GREER: businesses

Items

• Bailey Cunningham Cemetery
• Bailes Collins Building

  "George Bailes and Roy E. Collins opened the Bailes Collins Store in 1928. Around 1938, Collins became sole owner. Three generations worked in the store." In May 1995, Roy Collins donated the use of the building for one year to the Greer Heritage Museum, with the option of renewal for low rent. During the summer, the building was renovated with air conditioning, displays, lighting, carpeting, etc. The Museum was housed on Trade Street until 2009, when it moved to the former city hall.
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  Suber's Corn Mill
• Greer Depot
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  Mosteller Mill

  Mosteller Mill was a grist mill just outside of Greer, SC on Highway 14 North, currently [2023] the site of Lake View Steak House. It was originally planned by Phillip Mosteller, but he died before work began. It was then constructed in 1813-14 by Mrs. Eliza Bruce Mosteller and their son David; it was originally known Mostelle and Mostella. The corn mill was on the lower level, and the flour mill on the upper floors. David later built an additional cotton mill and gin. Hand-operated elevators carried wheat up to the higher floors. The mill was powered by a water wheel on the South Tyger River until 1937, when it was converted to gas engines. The mill was also the location of the Ansel Post Office. It was also operated by Stonewall Mosteller, Spartan David Mosteller, and Hendrix Mosteller, among others. It shut down in 1970 after the death of Hendrix Mosteller; it had continuously operated for 167 years. The building remained until 1976.
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  The Greer Citizen

  The Greer Citizen was the longest-running of Greer's four newspapers; its first issue published on May 10, 1918. Greer had several newspapers in its early years. Those that are known include: • Greer Observer began publication about July 1, 1905, operated by a stock company with "ample financial backing." Professor J. M. Moore was the first president, and editor of the paper. Dr. George Cureton was business manager, and Edwin Bailey (son of the first mayor) was treasurer. It suspended publication 1913-1915, then ceased operation in 1918. Its office reopened as Greer Citizen. • Greer News-Leader was established in 1910 by a group of 10 men as a Democrat-viewpoint paper. That group included M. C. "Cliff" Davenport, son of D.D. Davenport, and he became president of the paper. It began semi-weekly, then went weekly after 1912. It ceased operation by 1915. • Greer Citizen was founded May 10, 1918. P. W. Smith purchased the defunct Greer Observer and reopened it as The Greer Citizen. • Greer Tribune and the Industrial News was founded as an Independent-Democrat weekly paper in 1924. It ceased publication in 1935. FOUNDING The Greer Citizen was founded as the Greer Observer in June, 1905, and began publication around July 1. It ceased publication about 1915; it might have had a very short-life restart under new owners in 1917. In 1918 the building and equipment were purchased by Preston Webb (P. W.) Smith and then reopened as Greer Citizen with first publication on May 10, 1918. According to business records currently in possession of Smith descendants, P. W. Smith purchased equipment on April 13, 1918 from R. H. DeYoung, who had worked under Remsen. Greenville Daily News, May 2, 1918, reports that the Greer Observer weekly newspaper, which had not published for many months, had been purchased by W. P. Smith [sic], “a newspaper man of considerable reputation,” who had moved from Williamston to buy and operate the paper. The former editor, Lieut. N.C. Ramsey [sic], had been stationed at Camp Jackson (possibly the reason for the paper stopping). That was actually N.C. Remsen, who ended up as a captain and served overseas. The May 23, 1929 issue of the Greer Citizen has, in the masthead, "Founded May 10, 1917." There are other sources that state the founding of the paper was May 10, 1917 as well. In a history of the paper written by Carol Dixon working with Charles P. Smith (son of of Preston, and who worked at the paper), Charles recollects printing a special issue at the end of the Great War "on the morning of November 11, 1917." This would indicate that the paper existed before 1918, except for one detail: the Armistice was on November 11, 1918. The Smith papers provide original-source documentation establishing the 1918 date, and the Greenville Daily News article provides secondary confirmation. According to Charles