers GM Tyson Jeffers 28

Beyond Bikes: The CRIT’s Impact 34

See Spartanburg’s New Courthouse 40

The ‘Burg’s Best Breweries 44

The Highlights 52

OneSpartanburg, Inc.

105 N. Pine Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302

(864) 594-5000 | onespartanburginc.com

Chief Business Affairs Officer | John Kimbrell

Chief Operating Officer | Naomi Sargent

Communications Director | Zach Fox

Design Director | Lordwin Neal

redegreespartanburg.com

Helping You Finish

What You Started.

For Charles Browning, it was a physical altercation that left him physically injured and emotionally distressed.

For Nicole Gibson, it was having her first child.

Browning and Gibson are two of thousands of Spartanburg County residents, according to countywide data, that have some college experience but no degree.

They are also two of the first participants in the recently-launched Re:Degree initiative, aiming to help adults cross the finish line on their educational journey.

“It has meant everything to me. I don’t believe I would have even explored the option of going back to school if it wasn’t for the resources and encouragement that the Re:Degree program has given me,” Gibson, who is Director of Tourism Partnerships at OneSpartanburg, Inc., said.

Re:Degree, an initiative spearheaded by OneSpartanburg, Inc. and supported by the Spartanburg Academic Movement (SAM), works to break down barriers to degree-completion, including financial hurdles, familial obligations, lost motivation, or other compounding factors.

“Re:Degree was born with the premise that Spartanburg County residents with some college and no degree could look forward, not backwards, towards social and economic mobility by completing their degrees,” said OneSpartanburg, Inc. Chief Talent Officer Ron Garner.

What is Re:Degree

The initiative is directly tied to recommendations from the OneSpartanburg Vision Plan 2.0, specifically supporting the reenrollment and degree-completion of the-nearly 48,000 adults across Spartanburg County with some college experience but no degree.

Re:Degree aims to work with these individuals on customized plans to break down the barriers that prevented them from earning a degree. The work of the initiative is made possible thanks to support from SAM’s Movement 2030 — a sweeping plan to dramatically advance economic mobility and educational attainment across Spartanburg County.

Community and educational leaders have recognized the challenges presented by low educational attainment levels across Spartanburg County since at least 2008, Garner said.

Groundwork for the program, initially dubbed “Unfinished Business” internally, was laid over the years that followed, ultimately morphing into a priority of the first OneSpartanburg Vision Plan, released in 2017 and the OneSpartanburg Vision Plan 2.0, released in 2022.

“It’s very important for Spartanburg County residents to have social and economic mobility. A completed degree often leads to more opportunities, increased pay, and additional advancement later in life,” Garner said. “We want Spartanburg County residents to not only work and live in Spartanburg, but also thrive in Spartanburg.”

“Re:Degree was born with the premise that Spartanburg County residents with some college and no degree could look forward, not backwards, towards social and economic mobility by completing their degrees.”

Ron Garner

Chief Talent Development Officer

OneSpartanburg, Inc.

How Re:Degree Works

The work of Re:Degree is led by OneSpartanburg, Inc. Director of Adult Degree Reengagement Erin Smith, and College Navigators. Funding has also been provided for roles at partnering colleges to ensure the adult students participating in Re:Degree have the support they need on-campus.

Smith said the process of getting involved with Re:Degree was designed to be a simple given that the initiative’s core audience are those who have already had significant hurdles to degree-completion.

Anyone interested in connecting can visit ReDegreeSpartanburg.com and fill out an inquiry form, which will give the team a snapshot of the individual so a customized plan can be crafted before diving in.

“After submitting the inquiry form, a College Navigator will contact them to discuss their needs, their goals, and the best way to reenroll in the college or university of their choice. Then, we schedule a face-to-face Intake meeting with them to start the process of mapping out their next steps,” she said.

Why Re:Degree is Crucial for Spartanburg County

In addition to increased earning potential for the degree-holder, educational attainment is critical to attracting and retaining jobs. A higher educational attainment rate will help to diversify economic development efforts by making Spartanburg County more attractive to corporate and knowledge-based jobs.

“Educating and upskilling your workforce is a tried-and-true method of employee retention. Employees feel supported and bring the knowledge they develop back into their roles. It's also a great way to start succession planning and developing pathways to other roles within the organization,” Smith said. “Another way we can support industry through Re:Degree is by working with our collegiate partners to develop training and specialized credentials that can help fill training gaps for companies. We don't want Spartanburg talent to have to look elsewhere for opportunity. We want to keep our talent here by offering opportunities for them to grow and succeed locally.”

OneSpartanburg, Inc. President and CEO Allen Smith said that simply, higher rates of degree attainment lead to greater economic possibilities for individuals and the Spartanburg community at-large.

“The effort is part of a larger strategy to raise per capita income. As people complete their degrees, degree attainment rises,” he said. “When that occurs, we will be better positioned to recruit knowledge-based jobs – the kind of jobs that pay two to three times (sometimes even greater) our current per capita income. More people with more income is a win across the board.”

Re:Degree is working to partner with employers countywide, as scaling the initiative up will take employer support through cohorts of students reenrolling.

“As employees are upskilled, they will have more opportunities to advance,” Garner said. “Employers can promote from within thus retaining more of their employees in the long run.”

