Archive for category: Frontpage Article

What’s the Pee Dee? It’s a question raised a lot by visitors traveling through the state. Simply put, it’s a seven-county region in northeastern South Carolina named for the Native American Pee Dee tribe that once lived there. Known for its natural beauty, the area is a network of lush waterways, state parks and other natural areas. It’s also home to several dynamic small towns, some of which are destinations in and of themselves. Planning a Pee Dee visit? Here are three boutique hotels where you’ll find a warm welcome, pampering appointments and easy accessibility to downtown happenings.

Hotel Florence, Florence

Downtown revitalization has breathed new life into Florence, and the addition of this hotel has helped drive the effort. The bustling railroad town, home of the South Carolina Pecan Festival, is the county seat and has long served as the Pee Dee’s hot spot for shopping, dining and entertainment. You can now find all three just steps from this hotel’s front door.

If you want an upscale lodging experience along with a Southern welcome, this is your place. Whether you stay for one day or several, chances are you’ll be on a first-name basis with staff members before check-out. Exposed brick hearkens back to the building’s 1920s hardware-store roots. Guest rooms are designed for pure comfort with fine bedding, nightly turndown service and room service. The experience is all luxury, but without the stuffiness prevalent in some metropolitan hotels.

Notable features: On-site day spa, penthouse suite with rooftop terrace, business center; within walking distance of art galleries, restaurants, wine bar, brewery, coffee houses, shopping and the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center.

Dining: Victor’s is the on-site fine dining restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. The bar is a popular spot for socializing or grabbing a casual bite to eat. Treat yourself to the Bloody Mary bar during Sunday brunch.

Continue reading here: http://discoversouthcarolina.com/articles/three-boutique-hotels-in-the-pee-dee

FLORENCE, S.C. — First Reliance Bank  has created a number of new jobs throughout the branch, including within their operational team in Florence, after expanding into the Summerville market area.

According to Pamela Rhoads, vice president of customer experience at First Reliance Bank, the company has added approximately 25 positions to support their growth initiatives for both branch growth, their dealer finance business line and their expanded mortgage business line.

“Not all the positions are in Florence but our operational area resides here which support these initiatives,” Rhoads said.

Rick Saunders, president and CEO of First Reliance, said the bank will continue to look for additional expansion opportunities throughout the Southeast and bring their brand of banking to new markets.

“We are a Florence-based bank,” Saunders said. “As we grow and expand our footprint throughout the Southeast it creates more opportunity for additional jobs in Florence, especially in our operational and support areas of the bank.”

First Reliance Bank, founded in 1999, has assets of approximately $420 million, and employs more than 140 associates. The bank serves the Midlands, Low Country, N. Myrtle Beach, Loris and Florence markets in South Carolina.

SCNow Web Article – First Reliance Banks expands market, creates more Florence jobs

Credit: WBTW News Staff

FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – In May the Florence Downtown Development Corporation announced their “Full Forward Downtown Business Contest”. By the deadline of July 7th, thirty-six business owners had submitted their entry to win $50,000. The contest was created to give existing retail businesses owners or franchisees the opportunity to relocate or expand their existing business into the Downtown Florence Historical District in an effort to increase the number of retail shops in the downtown area.

On Thursday, August 4th, a panel of judges selected L. Mae Boutique as the winner. They will receive over $50,000 which includes a $20,000 cash prize for expenses related to the new store, plus an additional $30,000 up-fit grant to be used for interior renovations to the building that the winner leases to house their business. In addition, the winner will receive $500.00 for signage and a first year business license credit of $300.00. Special lease incentives may also be offered by selected property owners.

L. Mae Boutique, LLC has two existing locations, one in Pawleys Island and a second location in Myrtle Beach. L. Mae Boutique is comprised of two unique brands, L. Mae Boutique and Wild Retail Mabel Clothing Company.

L. Mae offers a colorful preppy style while Wild Mabel yields a more relaxed beachy-boho look. Their target customer is 16-44 year old females.

Vandelyn Nichols, a Clemson graduate, is their Executive Manager. She originally initiated the L. Mae Boutique business as a part-time hobby while working in the healthcare industry and as the home based on-line business grew the decision was made to open a location in Pawleys Island. As the business continued to develop, a second location opened in Myrtle Beach and plans are to have the Florence location open by November of this year. The exact downtown location has not yet been determined.

Bob Sager, Retail Recruitment Specialist with the Florence Downtown Development Corporation commented “the contest greatly exceeded our expectations, we never envisioned that we would receive 36 entries. While L.Mae was the winner of the $50,000 prize, most of the other entries will still be eligible to receive the up-fit grant as well as the sign grant and business license credit if they choose to locate a business downtown. Those incentives total over $30,000.00.

—Information above is from a submitted Press Release.

WBTW Web Article – Winner selected in Florence’s ‘Full Forward Downtown Business Contest’

By: Rebecca Cross, Morning News

FLORENCE, S.C. – Francis Marion University will embark on several new initiatives, including the possibility of partnering with HopeHealth to bring a behavioral health clinic downtown.

University and HopeHealth employees are discussing details that would allow both entities to staff the clinic. The project is still in its beginning phase, but FMU President Fred Carter said this project strikes him as precisely the type of work the university should be doing in the community.

“I think a lot of people that we would serve there would likely be people in the community who have no place else to go for mental health counseling and for behavioral health services,” Carter said. “We look to this being the type of facility that could provide short- and long-term counseling and support for those folks.”

“I’ve been doing community work for a while,” Murphy said. “There’s such a tremendous need in Florence for mental health for people who are underserved.”

The clinic could be housed in the old Post Office building downtown.

Students in the master’s in applied counseling program also would be able to get hands-on experience at the clinic. They would work alongside trained, licensed psychologists.

“That would give them a clinical laboratory to essentially hone their skills and work with faculty who are experienced in counseling,” Carter said.

The unveiling of this project and others took place Thursday at the FMU board of trustees planning retreat.

In five years, the university hopes to have at least five new programs in place. The programs will be a doctorate in nurse practice, health informatics, speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy.

Chris Johnson, director of the university’s McNair Center for Research and Service, said the university is spearheading new research initiatives. The McNair Center plans to develop applied collaborative research projects and cultural recovery projects, and it wants to create projects that blend research with service.

These projects would allow both faculty and students to pursue research opportunities.

For example, there already are project possibilities for students to work with faculty on collaborative research projects for local industries. Research projects such as this could link students with future internship or employment opportunities.

Board chairman Kenneth Jackson said university leadership has an ambitious agenda, but he believes the leaders can meet the challenge.

“I think we have a lot to be excited about and a lot to be proud of,” Jackson said. “We’ve got our work cut out for us to get this accomplished in the next couple of years.”

After the planning retreat, the board met for its quarterly meeting, but no action was taken during the meeting.

SCNow Web Article – FMU, HopeHealth could bring behavioral health clinic downtown