P. Smith, son of the founder, the Citizen was started "because of the need for it — especially the need of the merchants." That first year there were approximately 700 subscribers; that number grew to 2,200 by 1937 and 10,000 in 2006. OWNERS, PUBLISHERS AND EDITORS — Professor J. M. Moore was the first president and editor of the Greer Observer. — McClain: a July 1922 newspaper article states that the first editor was a young lawyer named McClain. — J. Marion Moore: editor of the Greer Observer by June, 1906. Moore was simultaneously the superintendent of the Greers Graded School. — Charles W. Drace, Greer's famed photographer and founder of Grand Theatre, is listed as manager of the Observer on a letterhead dated March 2, 1907. — Professor Boggs: a July 1922 newspaper article also states that the next editor after McClain was a Professor Boggs, who associated with N. C. Remsen. It then states that after working together several years Boggs sold his interest to Remsen. — N.C. Remsen was owner and editor by October 1908. He left Greer to volunteer for the Great War; that happened as early as 1913 and definitely by 1915. He went to officers' training camp at Fort Oglethorpe, then went to Camp Jackson, then was commissioned as a captain and spent several months overseas with the A.E.F. — Monty DeYoung and Rev. J. P. Winningham: as a Lieutenant stationed at Camp Jackson, N. C. Remsen sold the business in October 1917 to Rev. J. P. Winningham, pastor of Victor Methodist Church, and Ryan LaMont "Monty" DeYoung. Winningham provided the funding and became editor; DeYoung, who had worked under Remsen, operated the presses. Winningham had prior newspaper experience with the Columbia Record. DeYoung appears to have formerly worked for the Greer News-Leader, the Keeowee Courier, and a Belton newspaper. The Observer did not survive, and ceased publication. — Preston Webb Smith had been a photographer in Central, SC; he became "a newspaper man of considerable reputation" in Williamston before coming to Greer early in 1918 to buy the defunct Greer Observer's equipment. His wife, Lula Lamb Smith, ran the newspaper office, and his sons Charles and William also worked with the paper. He changed the name to The Greer Citizen and owned the paper from 1918 until 1936, with multiple changes in ownership along the way. — W. Grady Hazel purchased the paper from P. W. Smith around July, 1923. Hazel also held interest in the Waters-Hazel Printing Company, which he managed, and he owned the Woodruff Times. He had previously owned and published the Saluda Standard for nine years. Hazel intended to move his printing company from Johnston to Greer; Smith was to continue the operation of the Citizen until Hazel arrived, expected to be that August. That did not happen. The circumstances are not clear; on August 23, Hazel sold the printing company, still in Johnston, to Armfield Brothers. Apparently the Citizen deal was reversed, and P. W. Smith regained ownership. Hazel went on to own and operate other newspapers, including one in Myrtle Beach, S.C.; the Thomasville (N.C.) News and Times; and finally the Bennettsville, S.C. Pee Dee Advocate, which he published from 1931-1952. — J. T. Fain purchased the paper from P. W. Smith around April, 1924. The Smiths had been sold on a promise of grapefruit riches from buying real estate in LeFeria, Texas, and they moved there. James N. Benton was editor and "had charge of the paper." By October of that year circulation had grown considerably and the paper became semi-weekly, publishing on Monday and Thursday of each week. — C. A. Herlong and B. F. Read, "experienced newspaper men," purchased the paper from Fain on April 19, 1925. The newspaper notice of the sale reports that James Benton had no announcement of his plans. — C. L. Moore and W. Allen Kindel purchased the paper on June 19, 1930 and became the publishers. This did not last long: by July of 1931 the owner and publisher was again listed as P. W. Smith. — Tup Lucas purchased the business from P. W. Smith June 1, 1936. He owned it five years until 1941. Tup had been editor and publisher of the Easley Progress, and then was with the Seneca Journal. In 1938, he began a commercial printing business in Greer called Economy Press. He sold the paper in 1941 to Belmont Ver Standig. According to Charles Smith, son of the founder, after Tup Lucas purchased the business it "changed hands six or eight times" in the "next four or five years" but that appears to be an exaggeration. — M. Belmont Ver Standig: owned the paper 1941-1942. When he sold the paper to Reese Combs in January 1942, he