Chicago Sun-Times features Greenville, SC

Chicago Sun-Times' lifestyle writer, Dave Hoekstra, recently visited Greenville, South Carolina and now has a lot to share about his experience...

Loosen your belts: Greenville's growing

Like a family recipe in an old cupboard, Greenville, S.C., is a culinary secret. At first it seems surprising that foodies from around the world would travel to Greenville (pop. 76,000), a two-hour drive from Atlanta. But Greenville is a flourishing, individualistic place. You need to be that way when there are 32 Greenvilles in the United States...Click here to continue reading.

Shoeless Joe's sweet spot

The American south is pretty good at myth making. Like snowballs down a mountain, Elvis Presley, Brett Favre and Hank Williams all rolled out of these parts. And now the growing community of Greenville (pop. 76,000) has turned to Shoeless Joe Jackson as a tourist attraction...Click here to continue reading.

Photo of the Week

River Place at twilight

Photo of the week from 8/10 - 8/17

Greenville in the News

Greenville generates national attention...

Updated 8/10/2009

1. Chicago Sun-Times: Loosen your belt: Greenville's growing. Article here.

2. Chicago Sun-Times: Shoeless Joe's sweet spot. Article here.

3. Greenville News: Womble Carlyle attorneys have ranked amongst the best in the nation. Article here.

4. The Examiner: Downtown Greenville's alive with main street jazz. Article here.

5. GSA Business: Greenville schools, nonprofit organizations, and local and state agencies partnered to form a new work force development initiative. Article here.

6. Fox Business: Michelin and Harley-Davidson team up. Article here.

7. Princeton Review: Furman, Clemson, and Wofford make Princeton Review's top 20. Article here.

8. AARP: Greenville is named the 2nd best place in the nation to live the simple life. Article here.

9. The Post and Courier: The National Science Foundation awarded a $20 million grant Thursday to 10 South Carolina colleges and universities for research that could lead to producing human organs. Article here.

10. StateUniversity.com: Furman University is ranked as the #1 university in the state of South Carolina. Article here.

11. U.S. News: Greenville Memorial Hospital ranks among the nation's top 50 hospitals in five specialties. Article here.

12. PR Newswire: Greenville-based Michelin North America today announced a new development program to provide loans to new and existing disadvantaged small- and medium-sized businesses located in the Upstate of South Carolina. Article here.

13. WSBtv: "Great Summer Getaway: Greenville, SC." Article here.

14. The Washington Times: Love for Glover is still Building. Article here.

15. The Greenville News: Hunter Virtual Spec Building to Enable Turnkey Economic Development. Article here.

16. The Greenville News: "the Upstate has the greatest potential for tourism growth in the state." Article here.

17. Greenville-native, Lucas Glover, wins U.S. Open.

• USA Today. Article here.
• The Washington Post. Article here.
• The Greenville News. Article here.

18. Redsox.com: The Greenville Drive clinched the South Atlantic League first-half crown at Fluor Field. Article here.

Building Downtown from an Intern's Point of View

Updated 8/12/2009

You may be asking yourself, where is Greenville and what does it have to offer? It's weird to think that I was asking myself that same question just a few years ago. I'm originally from Cincinnati, Ohio and knew nothing about Greenville, SC. It wasn't until my college search led me to a small liberal arts school called Furman University that I began to learn what Greenville, SC had to offer. Immediately upon visiting Greenville, I fell in love with it. The great weather, the charming downtown, the beautiful parks, and the spectacular mountain views definitely won me over. After just visiting once, I was convinced that this was where I wanted to live and go to school.

Hi, my name is Sara Steinbeck. I'm a rising senior, Business and Spanish major at Furman University and am the summer intern for Thrive Downtown. This blog is here for you to learn more about what Greenville has to offer and show you why everyone that lives here loves it so much. Recently, I've been adding facts and information that I thought visitors or even residents would find interesting and useful. I'll continue to be updating you on fun events or news happening in Greenville. I'll also be regularly updating you on everything that is going on with Thrive and the Chamber of Commerce as well. Enjoy!

August 12th - A Reedy River Nighttime Concert is tonight from 7-9 PM at the Peace Center Amphitheater. Admission is free.