Gibson said employer buy-in is a massive boost for her motivation and shows a level of investment in team members by employers.

“From the moment I brought up the potential of going back to school, my boss and company have been nothing but supportive, as we have moved through this process everyone has been genuinely excited and proud of me for taking these hard steps in obtaining my degree,” she said.

And Browning, who owns Russtan Home and Garden, a residential and commercial renovations company, said he couldn’t wait to take advantage of the opportunities presented by Re:Degree.

“I was referred after Erin (Smith) did a presentation at the Lion’s Club. I think I called her before she could even leave,” he said.

What’s Next

Data shows nearly 48,000 adults countywide meet the criteria to participate in Re:Degree. Efforts are underway to connect with these individuals using targeted marketing, direct outreach, and employer participation at partner businesses across the county.

Garner, who spent nearly 30 years in education before joining OneSpartanburg, Inc., said Re:Degree could have a lasting, generational impact.

“When I first began to consider retirement from public education, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next. I knew I wanted it to be meaningful and education-related, so when I found out Re:Degree was going to become a reality, I immediately wanted to be part of this work,” he said. “I would like to see this program create new first generation college graduates who change the trajectory of their children’s lives by setting the example that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. I would love to see this program lay the groundwork for future generational success.”

For Gibson, degree-completion means more career expertise in her position at OneSpartanburg, Inc., more career possibilities overall, and finishing something she was unsure she’d have the opportunity to finish.

“My main goal for obtaining my degree is career growth. I love what I do, and I want to be more educated in my area of expertise,” she said. “It’s scary but you won’t regret it…Re:Degree has been the exact extra bit of encouragement I needed to take this step.”

Browning said finishing his degree will help his goal of overseeing a medical administration program. Perhaps more importantly, it will also be the next step in a journey he set out for himself some time ago; a goal finally achieved.

“This program and staff have been amazing with the help and support. I had never heard of a program like this but I’m extremely grateful that it exists,” he said. “The next step in this walk is finishing my degree. This is vital to opening new doors for me.”

Allen Smith said Re:Degree is an unprecedented effort in Spartanburg that has come to fruition at a fortuitous moment in the county’s history.

“This program will allow those with some college but no degree the chance to earn a degree or high-demand certificate which will in turn allow them to advance in their career, earn new skills to pursue a new career, and open doors they thought had been closed,” he said. “It will also pave the way for the continued work of diversifying Spartanburg County’s economy by growing the pool of highly-qualified talent that call our county home, who are ready to become leaders in the workforce of the future.”

“I would like to see this program create new first generation college graduates who change the trajectory of their children’s lives by setting the example that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. I would love to see this program lay the groundwork for future generational success.”

Ron Garner

Chief Talent Development Officer

OneSpartanburg, Inc.

“This program will allow those with some college but no degree the chance to earn a degree or high-demand certificate which will in turn allow them to advance in their career, earn new skills to pursue a new career, and open doors they thought had been closed.”

Allen Smith

President & CEO

OneSpartanburg, Inc.

Film Industry

Blossoming in Spartanburg

The events depicted in Edgar Bravo’s latest feature film, “Little Box of Hope,” focus on a businessman who finds a mysterious box that transports him into the mind of a killer, and the fight between two consciousnesses trapped within one body.

Bravo, a nationally-known independent filmmaker, didn’t film the movie in Hollywood, or even California. And he didn’t film it in Atlanta, which has quickly become a major cinematic player.

Instead Bravo filmed “Little Box of Hope” in Spartanburg.

“After I visited several cities such as Albuquerque and Austin, I found that Spartanburg would be a great place to make a feature film totally shot in the city,” Bravo said. “The people have been fantastic and always supported the arts, so they have embraced filmmaking.”

WHY SPARTANBURG?

Bravo and his No Restrictions Studios came to Spartanburg as part of an intentional effort to diversify Spartanburg County’s economy by recruiting arts-and film-related companies to the area. For “Little Box of Hope,” Bravo utilized local talent, on-and off-camera, as much as possible.

Spartanburg, in many ways, makes a lot of sense as a filmmaking hub of a new era, where studios, film projects, and post-production work can be done outside of Hollywood thanks to immense technological innovations.

And for its part, Spartanburg has historically embraced arts and creators, being named a city with some of the World’s Greatest Modern Art Where You’d Least Expect to Find It by Forbes Magazine just a few years ago.

Beyond the artistic side of filmmaking, Spartanburg is uniquely suited to welcome the technologically-fueled aspects of filmmaking. The county is home to a long list of businesses with advanced tech — imaging, coding, automation, robotics, and more — at their core.

And those are all skills that translate to the film industry.

BRAVO’S FILMMAKING BONAFIDES

Bravo was born in Texas and raised in California, earning his B.A. in theater at UC Santa Cruz. He was accepted into the UCLA Master’s Program in Directing where his short film “Mi Casa,” dealing with Latino immigrants in Los Angeles, won the A&E National Grand Prize.

Since then, Bravo founded No Restrictions Entertainment in 2008 where he went on to write and direct features without the backing of major Hollywood studios. He has had films distributed in more than 70 countries and featured on streaming services like Tubi. He’s the only U.S.-born Latino who, as of now, has written and directed more than five independent feature films.