was reported to have been publisher for the previous 8 years. This does not align with other sources and likely meant 8 months. — Reese Combs, director of the Chimney Rock Home for Boys, purchased the Citizen in January, 1942. He appointed Robert Hill as editor; however, Hill was soon called to Marietta, Georgia for a family medical emergency. It appears that Combs was unable to find someone else to run the paper, and sold it back to Tup Lucas in March of 1942. — Tup Lucas bought it back from Reese Combs in March, 1942. On June 1, 1942 he brought in Edd Burch as publisher and editor; the Greenville News reported that Lucas would "remain connected with the weekly in another capacity." On June 11 the Walterborough, S. C. Press and Standard reported that Lucas had sold the Seneca Journal and moved back to Greer to "resume management of the Greer Citizen" and that he had "found a new editor" for the paper — referencing Edd Burch. In May, 1943, a Greenville News article calls Lucas the former owner of the Greer Citizen. A June, 1974 article says that Burch purchased it in June 1942, but that may be confusing the time he started work there and the time he purchased the paper. — Edd A. Burch became publisher and editor of the Citizen on June 1, 1942; at that time circulation had dropped to 1,400. He became owner by May, 1943. By 1976 the circulation had grown to 8,500, and by the 1990s was more than 10,000. A native of Eastman, Ga., he began his career as associate editor of The Bartow Herald in Cartersville, Ga. from 1931 to 1936, and editor of The Dalton Citizen in Dalton, Ga. from 1937 to 1942. He was editor and publisher until his death on Aug. 7, 1985. Under Burch, the paper won numerous awards including "Best Weekly" from the South Carolina Press Association in 1983 and 1984. — Walter and Leland Burch assumed management when their father died in August of 1985; Leland was named editor. Leland had joined the newspaper staff as news editor after graduating from Wofford College in 1961, and Walter joined as advertising manager after graduating from Presbyterian College and serving two years of active duty in the U.S. Army; he became the general manager. — Don Wilder became publisher on Sept. 30, 2006 when Buchheit News Management, a Spartanburg family-based company, purchased the paper. Wilder had previously worked with the Buchheit family since the 1970s at The Union (SC) Daily Times, The Williamson (WV) Daily News and Hometown News in Spartanburg. Buchheit News Management was a Spartanburg business which traced its roots back to Phil Buchheit, who first leased and operated the Spartanburg Herald-Journal on Jan. 1, 1948. He purchased the daily Goldsboro (N.C.) News-Argus in 1953, the first of a series of acquisitions of newspapers, a radio station, a photographic studio, an advertising agency, and a furniture store. He died in 1977. His son and daughter, Bill Buchheit and Phyllis DeLapp, assumed ownership of the company and purchased additional newspapers, eventually holding publications in North and South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, West Virginia and Ohio. In 1991, Bill Buchheit died, the company was divided between family members, and Bill’s wife Mellnee created Buchheit News Management; in addition to The Greer Citizen publications included Goldsboro News-Argus, Mount Olive Messenger, Wright Times and GO! Magazine. — Steve Blackwell was named publisher in January 2013 after Wilder's retirement. Blackwell, a graduate of Gardner-Webb, started working with the Buchheit family in 1984 at The Union Daily Times and later served as publisher for Hometown News. LOCATIONS — 221 Randall Street: this building, built after 1904 and before 1911, belonged to D. D. Davenport. It was likely the home of the Greer Observer, and was the building in which P. W. Smith began operation of the Citizen in May, 1917. — 18 North Main Street: In July 1922 P. W. Smith purchased land and had a new building constructed here, on a site that would later become the Greer Theatre and then Hampton Inn. — 107-109 Trade Street: When Tup Lucas purchased the paper in the late 1930s, he moved it to Trade Street. This is the location that now contains Los Portales Mexican Restaurant; in that time, the two lots that are now the restaurant and its patio were street numbers 105, 107, and 109. The Citizen printing office, listed as 107-109, was in the building that is still standing. — 105 Victoria Street: in 1956, Edd Burch moved the printshop to a new building at 105 Victoria Street. — 317 Trade Street: the paper moved to its final location on June 20, 2011.
