06 Apr Upstate Headlines: Broadway blockbusters dominate the Peace Center season
A collection of the top Upstate headlines for the week of April 4, 2016
Broadway blockbusters dominate the Peace Center season
A roar of approval rose up from an enthusiastic Peace Center audience at the news that “The Book of Mormon” is returning to Greenville. The wickedly funny musical satire about two missionaries in Africa sold out eight performances at the Peace Center when the national tour last breezed through Greenville in November, 2014. The Peace Center announced that nine national touring shows would visit Greenville’s cornerstone arts organization in 2016-17, including current Broadway blockbusters such as “Something Rotten!,” “Finding Neverland” and “Beautiful — The Carole King Musical.”’
Cantina 76 taqueria to take over Rare space downtown
As downtown Greenville continues to receive accolades for its downtown restaurant mix, Columbia Mexican restaurant Cantina 76 will join the fray. Rare Steakhouse quietly vacated its space recently at ONE City Plaza and Cantina 76 will take over the mid-Main Street location in early summer, after some interior renovations. The popular Mexican inspired taqueria and bar has two locations in Columbia and the four partners said that Greenville was a logical next step. “It’s a great city and close by,” said managing partner Rob Ward. “Three of the business partners went to the University of South Carolina and one to Clemson. It really was a no-brainer.” The team had been looking at opening a Greenville restaurant for the past two years but waited until “a Main Street opportunity came along.”
After 18 years, Two Chefs owners continue to innovate
You could say that the secret to Judy and Bill Balsizer’s success is consistency, a well-defined product and really good chicken salad. The two chefs and owners of Two Chefs Delicatessen & Market have staked an almost two decade career on all three of those things. And now, as the Balsizers are on the brink of opening their newest Two Chefs location at the Stone + Main development, they feel confident imparting some of the wisdom they’ve gleaned.
Spartanburg contracts with Greenville firm to pinpoint talent
A recent study done for the city of Spartanburg shows where specific corporate talent is as well as other market research, according to Emily Wagner, managing director-partner with Webber Kerr Associates, the firm that performed the study. The city commissioned Webber Kerr to provide information about talent mapping, market research and other factors in hopes of helping the city determine the business climate and understand what kind of talent is in the market. “We offer a lot of alternatives and different delivery services and one of those things is talent mapping,” Wagner said. “Spartanburg is looking to grow and attract businesses and one of the things involved is letting those potential businesses know where the talent is.”
Furman opens finance and business analytics lab
Furman University opened the Joe and Diana Hurley Finance and Business Analytics Lab, a 600-square-foot, high-tech space that will allow students to track current events and important issues in the business world in real time. Joe Hurley is a 1978 Furman graduate and CEO of Chi-Rho Financial in Atlanta. The lab is located in Hipp Hall and features dual-screen Bloomberg terminals, a stock ticker (both inside and outside the lab), several flat panel displays flanking wood-paneled walls, and large atomic clocks showing times for major trading cities around the globe.
New tenants for Erwin Penland building, new parking garage on schedule
When the new Erwin Penland building currently under construction is completed in September, it just might be a sort of musical chairs for downtown office space as several tenants are planning to relocate their existing offices to the new building. New tenants at the five-story, 125,000 square foot office building located at 110 East Court St. will include Erwin Penland, Parker Poe, Cherry Bekaert, Hughes Commercial and Centennial American Properties. “The building is about 73 percent leased right now,” said, Jackson Hughes, president of Hughes Commercial Properties, which is developing and managing the building.
