Florence City Council approves incentive package for Red Bone sauce plant

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Article Credit: Joshua Lloyd, The Morning News

“FLORENCE, S.C. – Red Bone Alley Foods is about to invest $3.5 million in a downtown sauce bottling facility, and the city of Florence has agreed to kick in some public dollars to help.

The city council voted unanimously on Monday to approve a $200,000 incentive package for project developers, a common move for the city throughout the history of downtown’s redevelopment.

“We do a cost benefit analysis and the amount of potential profit far exceeds that of the cost,” said Florence Mayor Stephen J. Wukela. “It’s a private investment that will generate revenue into the city and into the downtown district. It’s fantastic.”

The project, which was initially announced in 2015, will create about 30 new service jobs. It’s located at 198 NB Baroody St., in the old Atlantic Storage building.

It was described by Florence Mayor Stephen J. Wukela as the “anchor” of the Food, Artisan and Warehouse District — which was officially established in Monday’s meeting.

“This will anchor that corridor, and the nature of what it is fits perfectly within the new district,” Wukela said.

RBA Foods is currently utilizing the facility for bottling and packaging purposes, but on a small-scale level. The forthcoming project will bring with it redevelopment of the facility and local production.

Previously, RBA Foods used companies in California and Texas to make their private-label products for grocery store chains like Safeway, Kroger and Harris Teeter. Currently, Red Bone Alley Foods sells products in all 50 states, in more than 5,000 retail locations.”

Read more of this article by clicking the link below.

SCNow Web Article – Florence City Council approves incentive package for Red Bone sauce plant

Ribbon Cutting: Fit4U

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Article/Photo Credit: Matthew Robertson, The Morning News

“FLORENCE, S.C. – Florence bras and lingerie shop Fit 4 U conducted a ribbon cutting Wednesday to mark its return to the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.

The nine-year-old business specializes in personal fittings for bras and more, proprietor Patsy Evans said.

“I do more than fitting,” Evans said. “I train women how to wear bras. We just missed about 50 years in training our young people and ladies how to wear bras and put pressure on the body and ribcage, shoulders – we talk about all those things. That’s my mission.”

The shop offers many hard-to-find sizes.

“We have a lot of teenagers coming in. We have a good bit of referrals from people like Catherine’s,” Evans said. “We go up to an N cup, and I was looking at an order yesterday, and they’re marking Os. Cups are really getting big, because women are getting bigger.”

Evans said that a properly fit bra can help women not only with comfort issues but health-related problems as well.

“I do have some referrals from physicians – women who are looking at back and neck surgery – and they send them here to see if we can help in that line to keep from having surgery,” Evans said. “Sometimes it works.”

Fit 4 U, located at 2015 West Evans Street, Suite G, is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and by appointment when necessary. The store’s phone number is 843-665-2005.

“I’m just trying to teach people in my small part of the world how to wear bras and take care of them,” Evans said. “Don’t put them in the washing machine. Don’t put them in the dryer. Handle them very gently.”

SCNow Web Article – Florence bra, lingerie shop holds ribbon cutting

Local momentum a focal point at Florence Chamber legislative breakfast

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By: Joshua Lloyd, Morning News

“FLORENCE, S.C. – The Pee Dee is on a roll and Florence is central to that momentum, according to some legislators at a breakfast event Friday.

The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce hosted its third annual legislative breakfast meeting at the Florence Civic Center, giving Florence’s business community a chance to hear from municipal, state and congressional leaders.

The speakers included at-large Florence City Councilwoman Octavia Williams-Blake, state Rep. Phillip Lowe, a Republican representing District 60, and U.S. Rep. Tom Rice, a Republican representing the7th Congressional District.

All three speakers said this area is in a unique position of growth and competitiveness.

Williams-Blake, who was re-elected last fall to a third term on the city council, lauded the city’s ability to tackle major problems like the Timmonsville water crisis, while moving forward with multimillion dollar investments in the downtown area.

She said the future will be a new challenge for the city, but a challenge that’s necessary for more positive results.

“As we move forward we’ll address community health issues that involve safe housing and safer street, education to enable good jobs and living wages, and neighborhood revitalization to promote economic health and proximity to good health care,” she said. “

Lowe, whose district covers parts of Florence and Darlington counties, said the state legislature also has its work cut out but things are looking bright.