• Bank of Greer

  From the 60th Anniversary brochure (1985): On January 14, 1925, a group of interested citizens of Greer, Duncan, Lyman and surrounding areas met for the purpose of organizing a bank. It was decided that capital stock was to be $25,000.00 with a par value of $100.00 per share. At the time 240 shares were subscribed and a charter was obtained for the bank to be located on Main Street in Duncan, South Carolina and to be named, "The Peoples Bank of Duncan." The original office was located in what is now the City Hall of Duncan and, ironically enough, only a very short distance from one of the present branch offices of Bank of Greer. The first Board of Directors elected at the stockholders meeting consisted of O.M. Moore, J.C. Cunningham, M.C. Davenport, W.S. Glenn, Alfred Moore, and T.W. Moore. The Board then appointed O.M. Moore, President and J.S. McClimon, Cashier and Officer in charge of operations. The Bank operated in Duncan, until the Bank Holiday was declared by the President of the United States in 1933. After the Holiday, the Bank was allowed to reopen for business without any restrictions. This is unique, because out of all the banks in Spartanburg County, only Peoples Bank of Duncan and one other survived the Banking Holiday of 1933. During April and May of 1933, a movement was started to amend the original charter and move the bank to Greer, South Carolina. Authority was granted and the name was changed to Bank of Greer. At this time there was no commercial banks in Greer, and only the Planters Savings Bank, which was operating on a restricted basis, to serve the needs of the growing trade hub centered in Greer. A stockholders meeting ws held and the first Board of Directors of Bank of Greer was elected consisting of B.A. Bennett, Dr. R.L. Marchant, R.D. Dobson, J.C. Cunningham and J.H. Walker. The new board accepted the resignation of O.M. Mooreas President, and elected B.A. Bennett the first President of Bank of Greer, Dr. R.L. Marchant Vice President and J.S. McClimon Cashier. On June 15, 1933, the bank opened its doors in Greer, with total assets of $137,151.87, in temporary quarters on the corner of Trade and Randall Streets. It moved shortly one block north to the corner of Trade and Victoria Streets. The first three full time employees in Greer were J.S. McClimon, W.S. "Bill" Moore, and Mrs. T.F. "Kate" Boozer. The first called statement was issued at close of business Octobe 25, 1933 and showed total assets of $168,744.58 with deposits of $137,000.00. It was at this time that application was made and granted for membership in the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the government agency that insures and regulates activity in nearly all commercial banks in the United States. The Bank of Greer continued to grow during the following years both in deposits and activity. By year end 1935 assets showed a figure of $597,271.22. The bank passes the million dollar barrier during 1938 and by December 31, 1942 had grown to over 2.6 million in total assets. The bank continued to expand as it passed the 5 million dollar plateau by year end 1945. In 1955, the directors saw the need for enlarged quarters and expanded into a building next door on Trade Street which relieved the crowded conditions that had hampered additional growth. The first drive-in window was constructed at the rear of the Trade Street office at this time to provide for drive up banking. In early 1959 a second drive-in facility was constructed at the Trade Street office at this time to provide for drive up banking. In early 1959 a second drive-in facility was constructed at the Trade Street office to provide expanded service. In 1960, an application was made to the State Board of Bank Control and the FDIC for authority to establish a branch bank at the Hampton Village Shopping Center on Highway 29 in Taylors. Permission was granted and the office was opened with W.H. Bruce, Assistant Cashier as the Branch Manager. This became the second office of Bank of Greer. This expansion provided for additional growth of the bank and by year end assets had passes the ten million dollar level. In July 1964, a third branch of Bank of Greer was opened on Main Street in Duncan, only a very short distance from the original office of "Peoples Bank of Duncan." John C. Bearden was named as Branch Manager. This gave the bank locations east and west of Greer to serve these rapidly growing areas. In 1966, the fourth location of Bank of Greer was opened at 601 North Main Street in Greer, with Robert J. Loftis named as Branch Manager. This gave the bank two locations within the City of Greer. The bank continued to grow and by year end 1967 total assets had grown to over 16.6 million dollars. In 1968 the office at North Main Street expanded and the ban's bookkeeping department was moved there from the Trade Street location. The