Now located in Spartanburg, Bravo, working on his eighth feature, said he plans to make films with local filmmakers and local crews over the next five years.

“We are hoping to find staff that is interested in the making, marketing and financing of bold, independent films,” he said.

AREA-WIDE OFFERINGS

No Restrictions Studios has found a successful home in Spartanburg at a time when filmmaking and video-related businesses are taking off across the entire Upstate of South Carolina. Partly inspired by Atlanta quickly becoming the “Hollywood of the South,” the Upstate has begun recruiting film projects, industries, and workers over the last few years, offering a welcoming business climate, access to talent and a large education system, and more.

The Urban League of the Upstate, whose mission is to advance equity by empowering the Black community and underserved individuals regionwide, is working to boost South Carolina’s presence in the entertainment industry. They’ve partnered with the University of South Carolina and Cargo, a local marketing agency, to lure in more entertainment investments.

“This innovative alliance will help a diverse, skilled workforce grow in the Upstate, making our region more attractive to film crews and production companies,” said President of the Urban League of the Upstate Gail Wilson Awan.

Awan said the organization’s affiliates have a long history of working with the entertainment industry. Her focus has turned to keeping local talent hoping to work on films or in production in the state to keep those projects, and the associated economic benefits, in-state.

“Film activity across the state now suggests the potential for the expansion of additional industry workforce clusters,” she said. “Research on the creative class and talent agglomeration suggests that growing and clustering more film industry in the Upstate could lead to an exponential increase in industry diversification and productivity.”

Just across the Greenville County line is Pronk Studios, which offers a premiere soundstage complete with a mega-LED wall for productions and filming that offer a more immersive look than standard blue or green screens.

In North Carolina, Tryon is home to the annual Tryon International Film Festival, which screens a host of films over several days before awards are given out to the best-of-the-best.

At the center of the region in some ways, Spartanburg is in an especially good position to build a strong filmmaking ecosystem, Sox said.

HOW THE FILM INDUSTRY BENEFITS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Spartanburg County sits at the intersection of Interstates 85 and 26 and is home to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, meaning Spartanburg’s ability to move people and goods quickly and efficiently across the region, and across the country within a day or so, is nearly unparalleled – a major draw for the film industry.

Sox said that having Spartanburg featured in films will fuel the communitywide development work that OneSpartanburg, Inc. specializes in.

“There are companies (in Spartanburg County) that would love to have different kinds of customers,” he said. “And we haven’t even hit on the tourism industry. Having locations that are familiar on the screen and are interesting for people visiting Spartanburg County and the Upstate, goes a long, long way. Even down to promoting Spartanburg’s homegrown products with product placement of consumer brands that are located in the area.”

Technology has made it less necessary than ever for films to be made in L.A. or New York, Bravo said. Atlanta quickly carved out a major piece of the film industry pie for itself, but Bravo said it has quickly become a home for primarily big-budget, major projects.

Independent films, however, have begun looking for mid-sized markets with good infrastructure, good hotel and travel options for actors, producers, and crews coming in without combatting the logistical challenges large metro areas present.

Spartanburg offers all of those in addition to a robust college and university infrastructure and pipeline. The county is home to seven higher-education institutions, several of which including Wofford College and the University of South Carolina Upstate offer film studies majors or minors.

“You’re not in competition with every other studio in town for the same select group of assets, from locations to hotel rooms to lot space for trailers,” Sox said. “There’s a real opportunity for South Carolina and the Upstate specifically to be that mid-market solution for independent and small studio filmmaking and the creative arts. The market is allowing for opportunities to new communities to get in the game and be a solution.”

WHAT’S COMING NEXT

Bravo’s next feature will again be produced and shot in Spartanburg, and will touch on subject matter the county is no stranger to: The Revolutionary War.

He said the film will revolve around the struggles of people living in what is presently Spartanburg County leading up to and during the American Revolution. The film was developed after spending time in Spartanburg, getting to know the area’s history, and connecting with the people Bravo has worked with since arriving in Spartanburg.

“The feature I produced and filmed in Spartanburg will show that high-quality features can be made here,” he said. “A major plus is that the city has a long history of supporting the arts and now they’re welcoming bold films that are created and made here.”

In a word, it’s diversification. Diversification of industries, diversification of jobs, diversification of opportunities,” said OneSpartanburg, Inc. Vice President of Industrial Development Kyle Sox. “With film, you can still be in a productive industry, in the sense that you’re producing something. We make globally-renowned products in Spartanburg, and if you’re here, why not make films?

Helping Businesses Make Connections

Networking, Training Key to
Small Business Success

by Alec Harvey

When Power Up Spartanburg, a program of OneSpartanburg, Inc. funded by Spartanburg County, launched just over a year ago, a big part of it was making loans available to small and minority businesses in the area.

But money, an important part of the plan, isn’t the only part of the initiative, said Jay Jenkins, director of small and minority business development for OneSpartanburg, Inc. The program also includes, among other things, education, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Networking, mentoring,
training are key

That has included connecting small businesses with representatives of large businesses in the area, including Volkswagen, Milo’s Tea, Delta Airlines, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Boeing.