The Greenville Drive will be home from 8/13-8/16. They will be taking on the Greensboro Grasshoppers at 7 PM each night.

As always, Downtown Alive and Larkin's Rhythm on the River will be going on tomorrow night as well.

August 10th - Dave Hoekstra's articles on Greenville have just been published! Dave is a lifestyle writer for the Chicago Sun-Times and recently visited us here in Greenville a few weeks ago. Check out the post above for links to the full articles :)

August 6th - Everyone should go check out the Greenville Drive tonight at Fluor Field. They will be taking on the Lexington Legends at 7 PM. Downtown Alive! and Larkin's Rhythm on the River are both tonight as well.

Centre Stage's performance of "Country Queens: Nashville's Leading Ladies" will be playing now until the end of August. Centre Stage pays homage to the legendary ‘queens’ of country music like Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Kitty Wells, Reba McIntyre, Barbara Mandrell and others. Thursdays through Saturdays the show starts at 8 PM, and Sundays it begins at 3 PM. For more information check out http://www.centrestage.org/.

August 4th - Demi Lovato and David Archuleta tonight! Also, the Drive is home tonight at 7 PM.

Check out the Reedy River Nighttime Concert tomorrow night from 7-9 PM at the Peace Center Amphitheater. Admission is free.

August 3rd - Demi Lovato and David Archuleta come to the Bi-Lo Center tomorrow night at 7 PM. Visit http://www.bilocenter.com/ for ticket information.

The Greenville Drive are home against the Lexington Legends August 4th-7th beginning at 7 PM each night.

July 31st - Today is the last day to order advanced, discounted tickets to Euphoria, so if you're interested, you need to do so. Just click on this website link.

Jazz on Main is tonight down by the Hyatt from 5:30-9:30 PM. Also, everyone should definitely check out the Grand Opening of the Children's Museum of the Upstate today! It's located downtown at 300 College Street.

Richard III will be playing through the weekend at Falls Park, so if you haven't seen it yet, go check it out any night this weekend beginning at 7 PM.

A Night of Stars & Dreams is a "not to be missed event." Young people involved in The Repertory Theatre for Youth and the Phillis Wheatley Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools® Program are exploring their dreams and goals and busily preparing to share them with the world through musical theatre. They will be doing so this Saturday at the Peace Center at 7:30 PM. Tickets range in prices. If you are interested, visit http://www.peacecenter.org/ for more information.

Go check out Soby’s Summer Block Party, running every Friday and Saturday through October. The party, which runs from 6 p.m. to midnight at the corner of Main and Broad streets, features local musicians and DJs each week, as well as food, wine and beer.

July 30th - To get advanced, discounted tickets to Euphoria, Greenville's annual wine, food, and music festival downtown, you must purchase them by tomorrow. Otherwise, ticket prices will go up. The festival is September 18-20th. For details visit the website here.

Tonight, check out A Midsummer Night's Steam, a fundraiser put on by Centre Stage. The party will take place at Saffron's Sidewalk Cafe at 6 PM and will include live music, dancing, an open bar, hors d'oeuvres, and auctions (both live and silent). Ticket price is $35 and there will be free valet parking.

Also going on tonight,

• Downtown Alive! - Piazza Bergamo from 5:30-8:30 PM
• Rhythm on the River - Larkin's from 7-10 PM
• Music by the Lake - Furman University at 7:30 PM
• Richard III - Falls Park at 7 PM

Tomorrow,

• Jazz on Main - Hyatt 5:30-9:30 PM
• Richard III - Falls Park at 7 PM
• Grand Opening of the Children's Museum of the Upstate. Admission is $12 per person (there are also group rates available).
• Last day to order advanced, discounted tickets to Euphoria

July 28th - Check out the Drive tomorrow: playing the Lakewood BlueClaws at 7 PM.

The Greenville Symphony Orchestra announces its schedule for the 2009 Summer Lollipops concerts for children. Lollipops concerts are performances by small ensembles of GSO musicians that introduce children to music through interactive performances. Each Lollipops performance is designed especially for young children and their families, and lasts approximately 40 minutes. Admission is free and open to the public. Reservations are not necessary. As part of this program, Kenneth Lambert, a violinist, will be playing at the Hughes Main Library tomorrow at 10:30 AM.