bank's Senior Management soon followed and North Main was named as the main office of Bank of Greer, with Trade Street remaining open as the downtown branch. By 1970 total assets of the bank had grown to over 23.8 million, more than double what they were ten years earlier. The bank expanded again in 1973, building a location in the newly developed Greer Plaza Shopping Center. Dan W. Sloan was named as Branch Manager. This became the third location in Greer, allowing customers to do their banking and shopping in one location. In May 1975, the sixth location of Bank of Greer was opened in Eastgate Village Shopping Center in Taylors, with C.B. Hyatt as Branch Manager. This new location was built to service the rapidly growing population in the Taylors area. By year end 1975, total assets had grown to over 44.1 million, nearly double those of 1970. This time period signaled a period of tremendous growth for the Bank of Greer, despite the national economy slowly recovering from a recession. By 1978, total assets had topped 62 million dollars and earnings exceeded the one million dollar mark for the first time in the bank's history. Continued customer and employee growth were making conditions at the North Main Office crowded and construction was begun on a new office located at 304 West Wade Hampton Blvd. In Greer on the property known as Village Greer. In August 1980, the bank opened its seventh office Village Greer, a 2.2 million dollar, 4 story facility; one of the most modern banking facilities in the state. This office houses the Bank's Management, the operations area, the bookkeeping department, the loan departments, the data processing department, the trust department and the full service tellers and drive-in facilities. The year 1981 saw a period of change in the Bank of Greer and in all of the banking industry with the introduction of N.O.W. accounts (checking accounts with interest). This signaled the beginning of deregulation of the banking industry. In mid 1981 a new drive-in facility was opened adjacent to the Duncan Office. This modern 4-lane office provides customers in that area with fast and efficient service. In late 1981, automatic teller machines were installed in three of the bank's offices, the Main Office on Wade Hampton Blvd., the Duncan Express Office and the Eastgate Office, to provide customers with 24 hour banking. Despite all these changes, 1981 proved to be another good year for the bank as year end assets topped 87.3 million and deposits exceeded 76.8 million. In April of 1983, the bank installed its own inhouse computer system, providing the bank's employees and customers with the most modern up-to-date products and services. In May of that same year, in an effort to better serve the customers in the Taylors and Greenville areas, the Wade Hampton office was relocated from its existing location in Hampton Village Shopping Center to a new highly visible location at 2520 Wade Hampton Blvd. Greenville, yet less than a mile from its original location. This new office provides the most modern in banking facilities complete with 4 drive-in lanes and an automatic teller machine. Year end total assets for 1983 topped 105.5 million dollars and net income exceeded one million dollars with total deposits increasing by over 10 million. The year 1984 proved to be one of the best years in the history of the Bank of Greer as total deposits increased 12.1 million dollars, the largest dollar increase in the bank's history. Year end total assets exceeded 120.3 million dollars and net income was 1.2 million, very significant gains in a time of continued deregulation of the banking industry. In mid August 1985, Bank of Greer opened its eighth office, Maxwell Pointe, with T. Preston Rochester as Branch Manager. This modern facility complete with an automatic teller machine and 4 drive-in lanes is located at the intersection of Highway 14 and Woodruff Roads in Greenville near the Mauldin, Simpsonville areas. This office opens up a new market to the bank in one of the fastest growing residential and commercial areas in the county. In the very short time that this office has been open, it has shown that there was a tremendous need for an office in this area and that Bank of Greer could meet the needs of those customers. From its beginning as one small office, Bank of Greer has radiated from its main office at 304 West Wade Hampton Blvd. Greer, to seven additional locations throughout Greenville and Spartanburg counties. Those locations are: 601 North Main Street Greer, 106 Trade Street Greer, Greer Plaza Shopping Center Greer, 206 West Main Street Duncan, 2520 Wade Hampton Blvd. Greenville, Eastgate Village Shopping Center Taylors, and Maxwell Pointe Shopping Center Greenville. Beginning with only a few faithful investors, and a handful of dedicated employees, it has grown to over 150 employees and an