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What brings young, talented workers to Spartanburg? What keeps them here? Those are questions businesses large and small across the county are working to answer. We’re working to figure it out, too, as our Talent and Economic Inclusion team work to ensure opportunities are available for anyone looking to come to Spartanburg.

We recently updated our Talent Attraction Guide, which is available to businesses free of charge thanks to OneSpartanburg.

But the best answers often come straight from the source. At our March Caffeinated Conversations, we featured three young professionals who chose Spartanburg and learned why they stayed here, what’s important to young workers and how Spartanburg can best position itself as a destination for talent.

Terrance Hawes, our Talent and Economic Inclusion Coordinator, led the discussion featuring three members of the Spartanburg Young Professionals board: Daniel Craig, attorney at Johnson, Smith, Hibbard & Wildman Law Firm, Cierra Fowler, Campaign Director at the United Way of the Piedmont, and Angela Heinrich, financial advisor at Spartanburg’s Merrill Lynch office.

What brought you to Spartanburg?

Craig, who’s from Woodruff, went to the University of South Carolina for his undergraduate and law school degrees, but knew he wanted to get back to Spartanburg County.

“I always knew I wanted to get back to Spartanburg. My wife’s family is here, my family is here,” he said. “Spartanburg is home and it’s always been home for me.”

Fowler worked for several years in Greenville County before finding her way back to Spartanburg.

“I always wanted to be here, not just live here, and that’s what drew me back in. I kind of feel like Spartanburg chose me,” she said.

Heinrich discovered Spartanburg while applying for colleges. After a visit, she decided she wanted to go to Wofford College. One summer internship at Merrill Lynch later, she knew she wanted to stay in Spartanburg.

“It’s home now,” she said.

How important is it to you to be involved in the community?

Fowler: “It meant more to me to be apart of the community. At SYP, I got to meet young professionals that were like me, still striving and looking for opportunities,” she said.

Hawes: “The opportunity to be involved and to make an impact in the community is really important. I feel like in Spartanburg, you get more of that involvement. As YPs, it’s important for us to feel like we’re invested in something and a part of something, and that’s a niche Spartanburg has right now.”

Craig: “Every attorney in our firm has been through Leadership Spartanburg…I met so many people through that. I had no idea what SYP was or what a young professionals organization was. I got back here and said, ‘I’ll give this a shot. There’s got to be young people I can meet now in my 20s and if we stay here, we can grow up together in Spartanburg.’ You can do so much if you just take the leap and get involved and go, and don’t be scared of taking a chance. This community realizes young folks can make a difference.”

Are there advancement opportunities available to young professionals in Spartanburg?

Fowler: “I see there are opportunities and what I need to do to gain those opportunities.”

Hawes: “You’ve got to be so confident in yourself that you invite yourself into rooms you’re not supposed to be in… Your age does not determine your success. You can be 20-something and network and strategize and build yourself up.”

What’s the most important career-development tool you’ve found in Spartanburg so far?

Heinrich: “I think it’s just having mentors and people you can look up to. There’s a lot of soft skills, and they don’t teach you that in school. Look up to someone and do as they do. A lot of the older generation is accepting of the younger ones, it’s not always ‘these darn millennials.’ They’re willing to show you the path and mold you.”

Craig: “If I had to challenge everyone over 40, I’d say get anyone seeking a mentor and be a mentor to them. Everyone under 40 in the room, if you don’t have a mentor, find one. Pick their brain.”

Fowler: “I think you should also not be afraid to learn. I found that, coming back to Spartanburg and going from healthcare to nonprofit, I had to find a mentor and I had a lot to learn.”

Why are social amenities important to young professionals, and does Spartanburg have those amenities available?

Fowler: “YPs are always looking for something after work. I think for our Downtown and everything going, I think Spartanburg is on the right path to retain young professionals. Everything Spartanburg is doing right now to grow and to retain our young people is what’s really needed.”

Craig: “It goes without saying you need things to do outside of work and your homes.”

How does Spartanburg stack up for young professionals compared to places like Charlotte and Atlanta?

Craig: “I don’t know that we’d really compare to those places in some ways, but a selling point for Spartanburg is there are young people here, you can have all the experiences you’d have anywhere else. You can put your roots down here, at 22 years old, and five years later, you can start a family and not feel like you have to uproot your life and go somewhere else.”

