Personal Injury Attorneyin Simpsonville, SC.

Editor’s note: ‘Now Open’ is a weekly series highlighting recently opened restaurants in the Greenville area and around the Upstate. Look for a new restaurant every Friday at postandcourier.com/greenville/food. Have a suggestion? Email Eric Connor.

SIMPSONVILLE — The Burdette Central redevelopment in downtown Simpsonville continues to fill out with its newest addition, a farm-to-table restaurant that taps heavily into local produce and livestock.

Farm Fresh Fast is now open with its second location.

The first location opened in 2017 on Church Street in downtown Greenville. The idea was to partner with local farmers and provide predictability that what was produced would be bought. In his late teens, owner Jonathan Willis struggled with his weight. With a background in biology, Willis put himself on a nutritional program and weight-training regimen. The program — which involved healthy fats, low-glycemic carbohydrates and lean proteins — ultimately helped him lose 110 pounds.

The menu features a variety of burgers like the Almost Heaven Burger, wraps such as the Crispy Thai Pork Wrap, seasonal stir fry and Farm Fit Plates.

The fit plates offer the choice of a protein — in queen or king size — with two sides that are updated daily, such as seasoned collard greens and sauteed squash.

Also part of the Farm Fresh Fast concept is a meal-prep menu, which can be ordered online at mealprep@eatfarmfreshfast.com.

The Burdette Central redevelopment is nearly filled out and is anchored by businesses like 1885 Taproom and Sidewall Pizza. The Burdette building dates back to 1899 when it operated as a family hardware store, and its redevelopment is part of a broader revitalization of downtown Simpsonville.

Farm Fresh Fast is open 4 to 9 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for Sunday brunch. The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays.

Have a suggestion for “Now Open?” Email econnor@postandcourier.com or Facebook or connect @cericconnor on Instagram and Twitter.

SIMPSONVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - We’ll it’s getting cold and you might be looking for family Christmas activities you can do and stay warm doing. How about looking at Christmas lights from your car?

Several homes across the upstate have gone all out this year and they want you to drive by. If you’re riding around Simpsonville you might just see a jolly face.

“I’ve been doing Santa Claus probably for seven years now. Been putting lights up on my house for probably 27 or 28 years” said Jim Perry.

Perry designed his Christmas lights to look like Santa’s face.

“We started off pretty small with just ‘let it snow’ on the front of the garage doors or on our garage doors ‘wishing for snow’ then that went to a bunch of candy canes and we’d go high into the trees with candy canes” said Perry.

He buys strands of lights and creates these Christmas designs on his own. He does it for his 11 grandkids and for anyone driving by to see.

“There’s actually been times that we’ve set out here and pop popcorn for them and passed out popcorn” he said.

It’s a tradition that didn’t stop with Jim. Now his adult children do it too.

“So we always went as a family and we drove around town and looked at Christmas lights,” said Nate Perry.

Just like his dad, Nate Perry goes all out for Christmas and so did his three other siblings. Five houses in the family, each with their own name, theme and thousands of lights.

“To see and hear that from little children and grown folks. We see retirement buses come around and just to see the amount of people that come and look at them, it brings me joy” said Nate Perry.

“It was never a requirement,” Jim Perry laughed, “but it’s fun that they do it and they all have kids and their kids love it and so it’s kind of become a family tradition.”

Perry family houses: Simpsonville “Santa House” 1003 Powderhorn Drive. “Merry and Bright” at 402 Tulip Tree Lane. “The Gingerbread House” at 5 Digby Place. “Blue Blue Christmas Musical” at 59 Enoree Farm Way, Taylors. “Christmas at the Cabin” at 421 Brookstone Way, Central.

Copyright 2022 WHNS. All rights reserved.

Ground penetrating radar shows more than a dozen burials without headstones

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SIMPSONVILLE, S.C. —

More than a dozen unmarked graves at South Carolina church cemetery belong to African Americans who were once enslaved.

