The power of Google By Dan McCue It began with a phone call. That’s the one constant in the story of how Google came to South Carolina and ultimately decided a chunk of its future lies in the Mt. Holly Commerce Park in Berkeley County.
But unlike a telephone chain, where a piece of hot information is told to two friends, who each tell two others and so on, the calls made by Richard Fletcher, manager of the S.C. Department of Commerce’s business solutions division, in the Autumn of 2005 were an invitation into a privileged circle of company.
Al’s perish By Dan McCue The glossy flier left on banquet hall seats at the Francis Marion Hotel in downtown Charleston said about all there is to say at this point about the fate and greatly diminished fortunes of disgraced economist Al Parish.
Grassroots spirit strives to save blighted neighborhoods By Dennis Quick At Metanoia, a faith-based, nonprofit community organization in North Charleston’s Chicora-Cherokee neighborhood near the former Navy base, children run a “store” where items such as coloring books, sneakers and toys can be “purchased” with “meta bucks,” or “metas” for short. Kids can get two books for five metas.
Entrepreneurs cook up meals-to-go businesses By Kathleen Dayton Like many young professionals, Angela Gagne found that the demands of a long work day left little time for grocery shopping and preparing a home-cooked meal, but that is exactly what she and her husband Rich longed for at the close of each career-driven day.
Area tourism rises, attraction visitors decline By Kathleen Dayton Try to book a hotel room in Charleston at the last minute and you will be reminded quickly that tourism is the area’s No. 1 industry.
The people of South Carolina get smoked by the cigarette lobby By Bill Settlemyer On April 17, the state Senate Judiciary Committee reported out a revised version of a bill, S. 186, originally intended to remove a confusing section of state law and make it clear that local governments around the state are free to create their own smoke-free ordinances to protect their citizens and workers.
Localizing hurricane coverage could be answer for S.C. By Henry H. Lowndes Jr. After reading Sheila Watson’s article about property insurance in the April 2-15 issue of the Charleston Regional Business Journal, I thought your readers would like to know the background regarding state Sen. Glenn McConnell’s proposed legislation, S-412.
Card-check an attack on secret ballot system By Jay W. Ragley Successful entrepreneurs know that a key factor in running a thriving business is a good relationship between owners and their employees. In the current economy, the competition for good workers is intense, so it’s clearly in the interests of business owners to foster that relationship.
Get with the flow By Dennis Quick One of the prettiest words in our language is “flow.” That nice, long “o” gives the word such a relaxing sound. It almost sounds like a yoga word.
Regional airport traffic taking off By Kathleen Dayton Like a lot of things in Mount Pleasant, the town’s airport is experiencing growing pains and plans are in the works to nearly double the capacity of its terminal by the end of the year.
New chefs bring flair, spiced-up tradition to local dining By Dennis Quick For years, Carolina’s restaurant in downtown Charleston has been a staple of fine Lowcountry dining. In February, Charleston native Jeremiah Bacon took over as Carolina’s executive chef, replacing chef Tin Dizdarevic.
N. Charleston: Postal designations to reflect the city By Dan McCue The city of North Charleston boasts much of the state’s burgeoning automotive cluster, is home to its share of desirable neighborhoods and has a significant toehold in one of the state’s best school districts.
Tea partners brewing specialty niche By Lindsay Street Gray wisps of hair broke free from his ponytail as Bill Hall rolled a cigarette – careful not to lose any of the loose tobacco to the wind.
Senior PGA tourney on par for $23.3 million impact By Dennis Quick Linda Malcolm, co-owner of Indigo Books, looks forward to the upcoming Senior PGA Championship at Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course. Malcolm’s bookshop is located in Johns Island’s Freshfields Village, a shopping center near the Kiawah Island entrance.
Statewide smoking ban kinder to bar owners By Kristen George The state Senate Judiciary Committee voted in April to approve a proposal for a statewide smoking ban. The ban would outlaw smoking in restaurants, but would allow some bars to apply for a permit that would allow smoking.
Calhoun County’s qualities provide perfect brew for Starbucks By Kristen George The underdeveloped, rural appeal and good air quality of Calhoun County contributed to Starbucks Coffee Co.’s recent announcement that it will build a 150,000-square-foot roasting facility in St. Matthews, 15 miles from Columbia. The plant will create about 160 full-time jobs.