“Of the $400 million new dollars we have to spend, $100 million will go directly to education and the districts in the Abbeville (school lawsuit) case and $54 million to base student costs,” Lowe said. “We have $83 million going toward Hurricane Matthew recovery. So we have a lot of fires to put out.”

He said he’s positive the House will out forward an infrastructure bill soon, likely moving toward a 10-cent increase in the gas tax.

Rice, in his third term, said he’s worked on two major initiatives in the past year that will boost this area tremendously: the Dillon inland port and Interstate 73.

“These are proabaly some of the most important projects to happen to that Dillon, Marlboro, Marion county area in a generation,” Rice said. “The amount of job growth that will come from that is going to be phenomenal. We’ll see good, living wage jobs start to pop up that way.”

SCNow Web Article – Local momentum a focal point at Florence Chamber legislative breakfast

FMU and partners make $12 million investment in downtown Florence

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Tonya Brown, WPDE News 15

“Florence, S.C. (WPDE) — Francis Marion University has acquired the Old Post Office at the corner of North Irby and West Evans Street in downtown Florence, according to an FMU news release.

The building was bought for $3.7 million by the City of Florence, the Francis Marion University Development Foundation and the Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation. Each entity is sharing equally in the purchase, the release said.

FMU President Dr. Fred Carter said it will cost another $8 million to renovate the facility, making the the total investment around $12 million.

The city and the Bruce and Lee Foundation also collaborated with FMU on the Carter Center, and on the FMU Performing Arts Center, which also located downtown.

The old post office is the third major building the university has purchased in the downtown area.

University officials said the building will be for instructional use.

It’s directly across from the university’s Carter Center for Health Science, which opened last summer.

The old post office is a three-story structure with approximately 30,000 square feet.

The oldest parts of the building date back to 1906. It attained its current form following a major three-story addition to the rear, or northern end, of the building in 1935. It was listed on the National Historic Register in 1977, the release said.

Carter said the acquisition makes sense for both the university and the community.

“The Old Post Office building is one of the most distinctive buildings in Florence and the Pee Dee,” said Carter. “It will make a great teaching venue for our faculty and a terrific academic environment for our students. And, we believe the university’s stewardship will help preserve what is truly a local future.”

Florence Mayor Stephen J. Wukela said the city is delighted to be supporting the university as it expands its presence in the downtown area.

He said FMU has been an excellent partner for the community, saying it’s exciting to see projects like this take shape.

Wukela said the city is glad to continue to partner with FMU and the Bruce and Lee Foundation.

Carter said he’s hoping the building will be ready by next year.”

WPDE News Article – FMU and partners make $12 million investment in downtown Florence

South Carolina native, Josh Turner, to release DEEP SOUTH album on March 10th

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Friday, January 27, 2017) – Combining respect for country music’s traditions with a contemporary edge has made Josh Turner one of the industry’s most successful artists. On March 10, the multi-Platinum-selling singer releases his highly-awaited, sixth studio album, Deep South. The album features 11 tracks including his melodic reverie in “Lay Low” and his currently climbing Top 20 hit, “Hometown Girl.”

“I’m really proud of this album,” says Turner. “It was really important for me to expand creatively and explore in new ways for this record. The way I pick songs is different now. There are so many things in my life and career that have matured me as an artist.” Turner follows that thought with the reminder, “I’ve had another child since my last project!”

For Turner, the title Deep South “represents hardworking people who find joy in the simple things in life; heritage, church, community, high school sports, being outdoors. It is a culture.” Pre-order packages including specialized Deep South merchandise available HERE now.

Deep South Track Listing:

  1. Deep South
  2. All About You
  3. Hometown Girl
  4. Beach Bums
  5. Southern Drawl
  6. Where The Girls Are
  7. Never Had A Reason
  8. Wonder
  9. One Like Mine
  10. Lay Low
  11. Hawaiian Girl

With his rich, deep voice and distinctive style, MCA Nashville recording artist Turner is one of country music’s most recognizable and successful artists.  Turner’s album sales/streaming top seven million to date and he has impressively amassed over one billion lifetime audio streams. Turner has received six Inspirational Country Music Awards and garnered multiple GRAMMY, CMA and ACM nominations, and is one of the youngest members inducted into the Grand Ole Opry.  Turner’s hits include “Your Man,” “Time Is Love,” “Why Don’t We Just Dance,” “Firecracker,” “Would You Go with Me” and more.