The new find at Bethel United Methodist Church in Simpsonville comes after Omega Mapping Services were called in on Monday to use ground penetrating radar in Bethel Cemetery.

Upstate Girl Scouts dig for answers in centuries-old mystery

Len Strozier scanned the grassy area around a single marker that reads: "In memory of enslaved African Americans buried here."

Strozier then placed orange flags on all of the areas that indicate someone is buried there.

WYFF

"If I place an orange flag in the ground, I'm placing it on the 'belt buckle' of the person who is buried there," Strozier said.

Many parishioners from the church were present for the release of the results.

At this time, those buried without markers have not been identified, but the church claims they're beginning to learn more about the people buried without headstones.

"We have learned that these slaves worked for members of the church and attended church here at Bethel too," says Harriett Dease, the Chair of the Administration Council at BUMC.

With help from a GoFundMe campaign, Omega Mapping Services was brought in to investigate by Girl Scout Troop 1967 and their troop leader, Tracey Graham.

"We're always asking what we can do for the church because the church does so much for us," Graham said.

Graham said the troop is looking to earn its Silver Award by helping the community with a project.

The scouts were given the option of planting a perennial flower garden or helping the church research the unmarked graves of former slaves.

Graham went to the parents for permission.

"All of the parents said 'yes,'" Graham said. "We want our children to learn. This is a part of history. These girls are doing a whole lot more than just selling cookies."

Bethel United Methodist Church is steeped in history, and the grounds were once a rallying point for local Confederates as the Civil War began in 1861.

Church officials and longtime members reacted to the find.

"Everyone wants to be identified, and everybody should be identified," said Terri Pyle, the chairwoman of the Trustee Committee at the church. "It's a good idea, so we can do the research, find out who's where and identify them finally after all this time."

And with help from the church, the Girl Scouts will be helping to give the men, women and children their names and their stories back to them.

"In the African-American community, it's very hard for us to do genealogy to trace our ancestors," Graham said. "There are no markers, and there's no history. We have to go dig it out, and we have to find it."

Troop 1967 is also looking to raise money to replace the current marker with a larger one.

"We want to have a service. We want to purchase a larger marker for the African-Americans that are buried here and invite the public out to this service to dedicate this marker," Graham said.

In all, 196 unmarked graves were identified by Strozier inside Bethel Cemetery.

"It's amazing, just amazing that they wanted to do this," Strozier said.

WYFF News 4 spoke with a local man who says his family may have connections to the former slaves who are buried in Bethel Cemetery.

Bill Austin said his family history goes back two centuries in the Simpsonville area, and he's descended from the family who owned Oakland Plantation.

In the days leading up to the unmarked graves being found, Austin said he was once a groundskeeper at the cemetery beginning in the early 1950s.

Austin said unmarked stones were once in the ground at each of the burial sites for the former slaves, but a pastor asked them to be removed and replaced by one single marker.

WYFF News 4 is working to confirm the claims that were made.

An awesome arcade that has the best games from the 80s and 90s is located in Simpsonville, SC and we just had to try it out! Thanks to the Upstate Pinball and Arcade Museum for having us come by to do this review.

When I see an old-school Pac-Man machine, I immediately think of my mom and how much fun we used to have to play it (and constantly getting eaten by ghosts). Super Mario Brothers bring back memories I had of my friends and me playing it together in middle school. Yes, I’m dating myself but I don’t even care because there’s a place in Simpsonville where I can now go and play all these retro games and share my own great memories with my kids and make new ones as well.

About the Upstate Pinball and Arcade Museum

The Upstate Pinball and Arcade Museum, located at the Warehouse at Vaughn’s and near the Ice Cream Station, has more than 50 games for guests to play, including classics like pinball, Pac-Man, Paper Boy, tons of Nintendo video games, ice hockey foosball, and even Frogger.

This isn’t a regular museum; it’s a cool museum. It does have vintage games on display at the counter and you can read about the history of many of the games, but you can play nearly every game at the arcade. The place started because the owner, Mike, really loved pinball and had quite the collection. So, what do you do with a collection? Play with them, of course! Mike, being the cool guy he is, decided to share his passion and hence, opened the Upstate Pinball and Arcade Museum.

