Company picks Florence location for computer-cooling products

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By: Andrew Boardwine, Morning News

FLORENCE, S.C. — ARCTIC, an international company specializing in computer-cooling devices, will locate its first American venture in Quinby with plans to convert the former IGA building in the Quinby Plaza into a combination of warehouse and office space, officials told the Morning News on Thursday.

ARCTIC, headquartered in Hong Kong with operations in Germany, will use its new facility in Florence County to distribute products throughout the United States. Employees have been hired for warehouse and marketing positions with more set to be hired for sales positions.

Denise Stein, executive team leader for ARCTIC, said Florence County’s location made it the best choice for the company as it expanded its operations in the United States.

“We considered other locations on the East Coast that would have suited our needs, but we had a gut feeling that Florence County was the best fit for us, mostly because of the overwhelming support we received from every point of contact throughout this decision process,” Stein said in an announcement.

Florence County discovered ARCTIC last year at a Select USA Investment Summit, where Lauren Stanton, assistant director of the Florence County Economic Development Partnership, met with ARCTIC representatives. The Gould Business Incubator, proximity to ports and business-friendly climate were key factors in ARCTIC’s decision to locate in Florence County.

Joe W. King, executive director of the Florence County Economic Development Partnership, said the Gould Business Incubator was significant in the company’s decision to come to Florence.

“We met them last year in Maryland,” King said. “They felt comfortable in the community, and it was important for them to have a place like the Gould Business Incubator where they could get started right away.”

ARCTIC operations are taking place at the Gould Business Incubator until renovations are complete at the Quinby facility.

Peter Jankowski, branch and sales director for ARCTIC, said the company looks forward to growing in the United States through its new Florence County presence.

“We look forward to growing our U.S. presence and expanding our brand awareness,” Jankowski said. “The Gould Business Incubator offered us the chance to get started right away, which is a unique opportunity that helped set Florence County apart from other locations.”

For more information about ARCTIC or the various products it offers, visit arctic.ac/us_en/.

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Family, art go together at new Florence framing shop

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Andrew Boardwine, Morning News

FLORENCE, S.C. — Art and family have always been two of the top priorities for Troy Cottrill. Now, he gets the opportunity to work with both simultaneously.

Cottrill’s Landmark Art joined ambassadors from the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce Wednesday to hold a ribbon cutting to celebrate the new store.

Cottrill’s Landmark Art, at 1308 Celebration Blvd., is a family-owned custom frame shop and art gallery. The shop has now been open for a week.

The shop offers “view it before you buy it” technology in which the customers can scan their art piece or photo into a software program that will then allow them to drag and drop different frames and maps, showing them the finished product before they order it.

“We are able to frame and mat very quickly and get it back to the customer in a timely manner,” Cottrill said. “It was very important for us that prices were lower than that of what you’d normally pay and we wanted to offer the very best.”

In addition to framing and matting, the gallery showcases artwork from six artists, five of whom are local and one who is from Paris, France. Cottrill said he can also order other art pieces that may not be displayed in the gallery.

Cottrill, who was raised in Ohio, has lived in South Carolina for 19 years. As an artist, he specializes in pencil drawings of historical sites and other vintage objects. Cottrill said the idea to open a frame shop came when he and his wife, Melissa, started looking into buying their own art printers and framing equipment to avoid paying high costs when looking to sell and showcase their art.

“It was always a dream of mine to open a gallery and it just kind of evolved from there,” Cottrill said. “We began framing and printing on our own and started to do it for many other artists, as well.”

“My wife has been very involved with art,” Cottrill said. “This is definitely going to be family ran. My 23-year-old son will be one of our main framers. My wife is very techy and installed the software that we use to show our customers their product before they buy it. Our youngest is 10 years old and she is already looking forward to working here someday, but she made it clear that she will require a hefty salary.”

The store will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, contact Cottrill’s Landmark Art at 843-799-0328, or visit its website at cotrillslandmarkart.com. They can also be reached via e-mail at cottrillslandmarkart@gmail.com.

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Chick-fil-A West Florence opens its doors

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By: Andrew Boardwine, Morning News

FLORENCE, S.C. — The newly constructed Chick-fil-A West Florence restaurant opened its doors for the very first time Thursday morning.

One hundred people received free Chick-fil-A for a year, including dozens of campers who braved the heat, a short rain spell and the elements to camp outside the store 24 hours prior to the official opening.

Employees and executives from the restaurant, which previously was drive-thru only, joined ambassadors from the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the grand opening with a program, ribbon cutting and a ceremonial “first bite.”

Blake Pate, owner and operator of the store, said that the Chick-fil-A drive-thru opened 24 years ago, and for 23 of those years, they have waited for a dining room.

