Wedding & Event Venue Near Laurens, SC.

About Laurens

LAURENS, S.C. (WSPA) – Like most towns in the Upstate, Laurens’ history starts with the land being acquired from the Cherokee after the Cherokee sided with the British in the Revolutionary War.

The property was sold multiple times after the Revolution before being bought by the judges of Laurens County.

“Their job was to determine a city center,” President of the Laurens County Museum Teresa Noble said. “They gathered together at a distillery.”

The group had two locations in mind, each about a mile in a half from downtown in opposite directions, but as the story goes, the decision was made after one too many drinks at the distillery.

“Let’s just say they weren’t in the mood to go visit that site and then go visit that site and they staggered up this hill because it is a hill and planted stakes and that became the center of the city.”

Surrounding the center of the city were businesses and one of the workers in town went on to do bigger and better things.

“One of our famous residents was Andrew Johnson who was a tailor in the city of Laurens,” according to Noble. “He would later become the 17^th president of the United States.”

Years later when the industry started to boom, Laurens Glass Factory opened its doors and employed hundreds of people.

In fact, Laurens Glass had their own piece of Presidential history, specifically with Lyndon B. Johnson.

“He was inviting the President, he was on his trip out to Texas and he was going to have a big picnic at his ranch so he wanted something special so he had these bottles made for soda,” Connie Post, with the Laurens County Museum, explained. “They made these special for John F. Kennedy’s trip out to Texas and of course we know the tragic story was the President was assassinated and so Vice President Johnson ordered that all the bottles be destroyed. So, they are a very rare find.”

A couple of years following that incident, Pink Floyd was founded and the city of Laurens played a role in that too.

Pink Floyd was named after Piedmont blues musician Pink Anderson he was right here from Laurens” Post said. “Floyd Council who was also from South Carolina. So, that’s how we get Pink Floyd.”

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LAURENS COUNTY, S.C. —

Hundreds of new jobs are coming to Laurens County, South Carolina.

ZF Group, an equipment supplier for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology, announced Tuesday it is expanding ZF Transmissions Gray Court, its manufacturing facility in Laurens County.

The $500 million investment will create 400 new jobs.

"Since opening in 2013, the facility has produced eight- and nine-speed transmissions for passenger vehicles," a news release about the expansion said. "As mobility transforms and shifts toward electrification, ZF Transmissions Gray Court continues to evolve and invest in advanced equipment and technologies that will meet the changing needs of the industries it serves."

There was also an announcement about 300 jobs coming to Greenville: Read more about that here.

Production operations for new products at the plant will start later this year.

Individuals interested in joining the ZF Transmissions Gray Court team should visit the company’s careers page.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to this project.

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The council also awarded a $15 million Closing Fund grant to Laurens County to assist with the costs of building improvements.

Laurens, South Carolina – With the planned opening this winter of a Big Air USA Trampoline Park venue, Laurens County will have new options for family fun without having to leave the county. Jake Cooper, owner of Riverside

Garages on West Main and North Harper streets in Laurens, has just signed off on a Big Air USA franchise and rental agreement and soon hopes to begin preparing the former BI-LO store into a combo trampoline park, bowling alley and indoor walking trail. “I’m expecting to see the plans this week and at that point I will get them to the City of Laurens and hopefully start pulling permits to begin demo and renovations,” Cooper said, adding he’d like to be open before Christmas. The businessman began looking into family entertainment options a couple of years ago, several years after he and his family moved to Laurens from Simpsonville. He wanted something which would enrich the city and county he now calls “home.” Just like other families who live along Highway 76 west of Laurens, Cooper had hoped to see a grocery store move back into the former BI-LO. When that didn’t happen after almost three years, Cooper asked the agents handling the store lease to reach out to Piggly Wiggly and all of the other grocery stores which had made inquiries. He didn’t want to prevent a store from coming there, and if the vacant building was considered too large, Cooper suggested sharing the space. None planned a move, however, so after gathering more information, Cooper sought out the franchise and he’s rented the building for Big Air USA Trampoline Park.

The space is almost 40,000 square feet, so in addition to Big Air Trampoline, Cooper is planning to install a small bowling alley, a walking track inside the perimeter and a small restaurant.

“I’ve talked to church youth pastors who said they’re always taking their youth groups out of town, so they were excited to have an option here,” Cooper said. Cooper began seeking a family-friendly entertainment business which could enhance Laurens County without competing with opportunities already here. Big Air USA is based in California, but already has four locations in South Carolina.