High Cotton Maverick Bar & Grill in downtown Greenville announces a special wine dinner featuring the wines of Sokol Blosser Winery in Oregon, pioneers of sustainable viticulture & harvesting. The event is on Wednesday, July 29, 2009 & begins at 6:30 p.m. with an hors d'oeuvres reception, followed by a four-course seated dinner with wine pairings.

July 24th - This weekend be sure to check out a Drive game (schedule listed below). As always, on Friday evenings head downtown for Jazz on Main by the Hyatt (5:30-9:30 PM). Start your Saturday off right by visiting the Main Street Market from 8 AM until noon. If you haven't checked out Richard III yet, be sure to do so this weekend. Shows are running Friday through Sunday at Falls Park beginning at 7 PM. If you're still feeling like some more drama, the Warehouse Theater will be showing Beyond Therapy on Friday at 8 PM and Barefoot in the Park on Saturday at 8 PM.

Go support our hometown hero, Lucas Glover. There will be a celebration held this Sunday at Fluor Field to recognize his win in the 2009 US Open and to celebrate his dedication, talent, and professional achievements in the sport of golf. The party will be from 4-5 PM, but gates will open at 2:30 PM. We will celebrate his Greenville roots and also honor other local golf greats and their contributions to the sport. Admission is free for the event, but while you are there, you might as well stay for the Drive game that night which will begin at 7 PM.

July 23rd - If you are looking for a night of music, Thursday is certainly the best day for it. Downtown Alive is tonight in Piazza Bergamo from 5:30-8 PM. Also, Rhythm on the River is going on down at Larkin's beginning at 7 PM. And Furman University's Music by the Lake begins at 7:30 PM.

Richard III will be showing at Falls Park at 7 PM.

The Greenville Drive will be home for the next week or so:

• 7/23/2009 @ 7 PM Drive vs. Delmarva Shoebirds
• 7/24/2009 @ 7 PM Drive vs. Delmarva Shoebirds
• 7/25/2009 @ 7 PM Drive vs. Delmarva Shoebirds
• 7/26/2009 @ 7 PM Drive vs. Lakewood BlueClaws
• 7/27/2009 @ 7 PM Drive vs. Lakewood BlueClaws
• 7/28/2009 @ 11 AM Drive vs. Lakewood BlueClaws
• 7/29/2009 @ 7 PM Drive vs. Lakewood BlueClaws
  

On a side note, Furman University is ranked as the #1 college in the state of South Carolina and #33 in the nation (stateuniversity.com).

July 21st - I'm back to work this week. We have a special guest coming into town tomorrow, a writer from the Chicago Sun-Times, so we have been busy getting ready for his arrival. We are all very excited for his arrival! We have also been busy planning our big media launch that will occur early September...more on that later.

July 15th - I will be gone Thursday and Friday of this week so I will fill you in on what is going on in Greenville the rest of this week. First, Richard III will be showing Thursday through Sunday at Falls Park beginning at 7 PM. Admission is free. Also, at the Warehouse Theater, Beyond Therapy will be playing Thursday and Saturday starting at 8 PM and Barefoot in the Park will be playing there on Friday at 8 PM.

Also this Friday, you have Main St. Jazz from 5:30 until 9:30 PM down by the Hyatt. Furthermore, Hank Williams Jr. and Dierks Bentley are coming to the Bi-Lo Center this Friday at 8 PM.

For Saturday...The Market on Main is from 8 AM until noon. Saturday is also the Greenville Zoo's Hot Dog Day. Hot dogs, chips, ice-cream, cotton candy, and pepsi are all just $.25 each. Moreover, it is also Community Day at the Greenville County Museum of Art from 2-4 PM. There will be art, music, and entertainment for the entire family. As for Saturday night, Furman University's Improv!able Cause will hold an improv show at the Coffee Underground from 9:30-10:30 PM.

And on Sunday, High Cotton has their Sunday Jazz Brunch from 10 AM until 2 PM where you can enjoy a delicious brunch while listening to some jazzy tunes. Also, WWE Smackdown SummerSlam Tour will be at the Bi-Lo Center on Sunday beginning at 5 PM.