New biotech startup tackling Alzheimer’s, cancer By Dennis Quick Last year, Dr. Sebastiano Gattoni-Celli and Mark Kindy, both of the Medical University of South Carolina, launched SemiAlloGen Inc., a biotech company developing vaccines and therapeutic treatments for Alzheimer’s and cancer.
24-hour workout concept growing in Lowcountry By Kathleen Dayton No more excuses for not making it to the gym. Four Charleston area health clubs are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and the trend is growing.
Bringing a touch of relaxation to the workplace By Shelia Watson Although once considered a means of self-indulgent pampering, massage today is generally recognized as a health benefit that can reduce tension and anxiety, improve blood circulation, calm the nervous system, prevent and relieve muscles cramps and help manage long-term pain.
Unconventional ad generated by unconventional generation By Lindsay Street Mark Timms, 29, embodying Times 2006 Person of the Year (“you”), decided he wanted in on the glory and guaranteed exposure of Superbowl advertisements. Assembling a 3-man team of 20-somethings, Timms intends to create an ad that gives national exposure during the No. 1 commercial primetime for an affordable price tag, starting at $15,000.
Parish’s attorney not laying groundwork for incompetency, insanity defense in fraud case By Dan McCue Local economist Al Parish’s defense attorney, Andrew John Savage, said he plans to meet with investigators working on the government’s fraud case involving his client asking them to allow psychological testing to be conducted in Charleston rather than sending Parish to an out-of-state federal prison.
Charleston AFB provides opportunities for small business By Shelia Watson The impact of the military on the local economy has been alternately debated, praised and, after the 1995 Navy base closing and the subsequent deliberations by the Base Closure and Realignment Commission, mourned. Yet the military continues to be a boon for Lowcountry firms, especially small businesses, with the Small Business Program operated by the Charleston Air Force 437th Contracting Squadron.
Developers investing on port’s future growth By Dan McCue The Port of Charleston may be losing ground currently to Savannah in terms of shipping calls and annual container volume, but developers in the hot distribution center market believe the Holy City’s waterfront is poised for a major rebound.
SPA approves air quality testing at all terminals By Dan McCue The Port of Charleston is the first port in the Southeast to implement air emission testing at its terminals in an effort to proactively reduce pollution at its facilities.
Plan today to generate profits tomorrow By Ted Albenesius A business plan is an indispensable management and operating tool for using your time, capital and energy most effectively. This plan of action for building a successful small business examines the environment in which you expect your business to operate, including potential problems, cyclical trends and opportunities.
Media lessons from the high school musical By John Carroll My wife Lori serves as teacher of drama and English at Wando High School. She also directs what has become the school’s annual musical theater presentation.
The mile between satisfied and loyal is the extra mile By Jeffery Gitomer Have you ever heard the phrase, “He went the extra mile?” I want to talk to you about the “extra mile” in a way that you might understand it and use it to build customer loyalty.
To get real, be ready to join the virtual world By David L. Rawle There’s a major new market inhabited by about 5 million people. It’s the Second Life Web site, www.secondlife.com, and smart marketers are flocking to this virtual world in order to get in touch with reality.
People in the News Local chef Chad Glasscock opened The Island Chef, a personal chef service.
Accolades & More The South Carolina Federation of Museums presented its 2007 Award of Achievement to Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site in recognition of the park’s new visitors center and museum.
Calendar MAY 8, 15, 22 & 29: S.C. Women’s Business Center course. 5:30-8:30 p.m. at Small Business Development Office, North Charleston. Topic: The “core” fundamentals of starting a business.
Giving Back Leukemia Ball nets $105,000 in donations The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s second annual Leukemia Ball netted $105,000 to fund the society’s research and patient services goals, including a $2,000 donation from the employees of North Charleston’s Scientific Research Corp.
Photo Finish BATTERY JOINS RILEY IN OPENING FITNESS TRAIL Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. and the Charleston Battery teamed up to cut the ribbon at the newly renovated Hampton Park Fitness Trial.
