The Grass is Greener in Greenville, South Carolina
Even to those familiar with other parts of the South, Greenville, South Carolina will come as a complete surprise. To those who have been fortunate enough to visit, Greenville is a delightful place to return to, and often.
Once the textile capital of the South in the 1920’s, it was in full swing by WWII. By the 1960’s, Greenville became the textile capital of the world. Of course, since then, many of the mills have closed and since have become cool urban lofts.
Located nearly equidistance from Atlanta, GA and Charlotte, NC, and situated at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville has something for everyone. Buoyed by Southern charm and friendly hospitality, it has managed to reinvent itself in such a way as to maintain its deep Southern traditions while simultaneously becoming ‘upcountry’ cool and seriously hip.
Greenville’s downtown is centered on its charming Main Street and is a walker’s utter delight. There are over 100 works of art in the city and frankly nothing bad can be said about a city that has 29 independent coffee shops. There are also 238 food and drink establishments of which 80-percent are local to Greenville in a 20 by 12 block area, as well as about 120 retailers. But make no mistake, there is far more to Greenville than its terrific downtown that includes a Saturday Farmer’s Market.
The Bed
The centrally located 12-story, landmark Westin Hotel Poinsett – one of Greenville’s first skyscrapers with its historic exterior – is steeped in history and this year celebrates its 100th anniversary. Designed by NY architect William Lee Stoddard, it was named after Joel R. Poinsett, who served as Secretary of War under President Millard Fillmore.
The Poinsett has spacious rooms with comfortable bedding, a large working desk and swivel work chair. The Poinsett’s Fitness Center has LifeFitness treadmills, Peleton bikes, exercise machines, and free weights. The Piano Lounge serves dinner until 10pm and Joel’s Java serves coffee and bites. Every employee encountered at the Poinsett possessed warm hospitality for which the South is well-known.
Libations and Meals
Greenville is a place to neither teetotal nor diet. At Hotel AC’s Paloma, its modern bar adjacent to its patio – great for people watching – has an extensive mixology menu. It serves a killer dirty martini, though many come for its signature Hendricks Gin and Fever Tree tonic. Another evening, The Press Room whose anteroom is a 1950’s-style editorial office, requires searching for the secret code to enter. Excellent cocktails ensued while contemplating the demise of traditional media.
In business for 27 years, Soby’s New South Cuisine, Executive Chef Kyle Swartzendruber delights with both succulent crab cakes and stealthily sumptuous shrimp and grits. Fortunately, Soby’s understands my innate inability to culinary commit, allowing diners to request half orders of each.
On the banks of the Reedy River, The Lazy Goat has a trendy atmosphere with marvelous food and service. Their signature fried goat cheese sprinkled with pistachios has been on the menu for 17 years; since then about three million of these delectable spheres have been made and well worth any subsequent guilt. The grilled Brussel sprouts with Serrano ham, shaved Manchego, and cherry glacé may have been the best preparation tasted of this superfood. The NY steak was tender, perfectly cooked, and served with an aioli that nearly had me belting out “O solo mio.” The pièce de résistance was Pastry Chef Lindsay Beck’s lemon goat cheesecake that reinforced why ‘diet’ may be the most offensive four-letter word in the English language.
If wine floats your boat, you’ll want to run to Foxcroft Wine Company where its contemporary interior showcases their impressive wine selections with over 40 available by the glass. Attempting to eat “light” that evening, we enjoyed crisp Caesar salads with grilled shrimp and delicious three cheese and mushroom flatbread.
Just five-minutes from downtown, one can have inspired biscuits and gravy with a side of local contemporary art at Fork and Plough where 100-percent of the commission free art sales proceeds go directly to the artists. Coupled with Pastry Chef Mariana Molina’s fabulous key-lime pie, this eatery provides an artsy atmosphere with Southern and other specialties.
The Finds
The 65-mile Reedy River rises in the Blue Ridge Mountains foothills flowing gently through Greenville, culminating in The Falls, a large waterfall that streams through Falls Park, a downtown haven of verdant greenery, plentiful birds and ducks, and the 2004 Liberty Suspension Bridge, America’s only curvilinear suspension bridge built by Miguel Rosales, a native Guatemalan and MIT graduate.