July 14th- Things have been busy as usual here at the Chamber. DGDI has a lot going on right now. I've been helping out with the kick-off of our non-profit campaign. We're looking to start marketing downtown Greenville as a potential home to various non-profit organizations from across the country. And as always, we have various prospective companies we are communicating and meeting with. The entire process seems to be going quite well. Also, our information packets have always been an on-going process, so I've been working on those quite a bit lately. Furthermore, if you are interested in the whole social-networking arena, you should check out Thrive Greenville's facebook, linkedin, and twitter pages.

As for what is going on in Greenville...Wednesday night from 7-9 PM is another Reedy River Nighttime Concert held at the Peace Center Amphitheater downtown. And as for Thursday...

• Downtown Alive! from 5:30-8 PM at Piazza Bergamo
• Rhythm on the River from 7-10 PM at Larkin's
• Music by the Lake at Furman University beginning at 7:30 PM
• Richard III at Falls Park at 7 PM
• Beyond Therapy at Warehouse Theater at 8 PM

July 10th - This weekend, don't miss out on the Saturday morning market downtown on Main Street from 8 AM until noon. Also on Saturday, beginning at 10 AM and lasting until noon, is the River Walk. It starts and ends at Overlook Grill and is a free educational tour along the Reedy River. The Upstate Shakespeare Festival will be putting on Richard the Third all weekend long at Falls Park. Admission is free and the show starts at 7 PM each night.

July 8th- Like every Wednesday, tonight there is a Reedy River Concert from 7-9 PM at the Peace Center Amphitheater. Also, tomorrow is Downtown Alive! at Piazza Bergamo from 5:30-8:30 PM. Admission is free. Or tomorrow you can check out Larkin's Rhythm on the River from 7-10 PM. Admission is between $5 and $10. This Thursday through Saturday, the Upstate Shakespeare Festival will be putting on Richard the Third at Falls Park, starting at 7 PM each night. Also, Thursday night, Soulja Boy is coming to the Carolina First Center. More information here. Friday, is Jazz on Main down by the Hyatt. Music starts at 5:30 PM and goes until 9:30 PM, and admission is free. Also on Friday, two-time Grammy winning jazz superstar, Diana Krall is coming to the Peace Center. The show starts at 8 PM. More details here.

July 6th - The Greenville Drive is home all week...

• Wednesday 7/8/2009 7:00 PM vs. Rome Braves
• Thursday 7/9/2009 7:00 PM vs. Rome Braves
• Friday 7/10/2009 7:00 PM vs. Romes Braves
• Saturday 7/11/2009 7:00 PM vs. Rome Braves

Also, the Furman Lakeside Concerts start this week. They will be every Thursday evening at Furman University at 7:30 PM. Admission is free and picnics are welcome.

Greenville Memorial Hospital

Greenville Memorial Hospital has been ranked among the nation's top 50 hospitals in five specialties in U.S. News' 2009-10 publication of America's Best Hospitals. Greenville Memorial and the Medical University of South Carolina are the only hospitals in the state included in this ranking. Greenville Memorial ranks as follows:

#25 in Diabetes and Endocrine Disorders

#30 in Digestive Disorders

#43 in Heart and Heart Surgery

#44 in Neurology and Neurosurgery

#49 in Orthopedics

Now in its 20th year, the multi-platform 2009 America's Best Hospitals guide is the most extensive hospital ranking to date. It includes rankings of 174 medical centers nationwide in 16 specialties, with full data available online for another 1,500 unranked hospitals. In addition, the Best Hospitals "Honor Roll" highlights 21 medical centers that were ranked at or near the top in at least six specialties. To view the full article click here.

Michelin North America's New Development Program

Michelin's new development program will provide loans to new and existing disadvantaged small- and medium-sized businesses located in the Upstate of South Carolina. It will focus on new job creation by facilitating low-interest loans and will provide participating firms with free of charge access to Michelin's considerable in-house business expertise.

"Michelin is proud to announce this program, which will help create jobs, promote economic development and support businesses across the Upstate, an area Michelin has called home for nearly four decades," said Dick Wilkerson, chairman and president of Michelin North America.

Welcome!

We are looking forward to welcoming our friends to Greenville the weekend of August 28th to 30th for the US Pro Cycling event! Check here to see some of the rides we are taking them on while they are here!