“I want to thank everybody that came out and everyone that has been really supportive throughout the community,” Pate said. “We’re happy to finally have that dining room and really excited to be here.”

Pate originally took over the Chick-fil-A inside the Magnolia Mall before transitioning to the drive-thru-only one at 2705 David H. McLeod Blvd two years ago. He said that the store added 35 more jobs, bringing the total number of employment to 105 at the new restaurant.

“We want to keep it simple,” Pate said. “We want to sell you good food and be really friendly while doing it. That’s our mission and our goal here at Chick-fil-A West Florence. We want to do exactly what [Chick-fil-A founder] Truett Cathy said: ‘To treat everyone with honor, dignity and respect’ and to serve you a great chicken sandwich at the same time.”

Nicole Hill, the marketing director of Chick-fil-A West Florence, said she was happy for the entire Pate family as their dream came true Thursday morning.

“For us, it’s been such a joyful experience,” Hill said. “A lot of us have been working with Blake when he was in the mall and followed him to drive-thru, but we knew the long-term plan was to build this store. It’s been his dream, and the fact that he gets to have something so new makes me extremely excited for him. He really is a people’s person. He wants to be able to get out of the office and into the dining room to interact with guests. I think having this new store is going to be amazing for him.”

Hill said the location right off the interstate will provide a good amount of volume for the store.

“With this particular location, we have so many people traveling through on the interstate that will get off and want to eat here,” Hill said. “If they want something a bit faster or if they have a really large family, they actually have a dining room to come and sit in together, which is awesome.”

Chick-fil-A West Florence will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Three J Properties holds ribbon cutting in Florence; business offers handyman services

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By: Andrew Boardwine, Morning News

FLORENCE, S.C. – Three J Properties joined ambassadors from the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce to hold a ribbon cutting Wednesday afternoon.

Three J Properties, a maintenance and repair company, offers a variety of services for both residential and commercial properties.

Joe Linder, owner of Three J Properties, said his favorite part about being a handyman is seeing his clients’ face when the job is completed.

“There are different personalities day to day,” Linder said. “No one person is the same, no one job is the same. I love seeing that finished result. Everyone has different things that they want, but always at the end they are like ‘wow’ and that makes it all worth it.”

Linder said the company does anything including repairs, renovation, refinishing and remodeling for both residential and commercial properties.

He said joining the chamber was a way to extend his company’s reach and let the Florence community know about the services his business offers.

Linder was joined by many family members, including his brother James and father, Joe Sr., who help with the business.

“I’m no better than anyone else, but I will work hard to make sure I get it right,” Linder said. “It’s awesome getting to work with my family. A lot of times, you have to choose between work and family. Through our business, we get to do both and I look forward to building relationships with people and letting them know about us in the Florence community.

For more information, contact Three J Properties at 843-615-2131.

Florence company offers all kinds of fencing work

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FLORENCE, S.C. — Flat Out Fencing joined ambassadors with the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday morning to hold a ribbon cutting.

Flat Out Fencing, a Florence-based company, does fencing of all kinds, including chain-link, wood, privacy or pickets, and gates, as well as repairs or demolition for both commercial and residential property.

Nicholas Hodges, who co-owns the company with his wife, Valentina, said the company began business in September 2017.

“Previously, I had worked with a guy who was a contractor for Lowes, Home Depot and Sears,” Nicholas said. “The last part before I left, they had me branching off of fencing and doing other housework and I really wanted to get back to doing fencing. I enjoy working outside and seeing the productivity of working with my hands.”

Valentina said that Nicholas is a perfectionist, which results in him making sure to put in the highest quality of work on each project he is assigned.

“Whatever he does, whether it be fencing or working with me in the house or anything else, he’ll redo it again and again to make sure he gets it right,” Valentina said. “For him, quality is important and he wants everything to look good.”

Nicholas was referred to the Chamber by a board member, Robby Hill, and said the networking opportunities will help grow his business.

He said the business is excited about its opportunities in the future and will look to provide its customers with the best quality and service.

“As a new company, we are trying to have the lowest price,” Nicholas said. “If a customer were to find a lower price, we would try our best not just to match it, but to beat it.”

For more information, contact Flat Out Fencing at 843-206-6922 or email flatoutfencing@gmail.com. The company also has a website at flatoutfence.business.site.

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Heating and Cooling company expands from Ohio to Florence

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By: Andrew Boardwine, Morning News

FLORENCE, S.C. — Russell Christian, co-owner of Best Service Heating and Cooling Inc., pulled a marble out of his pocket with an inscription on it: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” He said that was the adage his company operates by.

Best Service Heating and Cooling Inc., at 1838 Habersham Square, Suite E, joined ambassadors from the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday afternoon to celebrate its grand opening with a ribbon cutting.

