Personal Injury Attorneyin Spartanburg, SC.

Did you know we have a FREE place to play mini-golf right in the middle of downtown Spartanburg, SC? Sparkle City Mini Putt is totally free! Plus, there are more fun things to do downtown in Spartanburg.

Free Mini Golf in Spartanburg

Sparkle City Mini Putt is conveniently located in downtown Spartanburg between East Main Street and East Broad Street. To give you another directional clue -it is right behind Fr8 Yard. Since is located in the middle of Spartanburg’s downtown buildings, you might not have even realized it was there.

This is a simple, fun mini-golf course for Spartanburg families (and visitors). But, it is more than just a place to hit a few balls around. It is a celebration of all things Spartanburg! The nine-hole putt-putt course is designed and painted to highlight some of Spartanburg’s most iconic places like the Beacon and Sugar and Spice. Have your camera ready for some great shots!

My family loves Sparkle City Mini Putt! We’ve never had a huge wait, and there have been times when we have had it all to ourselves. Another reason we love it is that it is within walking distance to Hub City Scoops. With its location, you really have your choice of restaurants to visit before or after you play a round.

Sparkle City Mini Putt is free to play, but you will need to either bring your own clubs and balls or borrow from area businesses. Currently, you can borrow clubs and balls from The Local Hiker, Paisley Paw, Growler Haus, and Little River Coffee Bar. Each of these businesses is within walking distance of the course. If you’d rather use your own putters and balls, you can often find used putters at places like Play It Again Sports.

Additionally, the course is designed to be played in daylight hours, which also means you must borrow clubs and balls during business hours.

This is a family-friendly, kid-friendly mini-golf course, so you can expect to finish in a short amount of time. Plus, you won’t have to worry about kids becoming frustrated with holes that are too difficult.

However, the course is not fenced in. There is a fence that separates Sparkle City Mini Putt from Fr8 Yard, but there is not a fence that separates it from the street. So, you will need to make sure you keep your eyes on your kids at all times.

If you are willing to travel a bit, there are two family-friendly entertainment venues that both offer mini-golf.

Frankie’s Fun Park in Greenville offers mini-golf, as well as an arcade, go-karts, a fun house, laser tag, bumper boats, and more. Mini golf costs $10 for those 4 years old and up. Frankie’s has three mini-golf courses and 54 holes.

Big E Gaffney offers mini-golf, as well as an arcade, bowling, a movie theater, a ropes course, and more. The Doomed Temple Adventure Golf Course is 18 holes and handicap accessible. Check for updated pricing before you go.

McPherson Park in Greenville has a free mini-golf course that was recently renovated. You will need to bring your own putters and balls.

TakeOff Mini Golf offers an aviation-themed, 19 hole mini-golf course that runs alongside Airport Park at the Greenville Downtown Airport. It costs $9.50 for ages 4-12, and $11.50 for ages 13 and up. Children under 4 can play for free. Birthday party rentals and event rentals are available.

Where does your family like to play mini-golf?

BMW's Plant Spartanburg pumps $26.7 billion into South Carolina's economy each year and supports 42,935 jobs and $3.1 billion in wages and salaries statewide, according to a report released Tuesday.

"BMW has had a tremendous impact on the state," said the report's author Joey Von Nessen, a research economist at the University of South Carolina's Darla School of Business. "Their arrival in 1992 transformed the Upstate and South Carolina."

Von Nessen presented his findings at an event Tuesday at BMW's Zentrum, where BMW President and CEO Robert Engelhorn gave an update on the plant's transformation to battery-electric vehicles. By 2030, the BMW Group plans to build at least six fully electric models in the U.S.

The economic impact study was commissioned by BMW Manufacturing.

The $26.7 billion reflects all goods and services produced in the state, both directly and indirectly, Von Nessen said. Direct and indirect economic multipliers were used to determine the figure.

For example, a direct impact of BMW's growth includes employee wages and benefits, equipment, building construction, technology, vendors and overhead costs. The spending creates demand and leads to new job creation.

An indirect impact comes from links between local suppliers, which in turn purchase materials and hire employees. Also, household spending is added, with wages spent locally by employees on food, health care, entertainment and more.

"These (repetitive) rounds of spending continue to ripple through the economy and ultimately affect many industrial sectors," Von Nessen said.