“We had all of these companies come in and tell us how small businesses could help them,” Jenkins says. “Then we invited the small businesses in and started to train them and build them up so they could connect with these businesses.”

Power Up has a number of partners, including the Small Business Development Center, SCORE Mentors and, as part of Power Up University, some higher-learning institutions in Spartanburg County that provide classes.

All of these initiatives, plus live and recorded workshops and training videos, will be available on The Grid. Funded by a $50,000 grant from Duke Energy, The Grid is set to launch soon.

Jenkins knows Power Up programs are successful. One of his main thrusts now is being sure small businesses know what’s available to them.

“If no one knows about it, it’s for naught,” he said.

So Jenkins has hired six “community captains” around Spartanburg County, paying them to canvas the county and find small businesses who can benefit from Power Up.

“We don’t promise them a contract,” Jenkins said. “We prepare them and educate them on how to pitch their company and put them in front of the business. Then it’s up to them.”

Success stories

The Power Up programs have already seen some success stories, and you don’t have to prompt Molly Duesterhaus too much to get her started about the benefits of Power Up.

“I am a big fan,” said Duesterhaus, CEO of Sunna Fiber, a company started in 2021 that provides fiber-optic splicing and testing services.

One big reason – the company recently landed its biggest contract, working on the Google fiber network in Nashville, Tenn., due in part to mentoring she received from Power Up.

Duesterhaus and Sunna have been part of Power Up since the beginning.

“What has been fantastic is the knowledge base that our mentors have brought to our conversations,” she said. “It’s a lot of honest information, talking about some of the risks and the struggles of a small business. The mentors – because of their business knowledge and their history – are critical to me being able to make some really good organizational decisions, how we think about how we allocate resources and how we choose to grow.”

The program’s networking aspect has also been helpful, according to Duesterhaus.

“Power Up has opened the doors to meet additional people and make additional connections,” she said.

Among them is Lumos, a major optic internet provider that in 2023 expanded into Spartanburg County.

“Power Up has opened doors to have conversations with them and how we can be in on those contracts,” Duesterhaus says. “That networking is opening doors for us to continue to grow. We want to have our largest presence in the Carolinas, and this is helping us do that.”

For Kevin Kennedy, who started Kennedy Sewing and Cutting Supply LLC in Spartanburg in 2021, getting to the right person who makes buying decisions is key, and Power Up has helped pave his way.

“I could work months trying to find the right person to contact at some of these companies, but Power Up is helping with all of that,” said Kennedy, whose company provides cutting-edge machinery – including AI-powered autonomous robots – as well as consulting, service and repairs for clients in North America, Central and South America.

Thanks to Power Up, Kennedy for the first time has found himself meeting with heavy-hitters such as tier-one suppliers for Spartanburg’s BMW plant.

“There were more than 150 tier-one suppliers that were there that we talked to, maybe become a supplier for them, and maybe, if you take it to that level, eventually become a direct supplier for BMW,” Kennedy said of the BMW event. “So I was able to meet a lot of people there and pursue that.”

Through Power Up, Kennedy had similar experiences with Oshkosh Defense, Clemson University, Volkswagen and Delta Airlines. Buyers would speak to the group from Power Up and then provide a link to apply to be a supplier for the company.

Power Up is “a great sounding board,” Sunna Fiber’s Duesterhaus said. “I think if more startups had access to people like this, more would be successful. My confidence in my company is stronger because I have these advisers helping me think through better strategies. I’m grateful for the wisdom and knowledge these leaders have been willing to share with us.”

That’s music to Jenkins’ ears, who says he “truly believes that a high tide raises all boats.”

“I think all of these businesses will get better,” he said. “There’s no secret sauce to our success. It’s just that we’re very intentional about what we’re doing. Our sole purpose is to help small business owners.”

Converse II:
Preparing Adult Learners to
Lead and Succeed

Finding qualified candidates for open positions can sometimes be challenging for employers in Spartanburg County. One roadblock, according to a recent labor market assessment, is that only 26% of Spartanburg County residents hold a bachelor’s degree, while a projected 65% of jobs will require education beyond high school.

Opening doors

Converse University is working to help bridge the gap with the Converse II program, which supports adults ages 25 and up who want to complete their bachelor’s degrees.

This program provides a tuition discount that makes it easier for students to jumpstart their college ambitions, plus a robust support system to ensure adult students have the guidance and resources they need to be successful in school and after graduation. Converse II meets students where they are and provides a pathway for either part-time or full-time attendance, as well as options for on-campus or online classes.

Leaping obstacles

Many Converse II students already have college experience but, for various reasons, life got in the way and college was deferred.

Francesca “Frankie” Malafronte was one of those students. She followed the traditional college path for high school graduates, but doubts about her career path, ongoing mental health issues, and intense pressure to succeed, derailed her plans.

“After barely making it through my freshman year, I decided to drop out,” Frankie said. “I spent the next five years getting the help I needed and gaining the life experience that made me who I am today.”

Frankie was working at a local bakery when she first learned about the Converse II program from a customer. She was thrilled to learn about the program’s affordability and supportive environment during her campus tour the following week.

“I knew I was not reaching my full potential,” Frankie said of her career path at the time. “I finally felt ready to chase the bigger dreams I had, and I knew returning to school was the starting point.”