With Greenville Historical Tours, a breakfast tour had stops at Southern Pressed Juicery for acai bowls and fresh made juice, and Biscuit Head for to-die-for fried green tomato eggs Benedict complete with jam and butter bar hosting namesake berry bomb, sour cherry, and sweet potato chai. It was divine despite its cardiac equivalence to a hydrogen bomb. The final stop – because carbs are king – was Old Europe Desserts. Try the cruffin: where you’ll find the holy matrimony of Mademoiselle croissant and Monsieur muffin. As my guide John Nolan possessed deep knowledge and abiding love of Greenville, this food tour became far more of a deep dive into all wonderful things Greenville.
In a historic building next to Hotel Poinsett is M. Judson Booksellers, a spot all bibliophiles will love. Particularly delightful is its “blind date” display of paperbacks wrapped in brown coverings containing employees handwritten reviews. In one such review, the employee poignantly noted the book reflected, “Grace and love for what remains in memory after great loss.” Brilliant words worthy of the book’s author, Jaki Shelton Green, North Carolina’s first African-American poet laureate.
If a sudden summer rainstorm hits, which often occurs though brief, there’s plenty to do inside. At Greenville Soy Candle Company we enjoyed a fun-filled candle-making class at this micro-factory which has 220 basic scents with additional seasonal ones. “Meltzilda” melts 50-pound blocks of wax while “Soybastion” melts smaller batches. Another good option is Group Therapy Pub & Playground for indoor miniature golf, other games, a full bar, and small bites.
At Heritage Green, the Sigal Music Museum is America’s third largest music museum in the country. It’s first floor contains a collection of 20 incredible historic pianos of every imaginable variety. One Italian 1660 harpsichord even has under its lid a mid-17th century landscape painting. Upstairs, “A favorable wind” exhibition features woodwinds from collections of Eldred Spell, Sidney Forest, and Marlowe Sigal. This exhibit contains classic clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, trombones, bassoons, flutes, horns, and a wide variety of alto recorders.
Nearby Greenville County Art Museum has several pieces by Andrew Wyeth, one of the 20th century most important American painters. A dozen Brian Rutenberg oils on linen grace the walls, and a dramatic 1993 piece by Luis Cruz Azaceta, entitled “Caught,” inadvertently sums up current ICE activity in several states. On the second floor, several pieces by Jasper Johns, once the highest paid American artist.
Car aficionados will want to drive to Zentrum BMW Museum in nearby Spartanburg which has a massive, show stopping show room of both classic and current models. Visitors can also book in advance the manufacturing plant tour.
Of course, retail therapy is always on tap in Greenville. There’s Kilwins for handmade chocolates, Oil & Vinegar with specialty condiments, Mast General Store since 1883, with literally everything from soup to nuts, including specialty candy barrels with a yummy collection of 1970’s brands, and Vintage Now Modern for home goods, among many others.
For those who enjoy the great outdoors, about 20-minutes from downtown is the lovely suburb of Travelers Rest, named by Southern Living magazine as one of “The South’s Best Small Towns.” Its charming downtown and surrounds can be explored by foot or bicycle along the Swamp Rabbit Trail’s evergreen 28-mile path.
The Lessons Learned
There are few cities where one feels right at home exactly 10-minutes after arrival, while delivering a keen sense of place, and a strong sensation that one has luckily discovered a rare gem. Much like a perfect piece of fruit with a sweet aroma at the outset, Greenville’s many delicious discoveries come from spending time peeling away and enjoying its many distinct flavors and attributes.
Whether seeking a manageable urban interlude, enjoying cocktails while listening to the hum of the Reedy River or good music, dining at great restaurants, or appreciating the natural beauty of surrounding areas with plentiful lakes and trails, all types of travelers will enjoy Greenville. Adding Southern charm and hospitality, easy proximity and access to gateway cities, frankly it would be hard to imagine a more perfect small city destination. Come soon, the word is out.
Julie L. Kessler is a journalist, attorney, and the author of the award-winning memoir: “Fifty-Fifty, The Clarity of Hindsight.” Her work has appeared in major publications around the world, including The L.A. Times, The S.F. Examiner, The Asia Times, The Jerusalem Post, The Vancouver Courier, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser, The Daily Journal, among many others. She can be reached at Julie@VagabondLawyer.com