Russell, who co-owns the company with his wife, Cookie, said he has operated the business for more than 40 years with a location in Columbus, Ohio. After many accolades, including BBB Accreditation in 2014 and being named a 15-time Super Service Award winner by Angie’s List, the Christians looked to expand their business to South Carolina.

“We were looking to increase our footprint and extend our summer,” Russell said. “We were looking for a place that had a good, long summer and we looked all through South Carolina. Every time we came back to Florence, we just felt at home.”

His wife echoed his sentiments.

“Everybody’s been so friendly and welcoming,” Cookie Christian said. “We’re not used to that being, from Ohio, and we just really like it here. Everything is so close and we really like the accessibility.”

Leon Holden was named the operations manager for the Florence location. Russell said he believes that Leon has the knowledge and skill to perform the job effectively.

Best Services Heating and Cooling Inc. provides an array of services, including furnace and air condition repair, installation, heat pump repair, duct cleaning, and more.

“What we bring to the table is that we live what we say,” Russell said. “We’re a Christian-based company and we look to truly serve the community. Once you use our company, you’ll see that we really mean what we say.”

Russell said joining the chamber was also a way for the company to become involved in the Florence community.

“We like living and being a part of the community,” Russell said. “We all deal with big ‘no face’ companies from time to time. What we are big on is doing one-on-one business where we get to talk to people, show them our product and explain to them how they can make their products last longer. Our theory is that if we show customers how to save money, they will come to us when they need us. I don’t want the quick service; we want the long-term customer.”

For more information about Best Service Heating and Cooling, contact 843-314-2378 or visit its website at bestservicehvac.com.

Florence Family Medicine aims for personal touch

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FLORENCE, S.C. — Florence Family Medicine employees joined ambassadors from the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce to hold a ribbon cutting Thursday morning.

Florence Family Medicine, at 315 N. Beltline Drive, Suite E, provides primary care services including sports physicals, sick visits, preventive medicine, routine health maintenance, management of chronic medical illnesses and more.

Ryan Williams, who co-owns the practice with his wife, Sabrina, and is the M.D., said the business opened in March.

“We had been working for larger facilities in the past and we kind of chatted one night and felt like we were called to open a small business and to serve the Florence and Pee Dee community with a private medical practice,” Ryan said.

Sabrina, a nurse, said the two had always joked about opening their own practice.

“All of a sudden it wasn’t a joke anymore,” she said. “We started looking and decided to really do it and here we are. It’s awesome and it certainly doesn’t feel like work.”

The two added Nikhole Mitchell to their staff as a registered nurse.

Ryan said the practice provides more of a personal touch than that of many other doctors’ offices. He said that the staff has prayed with patients and visited them in the hospital and that they seek to provide the highest care possible in every situation.

“Our main objective was to do this for God’s glory,” Ryan said. “We had our church come and dedicate this place. We claimed that He is the owner of the place and that puts things into perspective. It changes how we view patients and how we treat people. If you put God first, all else will fall into place. We strive to do the right thing in caring for people and we strive to be accessible to our patients.”

Sabrina said that the actions of the business speak louder than its words.

“We don’t push our faith on anyone, but we know that how we act and how we care about people, they will see Jesus in us,” Sabrina said. “In us caring about them, people see the difference.”

Sabrina said one way that the practice cares for its patients is by having shorter wait times.

“People are tired of waiting for their doctor,” Sabrina said. “They complain about having to wait two to three hours and still not being seen when they go back in the room. We will always strive to get our patients back and have them seen by the doctor in a quick time.”

Florence Family Medicine serves all ages and works with all the major insurance companies. The business plans to be full-service, meaning that it can admit patients into the hospital if necessary.

The practice is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and is closed from noon to 1 p.m. each day. For more information, visit florencefamilymed.com, follow the practice on Facebook or call 843-407-8192.

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Olanta, Hartsville banks announce merger

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OLANTA, S.C. — Citizens Bancshares Corporation, the holding company of The Citizens Bank, and Regional Bankshares, Inc., the holding company of Heritage Community Bank, jointly announced Friday the signing of a definitive merger agreement under which Citizens has agreed to acquire Regional in a cash and stock transaction with a total current value of approximately $11.3 million, based on an assumed Citizens’ stock value of approximately $30 per share as of May 17.

The combined company would have had approximately $550 million in total assets, $476 million in total deposits, and $356 million in total loans.

The transaction will create a 19-office banking company with locations in the eastern part of South Carolina.

The merger agreement has been approved by the board of directors of each company. Closing of the transaction, which is expected to occur near the end of the third quarter of 2018, is subject to regulatory approval and approval by the shareholders of Regional.

