A couple takes a walk on Mantissa Row in the heart of downtown Hartsville near the historic Mantissa Hotel and Sam Kendall's, a top-rated steak, seafood and American fare restaurant.
Photo by John D. Russell
Civic club luncheons, court sessions, council meetings, coffee klatches, book buying, clothes shopping—by day, downtown Florence is a hive of business and commerce. But come night, all that task-driven energy gives way to a chill vibe. Diners fill restaurants, friends meet for art galas and live music, kids sit on benches juggling ice cream cones, and couples cozy up at a rooftop bar for cocktails and romantic sunsets.
Florence’s town center is a near-perfect portrait of many of the hallmarks of South Carolina’s most vibrant downtowns—walkable, attractive, diverse, historic. Today’s Florence is a far cry from the town scene only a couple decades ago.
Starting in the 1960s, suburbanization and the advent of big-box stores and shopping malls rendered many downtown districts obsolete. But a reversal is happening: Many Main Streets across the state are pulsing back to life, as people seek to do business, have fun and make their homes in the heart of their hometowns.
Reanimating dormant downtowns is no easy feat. It is a lengthy undertaking that requires resourceful collaboration and strategic planning.
Florence, along with Hartsville and Laurens, are three of five cities accredited by Main Street South Carolina, an organization that supports downtowns as they grow through these life-saving transformations. Though their stories are unique, all share a common mission to build and sustain a thriving, healthy downtown.
1 of 2
Coker University’s proximity to downtown Hartsville boosts the city’s image as a cultural destination, with theatrical performances and art exhibits.
Photo by John D. Russell
2 of 2
Small businesses such as retro shop Seersucker Gypsy, owned by Roxie Gardner, are thriving in downtown Hartsville.
Photo by John D. Russell
Hartsville—Taking care of business
Occupancy: 97% of business spaces claimed.
New businesses: 11 added in 2025.
On the horizon: Completing renovations to the historic Center Theater, which will serve as a performing arts venue.
A quaint historic district. Flowers spilling from sidewalk planters. Tree-lined avenues that hum with foot traffic. Downtown Hartsville has earned its tagline, “Small town with a big heart.”
A boutique hotel, bakery, fashion stores, coffee houses, gift shops, salons, specialty food markets, a bookstore, thrift and antique shops, a guitar repair shop, restaurants and a brewery are some of the businesses you’ll find downtown.
“There is so much diversity in this town,” says Erin Kent, who co-owns Vintage, an eclectic craft beer and wine boutique tucked in an attractive alleyway called Mantissa Row. “We put a lot of thought into creating a relaxing place where people can socialize over a beer or glass of wine, play board games and get a bite to eat.”
Coker University students can cross the street and enjoy live music on the Vintage patio, play pinball at Firefly Toy and Games, or grab a Big Dipper sandwich from Groucho’s Deli. The school’s proximity, with its theatrical events and art exhibits, boosts downtown’s image as a cultural destination.
“Unlike some towns, Hartsville never aimed to spread out and managed to avoid a devastating decline,” says Michelle Byers Brown, the local Main Street director. “But in the 1970s, a group of businesspeople recognized things were heading that way as big-box culture arrived in the area. The risk of losing downtown motivated them to develop a plan. They were definitely before their time.”
Towns in need of a jolt turn to Main Street South Carolina, a nonprofit program of the Municipal Association of South Carolina and coordinating program of Main Street America. Currently serving 33 local programs, Main Street South Carolina helps smaller cities and towns “put their limited resources to best use” by offering research training, professional development, technical assistance, advocacy and more, says Jenny Boulware, the coordinator of the organization.
Hartsville first earned Main Street SC accreditation in 2020, which ushered in a steady wave of downtown renovations and upgrades. Tax incentives for historic preservation, grants for beautification projects and support for new businesses have meant positive changes for both the community and individuals. Roxie Gardner, owner of the retro shop Seersuckergypsy, won a startup business grant in 2015.
“I could not have opened my business without it,” she says. “The support of downtown Hartsville and this community is a big reason I am still here.”
David Zanoni, a certified canine and feline nutritionist, opened Purrs McBarkin’ in 2021. Though he competes with online and big-box pet supply giants, he is a Hartsville small business success story.
“I believe my customers appreciate that I am local and don’t push products they don’t need just to make a sale,” he said. “The community has really responded to my approach.”
Beyond business, Hartsville boasts more than 50 events annually, including block parties, an outdoor farmers market, craft shows, live music concerts, holiday events, a St. Paddy’s Day pub crawl and the Wild Hartsville Brew Festival.
“You can come to downtown Hartsville and find just about everything you want or need,” Brown says.
1 of 5
Brad Abercrombie, director of Main Street Laurens, greets guests during the Finally Friday festival March 27, 2026. As part of its revitalization, the city focused on reestablishing downtown as a community gathering space in recent years.
Photo by Thomas Hammond
2 of 5
Sidewalk diners enjoy an evening out in Laurens, where the restaurant scene has surprising range for a small town.
Photo by Thomas Hammond
3 of 5
The Capitol Theatre in Laurens first opened in 1926 and still hosts events such as concerts and family movie nights. Renovation plans are in the works for the historic building.
Photo by Thomas Hammond
4 of 5
Downtown Laurens’ most iconic feature, a 14,000-square-foot classic Greek Revival courthouse, has been undergoing renovation to enhance its functionality and restore historically accurate characteristics.
Photo by Thomas Hammond
5 of 5
Folks gather outdoors in a revitalized downtown Laurens during the Finally Friday event March 27, 2026.
Photo by Thomas Hammond
Laurens—Blending past and present
Charm factor: Activity pivots around a stunning and historic Greek Revival courthouse.