Heinrich: “I grew up in a big city, I think Houston is the 3rd-largest city in the country, but no matter how big the place, you can get in a rut or you could go to the same few bars and restaurants… I think most of it is breaking the misconception that there’s not a lot going on here. There’s a lot more opportunity here.”

We’ve got some world-renowned drive ins and famous breweries in the area, but Spartanburg’s love-affair with the culinary arts starts as soon as we wake up in the morning with bagels and lattes well before we can even start thinking about cheeseburgers and beer for the day.So, if you’re looking for the crème de la crème of breakfast and brunch items, we’d say these 5 options are a waffle-ly good start:

Breakfast poutine at Bar 1884

Obviously when you’re in South Carolina it’s not too hard to find an authentic Southern breakfast like biscuits and gravy or savory grits, but what if you’re craving something a little different? Something not-at-all Southern but just as iconic and synonymous with deliciousness.

Look no further than the Breakfast Poutine from Bar 1884. Made from hand cut fries, this breakfast adaptation of the French-Canadian delicacy is topped with applewood bacon, cheddar cheese, pepper gravy, and fried eggs. This magnificent culinary creation is everything you’ve ever wanted all in one bowl.

Located on Magnolia Street in Spartanburg, Bar 1884 serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30am-3:00pm. Take your meal to the next level (literally) by dining on their open-air rooftop patio!

View Bar 1884’s Full Menu & Learn More Here

French toast flight at Daily Basics

On a mission to create fine food that brings people together, the team at Daily Basics has built a community that spreads hospitality and hope. With a story like that, you already know the food is made with love!

Talk about having your pancake and eating it, too!

Located in the historic Baber-Rhyne building, here you’ll find all your favorites breakfast foods like pancakes, waffles, and omelettes, but take it from us that the real star of the show is the French toast. More specifically, the French toast flight which comes with a slice each of strawberry, blueberry, lemon, and caramel french toast, all made with brioche and grilled to perfection so that they’re just the right amount of crisp and soft. Top it all with maple butter and syrup to really experience pure bliss.

Don’t worry if you accidentally sleep in—Daily Basics serves breakfast ALL DAY on Saturdays, so there’s no risk of missing out. (Talk about having your pancake and eating it, too!)

View Daily Basics’ Full Menu & Learn More Here

Chestnut St. Crêpe at the Crêpe Cafe

Dine al fresco, or grab a spot near the open kitchen to watch the chefs craft their masterpieces at this farm-to-table cafe and coffeehouse on Main Street.

Local art lines the walls of this revitalized Western Union telegraph station which now—as the name suggests—serves up the paper-thin, delightfully dainty French pancakes we all know and love. We recommend the taste sensation that is the Chestnut St. Crêpe, stuffed with locally-sourced peaches, and creamy brie, then drizzled with clover honey and cilantro. Our stomachs are growling just thinking about it.

The Crêpe Factory is open every day but Wednesday, and their breakfast items are available all day, so come enjoy the food and a handcrafted espresso drink anytime. If the whole meal doesn’t leave you saying “holy crêpe,” we’ll be stunned.

View The Crêpe Factory’s Full Menu & Learn More Here

The “Grade” at Downtown Deli & Donuts

Downtown Deli & Donuts has given a MAJOR upgrade to the simple bacon, egg, and cheese on toast you know and love.

Now that’s a real breakfast sandwich.

When you get into town, head straight to Main Street to devour The “Grade” (pictured in the intro of this post), which is an unbelievable combination of herbed egg frittata, roasted red peppers, Canadian bacon, provolone cheese, and fresh basil pesto packed between two thick slices of rosemary focaccia—now that’s a real breakfast sandwich.

And it goes without saying that you MUST try one of their house-made, small batch artisan donuts while you’re there. We recommend either the Fruity Pebbles or Maple Bacon flavors, you know, to keep with the breakfast theme.

Breakfast and brunch are served from 8:30am-3:00pm on Saturdays, so plan on meeting us there this weekend!

View Downtown Deli & Donuts’ Full Menu & Learn More Here

Blackberry Dutch Baby at The Eatery

Nothing screams “authentic Spartanburg experience” like indulging at one of our favorite food-trucks-turned-restaurants.

The Eatery—a spinoff of The Streatery—opened on E. Kennedy St. in 2018 and gifted the world with a Blackberry Dutch Baby that is absolutely out of this world.  Perfectly puffy with the slightly acidic zing of the berries, this is sure to put a smile on your face for the rest of the day.

Open daily until 3:00pm, come by and indulge in one these chef created delights and let us know just how much you love it.