Finding new pathways

At Converse, Frankie worked with her advisor to create a customized degree in Individualized Studies that combined her interests in Studio Art, Psychology, and Child and Family Studies. She graduates this May.

“The professors at Converse are truly extraordinary, and so many have had a profound impact on my academic experience,” Frankie said. “They have encouraged me, challenged me, and guided me.”

For more information about the Converse II program and how it helps Spartanburg residents and many other students meet their goals of earning a college degree, visit www.converse.edu/your-success.

I knew I was not reaching my full potential. I finally felt ready to chase the bigger dreams I had, and I knew returning to school was the starting point.

A NEW ERA

A Q&A with Hub City Spartanburgers
GM Tyson Jeffers

The Hub City Spartanburgers is set to begin play in Spartanburg in 2025 at the new Fifth Third Park, currently being constructed. General Manager Tyson Jeffers recently talked about the park and plans for the inaugural season.

How’s your experience in Spartanburg been so far?

From day one, I have felt like the community of Spartanburg has given me a big, warm hug. Every person that I have come into contact with has been unbelievably kind and shown me such amazing hospitality. In the few short months that I have been here, I already feel a sincere connection to the community, and I am honored to have the opportunity to call Spartanburg home!

What can Spartanburg fans expect from the ballpark beyond what they’ll see on the field?

We are going to create an environment and experience that may, at times, make baseball seem like it is secondary. Don’t get me wrong, we love baseball, but what happens between the lines and on the scoreboard is totally out of our control. It is imperative that we are the best in the biz by controlling what we can control. That means creating engaging in-park and on-field entertainment, developing unique food and beverage experiences, being innovative with theme nights, giveaways and live appearances and, mostly importantly, providing the highest level of customer service to our fans. At the end of the day, if we control what we can control, no matter what happened on the field, our fans will leave Fifth Third Park with a smile on their face and lifelong memories.

What are some key, non-baseball happenings you hope Fifth Third Park can host?

We expect to be programming and activating the ballpark as many days out of the year as possible. We’d love for Fifth Third Park to play host to concerts, comedy shows, college baseball and other amateur sports, community gatherings, and a multitude of unique events. Right now, we are exploring any and all potential non-gameday entertainment opportunities.

What do you think Spartanburg will bring to the MiLB?

Energy! I’ve worked for multiple teams, in multiple markets, and I have never felt an energy like I do here in Spartanburg. If we use that energy correctly, we have the ability to shape a new standard for minor league baseball in all facets including our facility, our experience and the positive impact we can have on our community.

What can a Minor League team mean to a community?

I think a minor league team means something different to everyone and sometimes it means what the community needs most at that time. For example, to an individual fan it may mean the escape from the stressors of work and life, to a business it may mean a way to entertain potential clients and generate new revenue, to a non-profit it may mean a platform to help share their story to the masses and further their mission, and to the overall community it may mean the one place that everyone can come together to laugh, cheer and smile.

How can it spur development in the surrounding area?

The beautiful part of Spartanburg right now is that it is already in a state of expansion and development. Spartanburg, the City and the County, have done an amazing job of creating momentum for themselves, and we hope the ballpark and the team can play a part in propelling Spartanburg to heights no one thought were possible. The success of today will create a confidence to continue the development tomorrow and, in turn, bring new opportunities to the people that live, work and play here.

Aside from Opening Day, what are you looking forward to most in the team’s inaugural season?

I love sports traditions and how unique they can be for teams, venues and fan bases, whether that is an Alabama fan’s Roll Tide, the haka performed by The All Blacks rugby team or the Steelers Terrible Towel. The best traditions have organic origins and a detailed backstory, and they seem to always cultivate a sense of community, belonging and togetherness for the fans. That being said, I am looking forward to seeing what things will stick with our fans throughout the inaugural season and become our tradition.

CRIT bicycle races

a win for competitors, spectators and businesses in Spartanburg

by Glenn Stephens

Spartanburg’s annual Spring Fling has grown into a major regional attraction each April, and The CRIT bicycle races are a key reason for its popularity.

Hundreds of amateur and professional cyclists and thousands of spectators flood the downtown area on a spring Friday night every year to kick off a weekend of events celebrating the arrival of warm weather and months of outdoor activities.

This year’s bike races, a fund-raiser for “PAL: Play. Advocate. Live Well” was held on April 26, followed by a weekend of music, food, arts and crafts, and other attractions.

“It’s a great community event, but it also produces a significant economic impact on Spartanburg County,” said Billy Dunlap. “You’ve got people coming into Spartanburg, and they typically will spend one or two nights. It gives them an opportunity to see and enjoy what Spartanburg has to offer.”

The CRIT, which has grown steadily since it came to Spartanburg in 2005, is a partnership between PAL and the city. Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System is its title sponsor.

This year’s Friday night events featured six bike races, four for amateurs and two for professionals, over a closed half-mile course, mostly covering East Main and Broad streets downtown.

Spectators watched the races from 107 tailgating areas and tents as well as from free and paid viewing areas along the course.

“The thing that makes us unique is the tents,” said Laura Ringo, executive director of PAL. “Think NASCAR or horse racing, and that’s what we do in downtown Spartanburg. We have almost 10,000 people gathered around, having a big party and celebrating our community and celebrating cycling and healthy lifestyles. It draws people who love Spartanburg to downtown on that night.”