annual payroll exceeding 1.7 million dollars. Despite its small beginnings Bank of Greer has grown into a leader in the banking industry. We are able to offer the most modern banking services and conveniences yet retain that hometown friendly service. "Benefit Banking" truly does "Make the Difference." The Bank of Greer has often been called a "unique" financial institution; not very many can state that they have had only 5 past presidents. O.M. Moore served as the President of "Peoples Bank of Duncan" from its beginning in 1925 to the moving of the bank of Greer in 1933. With the changing of name and location B.A. Bennett became the first President of Bank of Greer. He served as Chief Executive Officer from 1933 until his death in 1964. At that time J.S. McClimon assumed the Presidency and served until his retirement in 1966 which ended a very illustrious banking career that spanned 50 years. Upon the retirement of Mr. McClimon, Harry Daniel who came to the bank in 1936 was elected President. Mr. Daniel served as President until his retirement in 1972. With the retirement of Mr. Daniel, John C. Bearden who began with the bank in 1948 became the new President. Mr. Bearden saw the bank through its period of expansion, rapid development and growth, retiring in 1983 ending an active banking career of 35 years. Mr. Bearden remains with the bank as a member of the Board of Directors. In June of 1983 H. Alvin Freeman was elected as the new President. Mr. Freeman began his career with the bank in 1946, steadily moving thru management, until he became the President. Mr. Freeman remains the head of Bank of Greer to this day, and under his steady leadership the Bank of Greer has continued to grow and expand its customer base. Without the innovative and forceful leadership of these men, the Bank of Greer would not be the strong financial institution it is today. The Bank of Greer's Board of Directors have always been a strong and steady influence. Through out the years many outstanding men have faithfully served on the Board; men such as B.A. Bennett, J.S. McClimon, R.A. Dobson, I.B. Dobson, George Harrison, J.H. Walker, Harry Daniel, John Ratteree, Dr. J.L. Hughes, B.B. Waters, W.P. Brannon, R.H. Wood, Sr., Ansel Alewine, E.A. Burch and Herbert L. Freeman. The current board consists of John C. Bearden, Virgil Q. Cox, L.M. Davis, MD., E. Dennis Dobson, Lawrence M. Dobson, David V. Duncan, H. Alvin Freeman, Hayne P. Griffin, Jr., Ben L. Paget, James S. Paget, Jr., Jack E. Shaw, Jefferson V. Smith, Jr., and Earle R. Taylor (Director Emeritus). Bank of Greer has seen its trade area grow from mainly agriculturally based, through the Great Depression, World War II, the dawn of the nuclear age, the rise of the textile industry, man's exploration of the stars, the dawn of the computer age and others, yet it has remained steadfast in its commitment to the people that it serves.
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  Sleep-Awake Toys South

  Sleep-Awake was in business in Greer during the 1960s. Several of their products were modeled after 1800s dolls in the Museum of the City of New York; and the dolls sold mostly to adults as nostalgia products. The company was named after a doll style popular in the 1800s: a “sleep awake” doll had a two-sided head with an “awake” face on one side and an “asleep” face on the other. Another version was usually a girl in a dress. The doll had a secret: the dress could be flipped to the opposite end, revealing not legs but a second second torso and head of the same person, but with eyes closed, asleep. These were also called topsy-turvy dolls. The company was just two people, a brother and sister. The brother, Ed Minus, lived in Greer and ran Sleep-Awake South; his sister was in Burnt Hills, New York and ran Sleep-Awake North. The company started in 1960. For a short time they were very successful; in 1965 they sold product in all 50 states and 19 foreign countries, including more than 200,000 toys during the Christmas season alone. All of their products had custom silkscreened designs printed on fabric; they then had friends and neighbors hand-sew the finished products. Unlike the 19th century dolls they were patterned after, Sleep-Awake dolls were typically stuffed with foam rubber.
• Greer Cottonseed Oil and Fertilizer Company

  Founded in 1896 by David D. Davenport, the Greer Cottonseed Oil and Fertilizer Company sold products acquired through the processing of cottonseed: oil, meal, and hulls, as well as linters used in the actual processing. The company survived the destruction of offices and warehouses by a fire, and after Davenport's death, company stock was sold to the Greer Oil Mill and Feed Company, Inc., which continued ginning operations until 1959.
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  The Grand Theatre

  The history of Charles Drace’s Grand Theatre