Sanford OKs Jasper port bill this afternoon By Dan McCue Mere months after announcing a deal with the state of Georgia to jointly develop a new port terminal on the Savannah River in Jasper County, Gov. Mark Sanford today is expected to sign a bill that would provide a little insurance that the terminal will ultimately be built.
MeadWestvaco steers plan for former timber land By Kathleen Dayton Paper manufacturing giant MeadWestvaco wants the public to be part of the planning process for 72,000 pristine acres it owns along the Edisto River, straddling Charleston and Dorchester counties. Company officials today announced long-term plans to develop some of the land, which is referred to as East Edisto, while keeping some of it in conservation easements in order to protect and preserve an area that is both historically and environmentally significant.
Parish agrees to quit investing for others By Daily Journal Staff Al Parish’s career as a financial investor is over. The former Charleston Southern University professor and owner of several investment companies agreed never to invest on the behalf of others, according to documents filed in U.S. Federal Court on Thursday.
Shem Creek project goes back to town council By Lindsay Street The development of The Landing on Shem Creek so far includes a billboard and Web site, but ground has not broken yet. The project was to become a condominium hotel on Shem Creek in Mount Pleasant, but recent plans are changing its purpose to a hotel.
Capturing the essence of Charleston in a brand By Dan McCue To Robert Priouleau of Blue Ion, the interactive marketing firm housed in the Cigar Factory building on East Bay Street, the idea is the distillation of realizing that something ordinarily taken for granted is actually an indication of how lucky you are.
“For instance, I ride my bicycle a lot when I travel around downtown Charleston,” Priouleau offered as an illustration. “Now, most of the time, I don’t give any thought to what I’m doing as I make my way down our historic streets, but once in awhile, it simply hits you: ‘Look at how lucky I am to get to do this any day I please.’
As cities sprawl, farms are next tourist attractions By Kathleen Dayton As an increasing number of homes and businesses replace the rural landscape, farmers across the country are looking for ways to compete in the marketplace and preserve their way of life.
SPA may hire consultant to enliven cruise ship business By Dan McCue Shortly after ceremonially breaking ground at the site of the new cargo container terminal planned for the south end of the former Charleston Naval Base, members of the S.C. State Ports Authority board began discussing the possibility of engaging in an entirely different undertaking—enhancing Charleston’s 35 year old cruise ship terminal to capture more of that tourism rich trade.
Vought’s North Charleston plant completes first 787 fuselage section By Dan McCue Workers at Vought Aircraft Industries’ North Charleston plant completed their first composite sections for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and paused just long enough Tuesday afternoon to celebrate the 38-foot-long piece of high-tech aircraft technology in a Web cast to their colleagues at the company’s headquarters in Dallas.
CaroLinks’ Orangeburg plans to create ‘mini-city’ By Dan McCue Although still reportedly weeks away from closing on an 800-acre parcel near the intersection of Interstate 95 and Interstate 26, CaroLinks, the Charleston-based intermodal and real estate development company, has firmed up plans for the site.
Final vote on Central Mount Pleasant project rescheduled By Daily Journal Staff Mount Pleasant Town Council on Tuesday agreed to defer until next week the second and final reading for a mixed-use plan in the heart of Mount Pleasant.
Parish indicted on 11 counts, faces 205 years in prison By Dan McCue The other shoe dropped on former Charleston Southern University economist Al Parish on Wednesday with the announcement of an 11-count federal indictment that could land in him in prison for as much as 205 years.
Turning phosphate gold By Dan McCue The land at the elbow of the area’s two interstates was once a phosphate mine. Now it’s a gold mine.
With the opening of a Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club, and last year’s opening of a 35-acre Tanger Outlet Center, the price of land at the Centre Pointe development in North Charleston has shot up to more than $1 million an acre, according to the primary developers of the site.
Trucker shortage grows more severe By Kathleen Dayton The lure of the open road and the power of a big rig rumbling down a rural highway may seem the epitome of American commerce, but the romance of trucking isn’t grabbing today’s job seekers.
A shortage of truck drivers continues to be a major hurdle for the entire trucking industry, said Phil Byrd, president and chief executive of Bulldog Hiway Express in North Charleston and vice president at-large of the American Trucking Associations.