Many of the tents are sponsored by businesses that return year after year.

“They do it because of the great time people have,” said Sophi Schwartzbauer, event coordinator at PAL. “We have catered menus for our sponsors, and we have beverage service. All people need to do is invite their friends and guests and just show up. We have more than 100 volunteers, along with board members and our staff of eight working the event.”

An economic impact study by Dunlap for last year’s Spring Fling estimated it brought in $2.8 million in direct spending and $4 million overall.

“The CRIT is a big tailgate, and it’s a great event for networking, fellowship and entertainment,” Dunlap said. “At OneSpartanburg, we use it as an opportunity to bring in customers and clients. But it also brings in thousands of people from Spartanburg County and throughout the region.

“For one day, Spartanburg is a destination for the cycling community.”

Spring Fling, the city’s longest-running street festival, began in the 1970s as a way to bring people to the downtown area, said Christopher George, communications manager for the city.

“There’s a music component featuring a headline act, a very large food area, a car show, and vendors selling arts and crafts,” he said. “It’s kind of a free-for-all – and we see The CRIT as the most successful part of the event.”

Schwartzbauer describes PAL as a non-profit working to make Spartanburg a healthier and more active community, most notably through its work to develop a system of trails around the city. It also works to develop and upgrade parks and operates a food hub designed to provide healthy, fresh produce from area farmers for schools, hospitals and other consumers. It oversees donations to those with limited access to healthy food.

“The amount raised for PAL through The CRIT has grown from zero in 2005 to more than $100,000 in recent years,” Ringo said. “It’s money that is so critical for the operations and delivery of our mission. We expect that number to be even bigger this year.”

Dunlap, the city’s tourism development officer, said The CRIT has been a key part of the growth of Spartanburg as a significant destination for sports tourism.

Spartanburg County hosts nearly 160 sporting events annually, ranging from the bike races to baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball and cross-country competition.

“Sports tourism is a big deal in Spartanburg, and The CRIT is an important part of that,” Dunlap said. “Overall, sports tourism produces about $40 million in direct spending in the county each year, making it a significant economic driver.”

Ringo said The CRIT, which is part of USA Cycling’s racing tour, draws about 300 riders. Those range from kids to amateur competitors to the tour’s professionals.

The CRIT features two races for professional riders – one each for women and men. This year’s event attracted about 100 men and 50 women for the pro races, along with about 150 riders in the amateur competition, according to Thad Fischer of Charlotte, series director for USA CRITS.

The pro races are about 70 minutes for men and 60 minutes for women, Fischer said, and include teams of up to six riders each. The riders compete in 14 races throughout the Southeast for thousands of dollars in prizes, supplemented by money from multiple sponsors.

“Pros love to come to our region this time of year,” Fisher said. “It’s a perfect climate, and we assemble quality events featuring racers from all over the United States and from nine other countries.

“This is the 19th year for racing in Spartanburg, and it’s considered a prestigious event. It’s a fantastic race, and it’s well attended.”

Dunlap sees The CRIT as one of many reasons for Spartanburg’s growing reputation as an attractive place to live and work.

He points to the city’s No. 3 ranking in Southern Living’s list of the best Southern cities on the rise.

“We’ve got a lot of economic development going on, and tourism continues to thrive,” he said. “There’s about a billion dollars in investment going on downtown, including a minor league baseball stadium. The CRIT feeds into that as something unique we can offer.”

beyond the bench

A Tour Through Spartanburg County's New Courthouse

In November 2017, voters across Spartanburg County approved a penny sales tax that was to fund several downtown construction projects, including a new Spartanburg Police Headquarters, which has opened, a new Joint Municipal Complex for the City and County that has yet to break ground, and a new Spartanburg County Courthouse and adjacent parking deck, which opened their doors in early 2024.

The previous Courthouse opened more than 60 years ago and no longer met standards of space, technology, or security.

A new courthouse was needed to accommodate Spartanburg’s growth over the years, and forecasted growth patters for the county as a whole.

There are offices and conference rooms on each floor, but, if you never get the opportunity to go through or tour the Courthouse, here’s a floor-by-floor breakdown of what the new facility houses:

First Floor

• 4 Magistrate Courtrooms

• 1 Municipal Courtroom

• Office space for those courts

• SC Guardian Ad Litem Office

• SC Department of Probation and Parole

• Jury deliberation rooms

Second Floor

• Clerk of Court's offices (family, child support, payments, general sessions, and common pleas)

• Special Proceedings Courtroom (capacity: 241 people)

• Jury assembly room (can be used for a SC Supreme Court hearing)

• Seventh Circuit Public Defender's Office

• Future Magistrate/Municipal Courtroom

Third Floor

• 4 Family Courtrooms

• SC Department of Juvenile Justice

• SC Department of Social Services office space

• Space for Project REST, a nonprofit organization providing assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Upstate, SC.