Annual events: Freedom Fest, Halloween Spooktacular, Juneteenth Weekend, Laurens Film Festival, Steam on the Square.
On the horizon: Expanding upper-story housing, office space, cultural and community programming.
Laurens is one town where being called “square” is not an insult.
The community takes great pride in its public square—one of only five such designs in the state. The square links a host of businesses and frames the town’s most iconic feature: a 14,000-square-foot classic Greek Revival courthouse. To maintain its stately appeal, the circa-1840 building has been undergoing renovation to enhance its functionality and restore historically accurate characteristics.
Efforts to meld past and present have created “a district that feels both rooted in history and full of momentum, with a small-town charm but modern amenities,” says Brad Abercrombie, the town’s Main Street director.
Like other rural South Carolina towns, Laurens was marked by vacant and aging buildings with sparse foot traffic. But community leaders understood that preserving landmarks and restoring downtown’s original purpose would pull it out of the clutches of decline.
“Early efforts focused on stabilizing the district, improving façades and reestablishing downtown as a community gathering place,” Abercrombie says of the revitalization movement that began around 1996.
The result is that downtown Laurens still boasts historic buildings such as the Capitol Theatre, which first opened in 1926. Now, renovation plans are in the works for the venue that hosts family movie nights and events like “Homegrown: Live” featuring Upstate musicians. Adding to the nostalgia are a 1950s-inspired grocery and healthy food store, Sanitary Market, and the family-owned Thomason Jewelers, which has been serving Laurens since 1970.
Laurens’ dining scene has surprising range for a small town. You can kick back at Tap & Table with a cold brew and brick oven pizza or experience fine Southern cuisine at Moultrie. Abercrombie suggests a visit to Roma Italian restaurant, a local institution operating for more than two decades. And—surprise!—there’s even a crepe shop.
“Looking ahead, downtown will see continued redevelopment of historic buildings, more residential opportunities and expanded cultural and community programming,” Abercrombie says, adding a nod to previous leaders and their accomplishments. “Their collective work laid the foundation for the progress the community continues to build on today.”
1 of 4
Pedestrians stroll down North Dargan Street in downtown Florence, walking past the Town Hall Restaurant. Several gourmet restaurants have opened in recent years, contributing to downtown’s revitalization.
Photo by John D. Russell
2 of 4
A couple looks out from atop The Dispensary rooftop eatery and hangout spot that features Southern-tinged food and craft cocktails.
Photo by John D. Russell
3 of 4
City Center Market in downtown Florence features vendors selling a wide variety of produce, food, treats and homemade wares every Saturday morning.
Photo by John D. Russell
4 of 4
Once hushed, downtown Florence now boasts around 100 businesses, and counting. Here, an evening view looking down Evans Street at the corner of North Dargan Street.
Photo by John D. Russell
Florence—Growing full speed ahead
Renovation boom: Since 2002, 79 buildings and structures have been rehabilitated.
Inclusivity: Nearly half of downtown businesses are owned or operated by minorities.
On the horizon: Opening the renovated Carolina Theatre this year and adding 1,000 new housing units by 2030.
Once a popular stopping point for tourists driving to Myrtle Beach, downtown Florence fell victim to a familiar tale of woe in the 1960s, with the emergence of shiny new shopping malls and urban sprawl. Some downtown businesses relocated, while others called it quits.
By the 1990s, blight had taken up residence, and foot traffic faded to a hush. Racial divides, neglect and the demolition of culturally significant buildings cast a pall over the area. A decade later, rumors of resuscitation circulated, but few believed, as attempts fell short.
Then Florence Downtown Development Corporation signed on with the Main Street program, and by 2011, public and private alliances were forged, volunteers recruited, plans drawn up, business incubators established and investments made in preservation. The result: Today’s downtown is alive and thriving, with exceptional dining, two hotels, boutiques, art galleries, an independent bookstore, a wine bar, an ice cream shop, entertainment venues, public art, an artisan chocolate shop and more. There are now around 100 businesses, and counting.
“In about 20 years’ time, the historic district vacancy rate dropped from 42% to just 4%,” says Hannah Davis, Florence’s Main Street director. “That is what can happen with a robust master plan and committed community effort.”
She points to a major private investment project as the catalyst for all that progress. When local developer and entrepreneur Tim Norwood first talked about moving his restaurant downtown and opening a boutique hotel in a historic building, a lot of people called the idea crazy. But he and his partners went ahead.
“To me, it just made sense for the restaurant, the hotel and for downtown,” Norwood says.
When the posh Hotel Florence and its acclaimed restaurant, Victors, welcomed the first overnight guests in 2013, Norwood’s “crazy” plan became widely viewed as “brilliant.”
“It was a definite trigger point,” says Davis. “Something happened that seemed impossible: People started showing up downtown.”
Partnerships were crucial in establishing a robust cultural district, which includes the stately Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center, Florence County Museum, Florence Little Theatre and Doctors Bruce and Lee Foundation Library. Art galleries and public art installations across town add to the vibe.
Now that its sleepy days are behind it, downtown Florence hosts tons of events, the biggest being the fall South Carolina Pecan Festival with 50,000 attendees. And buzz is building around the Florence Wine & Food Festival. Since its inception in 2018, it has grown into a major happening, with cookbook authors and television personalities Ted and Matt Lee (aka the Lee Bros.) as organizers, and celebrity chefs such as Sean Brock and Vivian Howard as headline talent.
Small-town revitalization stories don’t get much better than that—or do they?
“The question is always what needs to happen next to keep moving the ball forward,” Davis says. “Downtown Florence has a truly remarkable history, and it is still in the making.”