Fans can find Turner’s official Deep South playlist HERE. For more information on Josh Turner including a list of his upcoming tour dates, visit www.JoshTurner.com.

High Resolution Art Available Upon Request

Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce hosts workshop for women leaders

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Article/Photo Credit:

“FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce partnered with the Knowledge, Power, Impact (KPI) Fusion organization for a Women in Business and Leadership Workshop Friday.

The Greater Florence Chamber Of Commerce says they’ve noticed an increase in women and minorities going in to business in Florence. The Chamber wanted to offer a program to help more women navigate and develop a plan toward opening a bussiness or progressing into leadership roles

Les Echols the Directors of Community and Minority enterprise says it’s been more than 3 years since the Chamber held a program specifically geared toward women in the workplace.

In 2013, the Chamber started the prism initiative promoting the inclusion of small and minority businesses, this new program is one of the projects developed to promote women or minorities in business and leadership roles.

“I hope women leave inspired and ready to tackle the day at the workplace. I hope they leave with the tools to enable them to move into positions of leadership,” Echols said.

Joyce Hill and Julia Carlson with KPI Fusion hope to empower women by giving them statistics on where women nationwide stand with leadership roles.

The 2016 McKinsey and company study on race gender in leadership roles indicates women in entry level positions are near equal with men. With men at 56% and women at 46%/. As each gender climbs the corporate ladder men progress to 81% in comparison to 19% of women.

KPI fusion presenters say this is a national problem they hope to start the conversation and help women progress into leadership roles within the Florence community.

Joyce Hill, KPI Fusion founder said, “We want to make sure that they understand that they are already leaders. The fact that they are here and are willing to map out their career and they are going to go there.”

The Women in Business and Leadership Workshop is from 10a.m. to 2p.m. at the Florence County library.

If you miss workshop Friday, KPI Fusion hopes to create ‘lean in’ circles, support groups for women in similar job markets. For more information call KPI Fusion at (843) – 206 – 6957.”

WBTW News 13 Web Article – Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce hosts workshop for women leaders

Ribbon Cutting: Bionics

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Susan McMurry, owner of BIONIC a local Florence company,  recently joined the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce with a  ribbon cutting ceremony.  BIONIC makes some of the finest cleaners, dressings, and specialty purpose chemicals. The products that BIONIC produces are ecofriendly and able to be used safely whether it is in an industrial, commercial or home setting. BIONIC has many products for those hard to conquer cleaning needs. To contact BIONIC for your cleaning and specialty products call (843) 229-2773 or go to their website at www.bionicclean.com

Ribbon Cutting: Heritage Digital

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Heritage Digital recently joined the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce with a ribbon cutting commencement. Marty Parker ,Owner/General Manager, along with Matt Odom, Sales and Marketing, were on hand to officially join the Florence Chamber. Heritage Digital has been in business for twenty years and specializes in managing client’s IT services in the medical, financial and commercial markets. Whether it is building software, handling web services design and maintenance or just managing your entire IT network they have the workforce and skill set to manage your needs. For more information or to contact Heritage Digital go to www.heritagedigital.com or call them at (843) 664-8989.

Bill Drury: Passion for Service Seminar

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Join the Florence Chamber on Thursday, April 6th for a seminar featuring Bill Drury at the Florence County Library. For more details on this event and how to attend, click here.

Ribbon Cutting: My Delivery Doctor

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We recently welcomed My Delivery Doctor LLC to the Greater Florence Chamber with our recent ribbon cutting. My Delivery Doctor is a is a logistics company that operates a network of independent drivers who deliver goods to customers locally from restaurants, stores, and other locations. Customers can go on My Delivery Doctor’s website www.mydeliverydoctor.com and place an order with one of their participating partners such as Applebees, Cracker Barrel, Miguels Chicken and Seafood, etc. The customer securely pays online, a dispatcher places the order with the appropriate business, a food doctor picks up the order, checks for accuracy and delivers it to the customers home, office, or business within 60 minutes.

Both customers and clients benefit from this service because its fast, convenient, and affordable. Participating partners benefit from this service because it raises customer awareness and is a great option for customer’s. My Delivery Doctor will start taking orders Monday February 13, 2017.

Valentine’s Day My Delivery Doctor will have special gift deliveries or have lunch delivered to your sweetheart.

Corporate accounts available upon approval.