The report notes that since 2017, the total number of jobs created by BMW, directly or indirectly, increased an average of 4.3% a year. That's more than three times the state's average of 1.3% over the same period.

Von Nessen said nearly half of Plant Spartanburg's economic impact in South Carolina comes from its in-state supplier base. The plant regularly uses more than 500 suppliers statewide, with more than 90% of them located in the Upstate.

"For every 10 jobs created at Plant Spartanburg, another 25 are created elsewhere in South Carolina," the report states. "This multiplier is among the highest in South Carolina across all major industry sectors and more than twice as high as the average industry multiplier in the state."

BMW 30 years in Upstate South Carolina30 years later, German automaker BMW 'the gift that keeps giving' in Upstate SC

Last October, BMW Group announced a $1 billion capital investment to prepare the Spartanburg plant for the production of fully electric vehicles and $700 million to build a 1 million-square-foot high-voltage battery assembly plant with 300 new jobs in nearby Woodruff.

The $1.7 billion investment is the largest single investment ever in South Carolina, Gov. Henry McMaster noted at the announcement.

S.C. Secretary of Commerce Harry Lightsey said South Carolina has become an "automotive powerhouse," thanks to BMW's decision to locate here three decades ago.

"I look forward to seeing how BMW and South Carolina continue to impact the future of the automotive industry," he said.

BMW already building electric vehicles for worldwide market

Headquartered in Germany, the luxury car maker in 2021 began production of fully electric vehicles at its Munich plant.

In North America, BMW currently offers two pure EVs, the BMW iX SUV and the BMW i4. In China, the automaker also offers the BMW i3 and its first-ever fully electric 7-series, the BMW i7 sedan, which is slated to be released in North America this year.

The Spartanburg plant has its own battery assembly facility onsite, which produces lithium-ion battery modules for three plug-in hybrid electric vehicle models – the BMW X3 xDrive30e, the BMW X5 xDrive50e, and the BMW XM. Last year, 69,200 electrified BMWs were produced.

BMW's roots in Spartanburg date to 1992 announcement

Engelhorn said BMW's Upstate roots began in 1992 when BMW Group announced it would build its first full manufacturing facility outside of Germany in Spartanburg County, with a $600 million capital investment and the creation of 2,000 jobs at the facility. The plant began production in 1994.

As of this year, BMW Group has invested a total of $12.4 billion in Plant Spartanburg, which includes six major plant expansions, the report states. Plant Spartanburg produces more than 1,500 vehicles a day and employs more than 11,000 workers.

Roughly two-thirds of Spartanburg's production was exported to more than 120 world markets from 2010 to 2020.Production of the first-ever BMW XM vehicle with a V8 gasoline engine and an electric motor began at Plant Spartanburg in December. The vehicle will arrive at dealers worldwide this spring, according to BMW.

It is being built along the same assembly line as the BMW X5, BMW X6 and BMW X7. The plant also produces the X3, X4, XM, X3 M, X4 M, X5 M and X6 M.

BMW Group is the largest exporter by value from the U.S., with a total export value of nearly $9.6 billion in 2022.

Love a good brunch and looking for great restaurants for a Spartanburg, SC brunch? There are a lot of restaurants in Spartanburg with brunch menus. How do you pick one? We asked our readers for their favorite brunch spots in Spartanburg and this list where they guided us.

Here are our readers’ favorite brunch restaurants!

Hearing the word “brunch” just now brought a smile to your face, didn’t it?

Go ahead, try saying brunch to someone. Their face lit up, didn’t it? No one ever sounds upset over having to eat brunch. Usually consisting of an overindulgent entrée and beverage, this meal is meant to be savored and enjoyed at a relaxed pace. Regardless of whether you slept in or had a busy morning and skipped breakfast, we have the perfect spots for you to grab brunch with your bunch.

Looking for outdoor dining options in Spartanburg? These restaurants have outdoor dining spaces, with heat, so you can dine out in any weather.

Best Brunch Restaurants in Spartanburg, SC

We asked our readers where the best place to find brunch is in Spartanburg. Here are the top 10 brunch spots in Spartanburg according to our readers and what makes them the favored spots.

