Makor K9 Of South Carolina Holds Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

/in , , , /by

Makor K9 Of South Carolina with owners Justin Kerr & Ryan Kerr, along with Florence County Sheriffs and Chamber Ambassador’s cut their ribbon joining the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce and open their doors for business.

Makor K9 of South Carolina provides dog grooming, boarding, and doggy daycare for dogs of all breeds and sizes.

They offer dog training. On leash obedience, off leash obedience, behavior modification, police K9 training, police K9s, military K9s, narcotic detection K9s, explosive detection K9s, agility course training, personal protection, tracking K9s/training, service dog training, K9 team certifications.

To read the full story, click here.

City Offers Credit Counseling And Homeownership Workshop

/in , , /by

Have you ever wondered what goes on into structuring a mortgage?  Are you interested in becoming a homeowner and want more information about owner financing and future homeownership opportunities in the City of Florence?  Join them at their next meeting on Tuesday, July 30 from 5:30 – 6:30 PM at the Council Chambers inside the City Center.

To view the full flyer, click here.

Loan & Capital Resources For Small Business Workshop – This Wednesday

/in , , /by

Interested in applying for a loan for your small business? Make sure to attend this free, in-person workshop led by Ed Brock, Senior Lending Officer for the Catawba Regional Council of Governments. The workshop will take place on Wednesday, July 17th from 5:30 – 7:00 PM at the FMU Kelley Center in Downtown Florence. Attendees will learn about loan sources, how to apply for a government loan, and technical assistance resources that can help with loan applications and business plans.

To register, click here.

McLeod Health To Host Back To School Bash

/in , , /by

Parents and grandparents! Join McLeod Health with the kids for a fun & fabulous Back to School Bash from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 20 at the McLeod Health & Fitness Center in Florence. We’ll have school supplies, games, a bounce house and so much more. Questions? Call 843-777-6554

To view the event page, click here.

Smiling Scoops Is Open For Business In Downtown Florence

/in , , , /by

Smiling Scoops Owners, Stoney and Whitney Duprey, along with family and Chamber Ambassadors, cut their ribbon to officially open their doors and join the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, July 10th.

Smiling Scoops started with an idea years ago and it came to reality this year. Stoney and Whitney were thinking of a way to bring a family friendly experience to Downtown Florence, somewhere you can go to get away from home to enjoy something different. They thought about it and decided there is nothing like some good old fashioned Ice Cream.

Smiling Scoops offers a variety of different flavors of ice cream, milkshakes, sundaes and more.

To read the full story, click here.

Virtual Social Media Workshop For Small Businesses – This Wednesday

/in , , /by

Join the Downtown Florence Main Street office on Wednesday, July 17th at 9:00 AM for a primer on social media for small business. Platforms covered will include Facebook and Instagram and attendees will learn best practices, how to develop a social media strategy, tips and tricks, and more! Participation is FREE but limited to the first 100 attendees.

To register, click here.

Florence Shows Up in The Ultimate Staycation Article

/in , , /by

The Pee Dee region of South Carolina is sometimes snubbed out of preference for other parts of South Carolina, but the city of Florence offers plenty to do, see, and eat according to a recent article in EATER, an online digital media brand dedicated to all things food and dining. They had a few good things to say about doing a staycation in Florence, SC. “For the last decade, Florence has leveled up with a walkable urban core of restaurants, cultural attractions, and independent lodging, while longtime local favorites still beckon on the periphery.”, For more details on the article click here.

Plans Underway For US-52 City Corridor

/in , , /by

Florence City Council’s business development committee is in the beginning stages of developing plans for a Lucas Street/U.S. 52 corridor that extends from the I-95 interchange to one block past the intersection of Irby and Lucas Streets.

It’s one of four main corridors identified in the city’s master plan and could present the biggest challenges and rewards.

The corridor design will have to consider restrictions of a federal highway and a railroad.

It’s an interchange that is home to 5,000 hotel rooms — said to be the most of any other interchange on I-95. The corridor also serves as a gateway for those that live in Florence traveling to and from work and for those that visiting businesses in the area.

To read the full story, click here.

Grand Strand, Pee Dee To See Nearly $90M In State Aid

/in , , /by

Millions of dollars in state aid is headed to the Grand Strand and Pee Dee that will help pay for new police gear, improve college campuses and upgrade aging infrastructure systems.

The state’s $40 billion budget, which went into affect on July 1, directs more than $86 million into the region through various line items and programs.

Gov. Henry McMaster and state lawmakers had a $1.64 billion revenue windfall to work with this year, allowing many local needs to be addressed.

To read the full story, click here.

Cypress, The City’s Chatbot Is Now Active

/in , , /by

City of Florence’s chatbot, Cypress is now available on the city website to help answer questions, submit service requests, send messages to staff and provide information on city services.

Cypress was developed by the company, Citibot, a technology company based in Charleston that has been implementing AI-driven chatbot technology to municipalities nationwide. They intend to help governments be accessible and accountable in a more effective way.

Cypress uses AI technology only to pull from the city’s website, making sure the information is always accurate and risk-free, Amanda Pope, Marketing, Communications and Municipal service director at City of Florence said.

Cypress is not to be used for emergencies or to report criminal activity.

To read the full story, click here.