Learn More About The Eatery Here

*sets down pint glass*

*wipes away beer-foam mustache*

BEER DRINKERS ACROSS SPARTANBURG COUNTY HAVE NEVER HAD IT BETTER.

1. Spartanburg’s first craft brewery, RJ Rockers, has been churning out locally-made brews since 1997 and put Spartanburg on the craft beer world’s map with its signature Son of a Peach.
2. Just a few minutes away, Ciclops Cyderi & Brewery offers traditionally-inspired German brews and a few proudly “absurd” offerings.
3. A quick drive north and you’ll find New Groove Artisan Brewing  churning out beers inspired by spots around Spartanburg County and some of the brewer’s favorite things to eat (we’ll explain later).
4. Holliday Brewing is the next brewery on tap to join Spartanburg’s growing craft beer scene. The brewery, with a wheelhouse of West Coast-style IPAs, is set to open inside the revitalized Drayton Mills Marketplace with a grand opening celebration on March 9.

Spartanburg’s beer scene has steadily grown as the national beer craze has hit new heights.

Spartanburg’s beer scene has steadily grown as the national craft beer craze has hit new heights. Laws passed over the last five or so years have made South Carolina a more desirable place for national brewers and a better home to the established and up-and-coming breweries hoping to call the Palmetto State home.

RJ Rockers transformed from a brewpub to a thriving brewery with a new attached restaurant in Downtown Spartanburg. Nationally, RJ Rockers is well-known for its signature Son of a Peach, a wheat ale brewed with heaps of peaches, but anyone who has visited the brewery’s Tap Room knows RJ Rockers’ bench goes much deeper.

There’s Bell Ringer, a true heavyweight double pale ale loaded with hops and malt (it definitely packs a punch). There’s the musically-named Brown Eyed Squirrel (try not singing it to the tune of “Brown Eyed Girl”) which has a smooth, chocolatey taste. And those are just the year-round beers. Seasonal favorites like the Good Boy Stout, named for dearly-departed brewery mascot Stout, the Flannel Red IPA, Witty Twister and First Snow Ale.

Rockers features a classic brewery set up with tables a-plenty and towering, metallic brewing equipment giving drinkers an up-close look at where what’s filling their glass came from. The brewery hosts live music several times a week in case the beer isn’t entertainment enough.

Ciclops Cyderi & Brewery set up shop on St. John Street in September 2015. The innovative concept, brought to life by Kolby Garrison, was designed to be the first cidery/brewery/taphouse in the state, brewing beer and cider on-site just across the street from the Chapman Cultural Center. Ciclops has a beer hall-style décor with long tables and open seating and a lounge area, all of which are designed to encourage people to strike up conversations as they drink.

Taps at Ciclops vary, but their lineup of core beershave become mainstays at the bar. Downtown SpartanBrown is a nutty, brown ale. Austrinken is a traditional hefeweizenbier brewed with only wheat, barley, one hop, water and yeast. The popular One-Eyed Pterodactyl, named to hear patrons try to pronounce pterodactyl correctly (it is hard to say, in fairness), is a simple but delicious IPA painstakingly researched and taste-tested.

Garrison passed away in October of 2018, but Ciclops has created a popular – and growing – fanbase in Spartanburg thanks in large part to Garrison’s creations, his pride and his dedication to creating recipes both traditionally-influenced and proudly “absurd.”New Groove was started by two homebrewers chasing their passion. Set up in a funky looking building behind a gas station on Highway 9, New Groove churns out some unique brews along with beers drinkers are more accustomed to seeing.

Sour and dark beers have taken hold at New Groove. The Weisse is Right and Groove is in the Tart guarantee a delicious, lip-puckering pint. The Cole Porter and Randall’s Brown Trout offer something a little more luxurious and dessert-like for the beer drinkers’ palette. Along with those more-standard offerings, New Groove has brewed a stout aged with donuts (yes, donut beer) and a popular beer inspired by a Monster Subs sandwich, brewed with tomato and jalapenos.

The beers crafted by Holliday Brewing are inspired by west coast experiences like off-roading on a motorcycle or trekking through a desert. Spartanburg’s newest brewery plans to have 20 taps with 18 of Holliday’s own creations and a rotating list of guest beers. Holliday Brewing doesn’t plan to offer bar snacks, but with Rick Erwin’s The Standard, Pi-Squared Pizza and a Mexican restaurant coming to Drayton Mills, food deliveries will be made to the brewery.