1800 Drayton Road, Spartanburg SC 29333 | 864.310.4177 | Brunch hours: 11 am to 2:30 pmDray: Bar & Grill is quickly becoming one of the most popular places in Spartanburg. The outdoor fireside dining, delicious hand-crafted drinks, and mouthwatering dishes created by Chef Bob Munnich have made it quickly rise to the top of all of our lists on Kidding Around.

Love Dray: Bar & Grill. Great handcrafted cocktails and the food is always fresh and delicious. Our go-to spot!

Samantha C

Plus the kids can be loud outside and no one cares

Megan B

2601 East Main Street, Spartanburg SC 29307 | 864.541.7981 | Brunch hours: 8 am to 2 pm Adding some French country chic to Main Street, Mon Amie graciously serves breakfast all day. Sweet and savory crepes adorn the menu with some clever twists on southern fare. Feeling Emily goes to Paris? Try their Parisienne Crème French Toast. Ooh la la!

I’ve never had anything there I didn’t love.

Eddie E.

The New Orleans crepe is hands down the best thing on the menu

Cassie L.B.

Mon Amie – wonderful coffee & crepes

Jordan M.

4078 HYW 9 Boiling Springs, SC 29316 | 864.586.3900 | Brunch hours: 12 pm to 6 pm Ever had BBQ for brunch? New to the list, New Groove Brewery shows us how. We spy bacon gravy and all that goodness with their buttermilk cathead brisket biskets! This #BRAWNch suggestion is a great add!

226 B. West Main Street, Spartanburg SC 29301 | 864.699.9669 | Sunday hours: 11-2 pmThe Cribb family has been making people happy with their food for several generations. You can enjoy a custom-made cocktail and items from a seasonal brunch menu.

Cribbs – bottomless mimosas & excellent food

Jordan M.

116 Magnolia Street, Spartanburg SC 29306 | 864.327.9370 | Brunch hours: 11:30 am – 1:30 pmAnother Main street Brunch option, with lots of farm-to-table goodies on their dedicated weekend Brunch menu. But what we’re really curious about is their Fried French Toast: Sweetbread rolled in cornflakes, stuffed with Nutella cream, and other good stuff!

Local Fig is Good and the best part is their $10 bottomless mimosas

Melissa C

121 West Main Street, Spartanburg | 864.285.4659 | Brunch Hours: Saturday 11 am – 4 pm, Sunday 11 am – 5 pmThe Tulip Tree is located right off Main Street in downtown Spartanburg and offers brunch every weekend. While the Donut French Toast looks delicious, we’re also eyeing their breakfast Charcuterie Board.

…because those deviled eggs and Chicken & Waffle platter!!

Fine Arts Preparatory School

930 East Main Street, Spartanburg | 864.327.8228 | Brunch Hours: Sunday 10 amWhen you think of brunch, you typically don’t think of breakfast chimichangas or Mexican-inspired chicken & waffles. But Willy Taco offers a Sunday Funday Brunch menu with these two items and more.

12 Main Street, Inman | 864.708.3772 The Crepe Factory is located just outside of Spartanburg in Inman and offers a brunch-specific menu. You’ll find both sweet and savory crepes as well as a brunch burger, avocado toast, and more on the menu.

774 Spartan Boulevard, Spartanburg | 864.327.3333 | Sunday 10:30 am – 2:30 pmDid you know that CityRange has a Sunday Brunch Buffet? For $25/adult and $12/child, you can experience an all-you-can-eat brunch buffet with a variety of options. Top it off with a beignet or mimosa or crafted cocktail, and your Sunday Brunch will top the rest.

5844 Reidville Road, Moore | 864.485.3091 | 6 am – 2 pmKnown for its breakfast menu, Eggs Up also offers a Big City Brunch menu. You’ll find items like Coastal Crab Benedict, Crispy Chicken & Biscuit Platter, Cali Mac & Cheese Bowl, and more on the menu.

We hope the next time you decide to combine the first two meals of the day, you do so at a relaxed pace.

Did we leave off your favorite place to enjoy brunch? Let us know in the comments!

Alabama-based Milo's Tea Company broke ground Thursday on a 130,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility in Moore that will open by late 2024 and employ 100 workers.

"We are going to be a wonderful neighbor," said Milo's CEO Tricia Wallwork. "We are here to make Milo's moments with you, not with just our beverages, but with how we do business. We cannot wait to get started."