We found the place to be super clean and the games in great working order. I can’t wait to go back honestly.

Birthday Parties & Special Events

One of my first questions to Mike was if people could have birthday parties there and the answer was a resounding “yes!” When we posted to our Facebook page about the museum, a reader commented that she recently had a birthday party there for her son and it was awesome. I was actually thinking it could be really fun for an adult birthday party – think of all the great memories you could reminisce about!

The Upstate Pinball and Arcade Museum also hosts special events and corporate parties. So, if you want to do something nice for your employees, bring them here and let them challenge each other to play Super Mario Brothers 3 and make it through the castle without dying.

The cost for two hours of free play for up to 15 guests is $225 plus tax. Extra guests are $10 each and parties must be booked during non-operating hours. Tables and chairs can be set up per request.

Food is Right Next Door

The Upstate Pinball and Arcade Museum is located adjacent to the Warehouse at Vaughn’s, where there are multiple dining options and areas to eat both indoors and out. There’s also an ice cream place right next door to the arcade or you can walk across the street to the Ice Cream Station next to the train tracks.

If you want a fun date night with food and arcade entertainment, this is it. And the arcade is really for any age. I went with my two kids (ages 11 and 7) and their grandmother and all of us had a blast.

Play Time and Hours

No coins are needed at the Upstate Pinball and Arcade Museum! The cost for unlimited play is $10/person and that includes all day. So if you want to play for a bit, go have dinner next door and then come back, your admission includes all of that time.

Operating hours are Wednesday – Thursday from 4-9 pm, Friday 4-11 pm, and Saturday from Noon – 11 pm. They are closed Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.

Upstate Pinball and Arcade Museum109A West Trade Street, Simpsonville, SC 864.881.1876

SIMPSONVILLE, S.C. —

A cabinetry company is expanding in Greenville County, South Carolina, and creating more than 150 new jobs.

Essential Cabinetry Group's $4.75 million investment will create 156 new jobs.

“The investment in our Simpsonville, S.C. location is critical to the long-term growth strategy needed to meet our customer needs, offer our employees new opportunities, and provide local community support," Essential Cabinetry Group President and CEO Mark Kovich said in a statement. "We are grateful for the support of the state and local government as we take this next step."

Essential Cabinetry Group manufactures build-to-order cabinets, including stock, custom and semi-custom cabinetry and serves more than 750 kitchen and bath suppliers across the United States.

The company’s brands include Tedd Wood Fine Cabinetry, Executive Cabinetry and Designers Choice Cabinetry.

“When a company expands in South Carolina, it shows the world that South Carolina is a place where companies can grow and thrive,” South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said. “Congratulations to Essential Cabinetry Group’s latest investment in Greenville County and the 156 new jobs that they will create.”

Located at 2838 Grandview Drive in Simpsonville, Essential Cabinetry Group’s expansion of its existing facility will allow the company to increase production to 150,000 cabinets or more annually.

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Essential Cabinetry Group proudly offers American-made products, employing Americans to enhance the lives of families across the country. When choosing an Essential Cabinetry brand, the purchaser is choosing to support the local and national economy, with Tedd Wood Fine Cabinetry, Executive Cabinetry, and Designers Choice Cabinetry brands all manufactured in America.

“Essential Cabinetry Group’s decision to expand operations here validates the many advantages Greenville County offers, including motivated employees, excellent training and strategic location,” Greenville County Council Chairman and Greenville Area Development Corporation Director Willis Meadows said. “Essential Cabinetry Group is a leader in the field of high-quality cabinetry design and production, and highly respected by its customers. We salute their decision and wish them continued growth and success in our community."

The expansion is expected to be complete by September 2023. Individuals interested in joining the Essential Cabinetry Group team should visit the company’s careers page.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development awarded a $100,000 Set-Aside grant to Greenville County to assist with the costs of building improvements.