Fourth Floor

• Master-in-Equity courtroom

• Probate Court courtroom

• Hearing Room

• Future Family Courtroom

Fifth Floor

• Seventh Circuit Solicitor's Office

• Staff offices

• Training rooms

Sixth Floor

• 3 Circuit Courtrooms

• 4 Circuit Court chambers

• Jury Deliberation Rooms

• Chambers for the Chief Justice of the SC Supreme Court

Basement

• Secure parking

• Holding cells

• Electrical, mechanical, and facilities maintenance

This building is designed to last us 100-plus years... We have several spaces within the new courthouse that can quickly be built out to create several more courtroom spaces. We have three different flows built into the new building. This is why it looks so much bigger. In the old building, inmate, staff, the public and our judges walked down the same halls. In our new building, we have separate hallways, elevators, restrooms and breakrooms for inmates, staff/judges and the public. That extra flow must have extra space.

Amy Cox

Clerk of Court

Spartanburg County

SPARTANBURG BREWERIES SERVIING UP BEER, BURGERS AND BASEBALL BATS

by Alec Harvey

The year 2013 was a pivotal one for breweries in South Carolina.

That’s when the “pint law” was passed, allowing patrons to buy up to three pints of beer on site.

Since then, the brewery industry has been booming, with a growing number of places patrons can buy South Carolina-brewed beer, eat delicious pub food and enjoy events including concerts, trivia nights and karaoke.

The Spartanburg area is no stranger to these breweries. Some can be considered pioneers, and others are fairly new, but all are brewing up beer and brewing up ideas to attract and keep customers.

Here’s a look at some of Spartanburg County’s breweries and what they’re up to.

Holliday Brewing

When Holliday Brewing opened in 2019, it was a family affair from the start.

“My brother had been home brewing for 15 years,” said Jim Holliday, who owns the brewery along with his wife, Carin and brother John.

That first location was in Spartanburg’s Drayton Mills development, but now, Holliday Brewing has moved to Inman, where it opened in October.

“We realized we just didn’t have enough room,” Jim Holliday said. “We found a bigger location in Inman, bought the land and started building.”

The new location is a 9,000-square-foot metal building on 3.3 acres. The two-story facility includes an upper mezzanine that has a room that can be rented for private events.

The building seats 300, an outdoor area seats 150, and plans are to turn an open, grassy area into a space for live music.

The Hannah Orange Blossom, a blonde ale, continues to be Holliday Brewing’s top-selling craft beer, but menu offerings include a wide array of beers.

Holliday Brewing has begun canning its beer, and it’s available in Fort Mill, Rock Hill and local bars and restaurants. A goal shortly is to get into grocery stores, said Jim Holliday.

Right now, the new space in Inman is a busy one, including, in mid-May, the brewery’s first brew festival with the city of Inman.

“We’ve been growing, and now, with the nicer weather, we’ve rolled up our doors and windows, and we have cornhole and different games to play outside,” Jim Holliday said. “It has been going very well.”

Rockers Brewing Co.

When Mark Johnsen, founder of Rockers Brewing in 1997, stepped away in 2023, Evan Franklin took over as director of operations of the brewery on Main Street in Spartanburg.

With nearly a decade’s experience in brewing beer, he’s also head brewer at the facility owned by John Bauknight.

“We have classic American brewpub offerings, including amber ales, IPAs and lighter beers as well,” Franklin said. “Our No. 1 beer is Son of a Peach, a fruit beer.”

Though eight core beers are offered year-round, Rockers features a seasonal release every six weeks.

The vibe at Rockers is family-friendly, with kids and dogs welcome, Franklin said. A basement area has more of a speakeasy kind of feel, and Streaking Birdies, an indoor golf simulator facility, is downstairs from the tap room, too.

There’s more to come, Franklin said, including an outdoor beer garden late this year or early in 2025.

“We’ll hopefully be ready for the new baseball stadium going up right across the street,” he said of the planned $325 million home for The Hub City Spartanburgers. “We’re also hoping to have a presence in the stadium.”

In the meantime, Franklin and his crew are looking forward to Spartanburg’s Oktoberfest and Hub City Brew Fest in September.

The focus will continue to be on quality beer.

“We started the whole craft-beer scene here in Spartanburg,” Franklin said. “Other breweries have come to town, and I’ve been really focused on quality, everything from filtering our water to partnering with ingredient suppliers. … I think our hard work is paying off.”

Plankowner Brewing Co.

When Shawn Waggoner was looking for a place to “escape the South Florida rat race,” he turned to Spartanburg, a city he knew well from reunions of the crews of the USS Cowpens.

And after relocating to South Carolina in 2018, he opened Plankowner Brewing in 2019.

“It has been a wild ride,” Waggoner said of the brewery, where longtime friend Kyle Grove is head brewer.

The ride has not always been a smooth one. Though he’s proud of the space he opened and the beers created over five years, the pandemic and its aftermath led to the brewery closing in February.

But that’s not the end of Plankowner – Waggoner is looking for a new space for the brewery.

“It has proven to be a lot more difficult than anticipated,” he said. “We’re in the process of looking at different places. There are a couple of local opportunities, but some are a year away, and we’re trying to find something sooner.”

In the five years Plankowner was open, 98 beers were made in all different styles, and the brewery collaborated with charities, fire departments and veterans organizations for fundraisers.

Waggoner is ready to get back to that, but in the meantime, he and Grove, have continued to create beers, the brewery has maintained its presence on social media, and there are some planned collaborations coming between Plankowner and other breweries.