Gov. Henry McMaster and several Spartanburg County officials attended the groundbreaking ceremony at the location of the company's fourth U.S. plant at SC 290 and U.S. 221 in Moore.

The company received tax breaks from Spartanburg County and the S.C. Coordinating Council for Economic Development.

"It's not always the tax cuts," McMaster said. "It's good to have a railroad, it's great to have the deepest port on the Atlantic with two inland ports, but it's always about the people."

Milo's was founded as a restaurant in 1946 in Bessemer, Alabama. The company later branched out by making all-natural teas and lemonades.

Milo's opened its latest bottling and brewing plant in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2020, and has already doubled the capacity of the plant's output, according to Wallwork, granddaughter of the founders.

Wallwork said today Milo's sells its products at 40,000 retail locations in all 50 states.

She said the company is a certified women-owned business, and a certified zero-waste manufacturer devoted to sustainable practices and stewardship of local communities – "only one of two in Alabama, and we're going to do that right here in South Carolina as well."

"Our products aren't just authentic and real, we are too," she said. "That is how we are going to do business here. We chose this area because we knew it felt like home. You said, 'come be a part of our family.'"

Grocery and convenience stores carry Milo's products, including sweetened and unsweetened tea, lemonade, and peach, raspberry and lemon-flavored teas.

Spartanburg County Councilman David Britt, chairman of the county's economic development committee, said he never recruited a company as hard as he did with Milo's.

"I wanted this company so bad, I went home and got me some Milo's tea," he said. "I filled my refrigerator up, and (my grandchildren) came to Spartanburg and I went and got Milo's tea and lemonade. We took pictures and I sent them to Tricia and the marketing department.

"Your core values mesh with ours. We're here to support you, not only today, but tomorrow and for years to come."

Those interested in jobs can visit the company's career webpage.

USA TODAY NETWORK -- SOUTH CAROLINA

Election Day comes on Tuesday, Nov. 8 as local, state and federal offices are up for grabs when voters head to the polls.

When to vote on Election Day

Voting on Nov. 8 runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., though anyone in line at 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote no matter how long it takes them to cast their ballot.

Where to vote in Spartanburg County

Spartanburg County will have 98 precincts open for voting Tuesday. Visit scvotes.sc.gov for a full list of polling places, or call the election office at 864-596-2549.

To find your individual polling place using your name and birthday, visit scvotes.sc.gov.

Who's on the ballot in SC

Every registered voter in the nation can vote in races like presidential elections. Anyone in South Carolina can vote in races for governor and the state's U.S. Senate election. For local races, however, where elected officials represent residents of distinct areas within the bounds of the state, voting eligibility is determined by location of residence.

Some races cross county and city lines.

To know the races and candidates on your specific ballot ahead of time, visit scvotes.gov, where you can type in your name, birthday and county to see a sample ballot.

Races on the ballot in Spartanburg County for 2022 election

SC Governor's Debate:McMaster, Cunningham debate focuses on abortion, gun safety, marijuana

Governor and Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina

Secretary of State

State Treasurer

Attorney General of South Carolina

Comptroller General

SC Superintendent Debate:Key takeaways from the South Carolina Superintendent of Education debate

State Superintendent of Education

Commissioner of Agriculture

U.S. Senate

U.S. House of Representatives, District 4

U.S. House of Representatives, District 5

South Carolina House of Representatives, District 29

South Carolina House of Representatives, District 30

South Carolina House of Representatives, District 31

South Carolina House of Representatives, District 32

South Carolina House of Representatives, District 33

South Carolina House of Representatives, District 34

South Carolina House of Representatives, District 35

South Carolina House of Representatives, District 36

South Carolina House of Representatives, District 37

South Carolina House of Representatives, District 38

Probate Judge

Auditor

Spartanburg County Treasurer

Spartanburg County Council, Chair

Spartanburg County Council, District 2

Spartanburg County Council, District 5

Spartanburg County Council, District 6

Soil and Water District Commission

Watershed Conservation, District Thicketty Creek

Commissioner of Public Works, District Sanitary Sewer

Fire District Commissioner, Cherokee Springs

Fire District Commissioner, Hilltop Fire

Fire District Commissioner, Holly Springs Fire District

Fire District Commissioner, Mayo Fire District

Commissioner of Public Works, Woodruff Roebuck Water Area A