The Learning Ladder Hosts Grand Opening with Ribbon Cutting

The Learning Ladder celebrated its grand opening and joining of the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, August 18th with a ribbon cutting. Family, friends and staff were joined by Chamber staff and ambassador for the event. Owner of The Learning Ladder, Nikki Haffner, opened the childcare center on July 13. She offers childcare for ages six weeks to 12 years of age. There is full daycare and afterschool care available. “The purpose is to provide an environment so that parents feel safe to leave their children here,” Haffner said. She also wants to create a place where her staff can grow and blossom. She said there will be lots of learning opportunities for all.

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Greyfeather Group Holds Ribbon Cutting

The Greyfeather Group eXp Realty celebrated Friday, August 27th with a ribbon cutting for the opening of its new office space in downtown Florence and joining the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce. Greyfeather is at 150 N. Dargan St. in Florence.  Co-founders Cameron Michael and Andrew Savage cut the ribbon, joined by members of the Greyfeather team, and Chamber staff and ambassadors.  The new office has been open for about four months, Michael said.  Together the owners have a combined 17 years of real estate experience.

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Pinnacle Storage in Florence Holds Ribbon Cutting

A ribbon cutting was held at Pinnacle Storage in Florence on Thursday, August 26th, celebrating its membership in the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce. Sharing in the celebration were Chamber staff and ambassadors. The storage business opened at 3438 Pine Needles Road in Florence on Aug. 3rd. The privately owned company has been in business since 1989. Owner Robert M. High of Wilmington, North Carolina, said he has 17 locations in North Carolina and South Carolina, including in Myrtle Beach, Little River, Greenville, Longs, and Boiling Springs, Calabash, Pinehurst, Morehead City and several locations in Wilmington. One location is scheduled to open today. High said he hopes to open locations in Virginia next year. High said the company provides climate-controlled and non-climate-controlled storage units, RV and boat storage, U-Haul rental, and moving supplies. It has unit sizes from 5×5 to 15×50.

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One Child At A Time Hosts Ribbon Cutting

One Child at a Time held a ribbon cutting on Monday, August 23rd celebrating its membership in the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce. The organization, founded by Glenda Skipper, CEO, is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated to stopping human trafficking. The staff and ambassadors of the Chamber of Commerce joined in the celebration. Skipper said she and her volunteers reach out to schools, churches and civic organizations to educate about online predators and human trafficking. The organization is based out of Florence, It is run with volunteers, a board of directors and a committee of people focused on helping children be rescued from human trafficking.

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Glam Kouture Joins Chamber and Celebrates With Ribbon Cutting

A ribbon cutting was held Tuesday, August 17th at Glam Kouture on Dargan Street. Owner Kourtney Cannon was celebrating the opening of her new store-front location in downtown Florence at 181 N. Dargan St. and joining the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce. Chamber staff and ambassadors participated in the ribbon cutting. Cannon opened her online business in 2019 and previously opened a store at Magnolia Mall. She has six years of retail experience, previously working at Cato’s. Glam Kouture offers women’s clothing and accessories. Cannon said she hopes to have women’s shoes soon. She described her clothing as young contemporary and business casual with sizes ranging from junior miss to plus sizes.

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Sweet Grass Vodka Joins Chamber and Holds Ribbon Cutting

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Wednesday, August 11th in the James Allen Plaza in downtown Florence celebrating Sweet Grass Vodka’s membership in the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce. Co-owner Victor Webster cut the ribbon with Chamber staff and ambassadors joining in the celebration. Webster, a native of Florence, and his partner, Jarrod Swanger of Charleston, are based out of Charleston with a distillery being built on Market Street in downtown Charleston.

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Jermaine Ford Named President of Florence Darlington Technical College

Florence-Darlington Technical College will soon have a permanent president for the first time since 2018. The technical college’s governing board voted unanimously Wednesday to offer a contract to Jermaine Ford to serve as the college’s president.  Ford is the President of Workforce and Economic Development at South Louisiana Community College. “I am honored to serve as the next president for Florence-Darlington Technical College,” Ford said. “As a first-generation college student and advocate of under-served populations, this is a dream come true. I have dedicated my career to transforming lives and offering pathways to greatness through education.”

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Anointed Hands Global Transport Celebrates Joining Chamber with Ribbon Cutting

Anointed Hands Global Transport LLC held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday, August 9th in downtown Florence at the James Allen Plaza, celebrating its membership in the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce. Chamber staff and ambassadors joined in the celebration.  Anointed Hands Global Transport is about helping others, said Owner Nathan Bryant.  Anointed Hands Global Transport offers non-emergency medical transportation. Its vehicles are wheel-chair accessible.

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3-2-1- Selfie Opens on Evans Street in Downtown Florence

A business called 3-2-1-Selfie held its grand opening on Friday, August 6th in downtown Florence.  A ribbon cutting marking its membership in the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce was held in the afternoon. Owner Lashana Cunningham cut the ribbon while family, friends, and Chamber staff and ambassadors joined her.  The new downtown business is at 170 W. Evans St.  Customers are offered an hour to take selfies from one to 11 selfie booths, complete with colorful backdrops and some props. The fee is $25 per person per hour. Booths have themes such as sports, romance and the beach.  The entrepreneur said she looked to what is going on in pop culture and what she thought would be fun for her selection of backdrops for the booths. Customers must have their own cell phones to take the selfies.  “We can accommodate 10 people per hour,” Cunningham said. “We will also do private bookings for the hour, birthday packages and can host other events.”

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FMU Announces $59 million Expansion Plan

With a new semester fast approaching, Francis Marion University is expanding in more ways than one. At the regular meeting of the Board of Trustees on Thursday, President Fred Carter reported that the university had received $59 million in additional legislative funding for capital improvement projects and operating expenses for 2021-22. He also discussed new academic programs that will be added this fall. New capital improvement projects include two academic facilities: $23 million for a facility to accommodate the Schools of Business and Education and $21 million to reconstruct the Circle Park facility on Cheves Street in downtown Florence.

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