And, hopefully, Plankowner will be returning to the Spartanburg area in a new space soon, Waggoner said.

“We’re definitely hoping to stay here,” he said.

New Groove
Artisan
Brewery

When New Groove Artisan Brewery opened in Boiling Springs in 2017, Jennifer Barton was a friend of owners Jonathan Duke, Josh Dodson and Jeff Clark, and a fan of the brewery they created.

Four years later Barton and Duke are partners in life, and Barton is working at New Groove.

“I love craft beer, and I love breweries, and when Jonathan and I came into a relationship, this was an opportunity,” said Barton, who oversees events and a lot of the brewery’s marketing.

In Boiling Springs, New Groove is 15 minutes from downtown Spartanburg yet in a community of its own.

“What we do is so community focused,” Barton said. “We have an amazing group of regulars who come in. It’s rare that we don’t have something going on every day of the week.”

Those events include anything from live music, open-mic and karaoke nights to bingo and trivia.

And then there are monthly artisan markets.

“We focus on businesses that are as local as we can get, and we champion the minority-owned businesses,” Barton said. “Everything is 100% hand-made, so we get crochet, farmers, a really great variety.”

Upcoming events include a 7th anniversary party on July 20 and, on Aug. 24, the annual CrispiFest, a fundraiser featuring local breweries, adoptable pets and food trucks.

There’s a lot going on at New Groove, and that’s the goal.

“The more that you can do things like we do, the more you’re building that customer base and familiarity,” Barton said.

Ciclops Cyderi & Brewery

Ciclops Cyderi & Brewery is not yet a decade old, and it has already been on quite a journey.

“Ciclops is not a success story as much as it has been a survivor story,” said Richard Muller, the Spartanburg brewery’s director of operations.

That story started with Kolby and Cindy Garrison, along with Michael and Rachel Wilcox, opening Hub City Tap House and later changing the name to Ciclops Cyderi & Brewery.

However, 2018 was a tumultuous year, with the Wilcoxes leaving the brewery, Muller and his wife, Jill Edwards, coming on board, and Kolby Garrison tragically passing away.

“Kolby was not just the brewer and the businessman,” Muller said. “He was the face of the business. … He could not be replaced by any single person. He was larger than life.”

Edwards and Cindy Garrison eventually became owners of the brewery, making it 100% women-owned, and the brewery has continued to carve its own path in the community.

“Our slogan is ‘Making Absurd the Norm’ for a reason,” Muller said. “Kolby used to say he could make a beer out of anything.” So Ciclops has had a beer made with baseball bats (Phoenix Ryesing, a beer the brewery uses to mark baseball’s opening day each season), beer with waffles, beer with spruce tips, as well as a variety of ciders.

Ciclops has made a beer to support the Alzheimer’s Association, and it hosts one or two Pride events each year.

“We’ve also come together as a community from time to time to help a regular in need,” Muller said. “We would never advertise this since the matters are personal, but we consider our (regular customers) family.”

The brewery has an event space for rent, as well as a semi-private back area that can be reserved.

“The business exists for the community it serves, where everyone is welcome,” Muller said.

On the Web:

Holliday Brewing:
https://hollidaybrewing.com/,
https://www.facebook.com/hollidaybrewing,
https://www.instagram.com/hollidaybrewing/

Rockers Brewing Co.:
https://rjrockers.com/,
https://www.instagram.com/rockersbrewingco/

Plankowner Brewing Co.:
https://plankownerbrewing.com/,
https://www.facebook.com/plankownerbrewing/,
https://www.instagram.com/planktownbrew/?hl=en

New Groove Artisan Brewery:
http://newgroovebrew.com/,
https://www.facebook.com/newgroovebrew,
https://www.instagram.com/newgroovebrew/

Ciclops Cyderi & Brewery:
https://www.ciclopscyderiandbrewery.com/,
https://www.facebook.com/ciclopscyderiandbrewery,
https://www.instagram.com/ciclopscyderiandbrewery/

January - March 2024

new members

All Elite Training by Justin Rollins

Attain Advantage LLC

Autorino Construction Inc.

BDC After School & Summer Camp

Cara Bella Boutique

Carbotech Manufacturing

Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (CEC)

Company Name

Converse Mill Lofts

First Tee ó Upstate South Carolina

FMK Architects

Forever Yung Day Spa

Global Management Partners (GMP)

Harper and Friends Dog Grooming, LLC

Heartland POS and Payments - Jason Huesman

Indexx Inc.

Kimmel Benefits+

Knight Property and Auction

Magical Moments vacations by Luciana Lord

Marsh McLennan Agency

Mod Wash

NextHome Experience Realty

Oak and Ave Property Group LLC

Palmetto Hills Golf Club

Piedmont Periodontics & Implant Dentistry

Pipedex Plumbing LLC

Prisma Health Urgent Care

Reedy Property Group

RL Operational Excellence

Sage Growth Advisors LLC

Spartanburg Professional Baseball

Sully’s Steamers of Spartanburg

T-Mobile Woodruff

Tharpe Insurance Services, LLC”

Trees Upstate

Veterans Landscaping, LLC”

Walmart PDC 3010

Whataburger LLC