Gosnold G. Segars, Chairman of Regional’s Board of Directors is expected to join the Citizens Board of Directors. Other current Regional Board members will have the opportunity to serve as members of The Citizens Bank’s Hartsville Advisory Board.

Additionally, Curtis A. Tyner, Sr., President and Chief Executive Officer of Regional, will serve the combined company in a consulting role for a three-year period following the completion of the acquisition.

“Our customers will continue to receive the same high quality level of service from the bankers that have served them at Heritage Community Bank. With Citizens, we have found a shared passion for our work with local businesses and professionals. This focus will continue and we are looking forward to the additional capacity that this combination of banks will bring to our customers,” Tyner said.

“Heritage Community Bank is the ideal partner for The Citizens Bank. Our banking philosophies are very similar and we have many operational similarities as well. This transaction will strengthen our ability to serve our local markets, consumers and businesses that make Heritage Community Bank and The Citizens Bank successful. I look forward to our future together as a combined institution and the substantial impact our bank will have on the communities that we serve. We welcome Heritage Community Bank customers and employees to The Citizens Bank family,” said Blake Gibbons, president of The Citizens Bank.

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Andrew Boardwine, Morning News

FLORENCE, S.C. — Employees from the UPS Store joined ambassadors from the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce to hold a ribbon cutting Thursday afternoon.

The UPS Store, at 2023 S. Irby St., is the second location in Florence.

David Fountain, who co-owns the store with his business partner, Susan Lee, said the store had been open since August, but the ribbon cutting was a way to celebrate and let the community know about the new store and what it offers.

“It’s very exciting,” Fountain said. “It was one of those things in the process we needed to do and we were happy to be able to do it today.”

The UPS Store offers an array of services, including packing, shipping, mailbox rentals, shredding, notary, freight service and much more.

Fountain said many people do not know about the store’s printing service. The store prints anything from stickers to brochures, banners and signage. The store has a graphic designer on staff to help with printing services.

“We’re not known for our printing,” Fountain said. “From the small things to the big things, we do them all. People see ‘UPS’ and just think that the store is a place that you ship a package. We want to be a one-stop shop for individuals or businesses. They came into one place and are able to get all the services they need done in one place.”

Fountain said joining the chamber was a way for the company to network and build relationships with other business owners and entrepreneurs.

“I made a resolution the first of the year to be active in the community and meet other people,” Fountain said. “It’s been great to be able to network and build contacts. It has enabled us to let people know that we can print and do all these other things. It really has expanded our reach.”

Lee said the location on Irby Street allows the store to reach communities not only in Florence, but around the Pee Dee area.

“This building is larger than any other store we have,” Lee said. “It helps us to offer printing production. Stuff that is getting outsourced, we’re able to do that right here. In addition to the size, there’s a lot of residential. We’re pulling in a bigger group of people and we’ve picked up a lot of traffic over here.”

The UPS Store is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit theupsstore.com or call the store at 843-407-6309.

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Auto dealer cuts ribbon for new location in Florence

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By: Andrew Boardwine, Morning News

FLORENCE, S.C. — Employees and executives from U.S. Auto Sales joined ambassadors from the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the grand opening of its new location with a ribbon cutting Friday morning.

U.S. Auto Sales, a company based in Lawrenceville, Georgia, has 22 locations across the U.S. and five in South Carolina.

President Bob Andersen said the new Florence location, at 1448 N. Cashua Drive, rounds out the company’s reach in South Carolina.

“We’re excited to be in the Florence community,” Andersen said. “This is a great location for us and we are excited to be a part of the town. It was a great opportunity for us to enter Florence and it allows us to be able to care of the full state.”

Andersen said that U.S. Auto Sales has a selection of more than 2,000 vehicles and that fresh vehicles will arrive at the Florence location daily.

“We think we have a unique niche, particularly in this market,” Andersen said. “We offer a warranty with every vehicle and it’s part of our core to treat our guests with respect and maintain them as guests so they will want to come back.”

Andersen said joining the chamber was a way for the company to be part of the community.

“I think it’s important to always be a part of the community and to add to the community in both jobs and spirit,” Andersen said. “We want to keep focus on doing the right things in the community for the folks that live here.”

Neill Waters, chief marketing officer for U.S. Auto Sales, added that the chamber offers unique networking opportunities.

“When you’re selling cars, anyone can be a customer,” Waters said. “Being a part of the chamber allows us the opportunity to network, which create greats value to us as a company.”

As part of the festivities, Cowboy’s Famous Ribs & Chicken was on location to provide lunch. Andersen said the grand opening was a way to introduce the new dealership to the community.

“We’re always excited to open a new facility,” Andersen said. “We’re growing and continuing to expand our brand. We know that this location will do well and we’re excited to see what’s next.”

For more information on careers or available vehicles, visit usautosales.info.

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