“It’s a unique franchise,” Cooper said. “What drew me to them is because Big Air is family owned and it has some unique attractions. There are specifics to the park for each age group, so children six and under play in a dedicated space for the smaller kids so it’s safer.” “We got very involved in Laurens as soon as we moved here,” Cooper said. “I live and work and worship in Laurens and this city has taken care of our family. I feel the need to give back. We looked around for a location and I liked the idea of it being close to where I work and live.” Cooper expects the Big Air designers to have plans to him this week. He’ll be passing them on to City of Laurens Community Development Coordinator Madison Workman and City Administrator Eric Delgado. “He’s already talked to us and the property is already zoned for general commercial so he wouldn’t have to go before the planning commission,” Workman said. “As long as everything’s done correctly, he can begin pulling permits and getting to work.”

A supplier of automotive and industrial racking products will expand its S.C. footprint with new operations in Laurens County. Motor City Racks said in a news release from the S.C. Commerce Department that it will invest $26 million and create 88 new jobs.

is a full-service manufacturer and supplier that provides custom automotive and agriculture packing solutions, the news release said. The company also specializes in custom fabrication, design services and laser operations.

Motor City Racks also operates a facility in Cherokee County. The company is headquartered in Warren, Mich.

“The executive management team of Motor City Racks, consisting of Johan and Ben Enns, is extremely excited for new operations in Laurens,” Motor City Racks Controller Daniel Zavaros said in the news release. “The last nine years in South Carolina have been an incredible journey for Motor City Racks, and it would not have been possible without our outstanding South Carolina workforce.

Located at 366 Old Airport Road in Laurens, Motor City Racks’ new facility will be its first operation in Laurens County. The facility will accommodate additional production capacity and growth that can accommodate increased demand.

“During our expansion initiatives, we plan to execute effectively while continuing to leverage our 20 years of experience in custom weld fabrication, our strong ties to the South Carolina automotive industry and our relationship with the South Carolina Department of Commerce,” Zavaros said in the release. “We plan to create many long-term well-paying jobs, invest substantial capital, and grow our operations.” Operations are expected to be online by January 2023. Hiring started already.

“We are excited to have Motor City Racks expand their operation into Laurens County and fill an existing building,” Laurens County Council Chairman Brown Patterson said in the release. “There are great things going on in Laurens County, and this is just further testament to that. We wish Motor City Racks much success and look forward to a long and prosperous relationship.”

The S.C. Commerce Department’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to this project, the release said. The council also approved a $300,000 Rural Infrastructure Fund grant to Laurens County to assist with the costs of building improvements.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Jan. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Stoner's Pizza Joint, a quick-service pizza franchise, announced it's a grand opening at a new location on January 4th at 909 East Main Street, Unit B, Laurens, SC 29360, 864-983-0707. The new location will bring Stoner's its 7^th location in the state of South Carolina. The hours of operation will be Sunday - Thursday 11 am to 11 pm and Friday – Saturday 11 am to 12 am. Dine in, takeout, and delivery will be offered.

"We are excited to bring an additional location to the state of South Carolina in Laurens! We believe the greater Greenville, SC market will continue to grow and provide an opportunity for additional Stoner's locations soon," said CEO and Owner, John Stetson.

Stoner's Pizza Joint is a delivery and takeout focused concept featuring fresh, high-quality food prepared in-house daily with minimal production time, including proprietary recipes for the pizza dough, sauce, and cheese blend. Menu items include a variety of specialty pizzas, calzones, strombolis, sandwiches, hickory-smoked chicken wings made daily in-house, freshly prepared salads, and freshly baked desserts.

About Stoner's Pizza Joint

Founded in 2013, Stoner's Pizza Joint launched its franchising program in late 2018 along with fresh new branding and a business model that has proven resilient to massive changes sweeping the food industry. For more information, visit https://www.stonerspizzajoint.com, or call 954-982-6618.

Stoner's Pizza Joint is currently seeking qualified franchisees to help the brand grow nationwide in college town markets, with a focus on the Southeast region. Prospective franchisees should have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The ideal candidate is a proven, multi-unit operator in the restaurant industry and has a strong knowledge of their market. Stoner's Pizza Joint's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) reveals an estimated initial investment range of $90,000 to $206,000 for the first location, including a franchise fee of $25,000.

To learn more about ownership opportunities with Stoner's Pizza Joint, contact the Stoner's Pizza Joint Franchise Development team, at scott@stonerspizzajoint.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:Scott Mobley // Stoner's Pizza Joint5613513777370746@email4pr.com

SOURCE Stoner's Pizza Joint