Roof Repair in Knightsville, SC

A Grayco Hardware & Home and Parker’s Gas Station are coming to the Knightsville Crossing Shopping Center next year. After Mr. K’s Piggly Wiggly closed in 2017, the building that served as the centerpiece of the shopping center has sat vacant on the corner of Orangeburg and Central Avenue.

Kevin Rogers, a developer with Knightsville Enterprise LLC, purchased the retail site from Jim and John Kersting, owners of Mr. K’s Piggly Wiggly. According to county records, the property was purchased for $3.2 million. There are pre existing tenants that will remain in place including two restaurants, a nail salon, UPS store and H & R Block. Rogers said the addition of Grayco and Parker’s will help bring the shopping center back to life.

While both of the incoming companies have multiple stores, Rogers said each one has a family- owned feel.

“It’s a nice thing to see and be a part of,” Rogers said. “Nothing wrong with big national outfits but sometimes there’s a little bit of a difference that customers feel when you walk into a store that’s run by the owner.”

He was impressed with Grayco, which originates in Beaufort and has stores in Savannah and Hilton Head. And Parker’s has over 50 stations throughout Georgia and South Carolina that Rogers said are “well-run, attractive looking stores.”

Nathan Richardson, vice president of real estate and development for Parker’s, said in an email that the Parker’s at Knightsville Crossing will feature a brand-new store design, which is inspired by Lowcountry vernacular architecture. The store will have a parged brick facade, metal roof, bracketed louvers, window details and nearly 4,800 square feet of retail space.

“Summerville is a growing community, and we’d like to be in the path of growth,” Richardson said. “We hope to build 5 or 6 new stores in Summerville in the future.”

Madelyn Robinson, director of administration and economic development for Summerville, visited one of the Grayco Hardware & Home stores in Hilton Head. She said she was also impressed by Grayco and the store will fulfill a need for that type of retail in the Orangeburg Road and Central Avenue area. She said it’s great that the property will no longer be sitting vacant.

“I think both of those businesses coming into Summerville, they’re not represented in Charleston area,” Robinson said. “Their first foothold they’ve chosen is Summerville. That speaks highly of our community, instead of us being second choice, we’re first.”

Robinson said the area surrounding the Knightsville Crossing Shopping Center is growing and opportunities for commercial growth are strong.

In the coming months, the 10-acre shopping center will get spruced up with overall landscaping improvements, sign replacements, lighting upgrades and new sidewalks. Rogers said he expects Grayco to be open in the spring of 2019. Representatives from Parker’s said the gas station will be open for business in the summer of 2019.

The new Zaxby’s in Knightsville is now open for business as of June 18. Zaxby’s is located at 1625 Central Avenue. A post on the eatery’s Facebook page stated opening hours are 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Zaxby’s is a fast food restaurant chain known for chicken wings, chicken fingers, sandwiches and salads.

Chad Edens bought Insty-Prints last year and the business has just finished its transition to the franchise’s flagship brand of Allegra. Allegra is a full-service marketing and communications company based in Summerville. The business is located at 320 Old Trolley Road and can be reached at 843-376-4478, hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn more at https://www.allegramarketingprint.com/locations/summerville-sc/services/.

JJ’s Bakery – formerly Bubbie’s Bakery in downtown Summerville – is under new management. Judy Saffa, the new owner, hosted a grand opening on June 16. The bakery is located at 110A S. Cedar Street and is well-known for its cupcakes, cakes and cookies. The bakery can be reached at 843-419-6140.

Perkins Restaurant and Bakery is slated for a June 19 reopening, following a kitchen fire that shut down business for 10 days (as of June 18). Perkins is located at 1700 Old Trolley Road and is owned by Dowm Hawley. Hawley said the restaurant threw a parking lot party fundraiser June 6 that was supported by hundreds of customers to raise money, along with food donations, from the community to help support the hourly employees that had to miss work. “The outpouring from the community has been something from a Hallmark movie and has humbled and elated my spirit and faith in our tight knit community,” she said in an e-mail. View the restaurant’s menu at http://www.perkinsrestaurants.com/menu/ .

Rainbow Child Care Center is opening the doors to its brand-new school, located at 2464 N. Main St. This will be Rainbow’s second location in Summerville. The new nearly 11,000 square foot center serves children from 6 weeks to 12 years of age. Families seeking more information about the new or existing Rainbow Child Care Center or interested in touring the new facility are invited to visit rainbowccc.com/Summerville2 or call 1-800-90-LEARN.

Carnes Crossroads has expanded its recreational options. Five workout stations were placed along the trail loop in the St. James Park neighborhood in May. The stations include 14 pieces of equipment that can be used for 40 different impact exercise. Hurdles, pull-up bars, a dip station and monkey bars provide several resources for exercise in the Goose Creek neighborhood.

Beckstone Apartments, formerly known as Comet Creek, officially opened in Summerville June 15. The complex is located at 100 Comet Creek Lane in the Summerville area and features 264 one-and two-bedroom residences.

The complex contains plenty amenities that include a 24-hour fitness center, yoga studio, sun porch with flat screen televisions, and a resort-style pool with a tanning ledge and gas grills. A sand volleyball court and a pet park provide outdoor recreation.

“We’re super excited to a part of Summerville,” said Ashley Mizzell, marketing manager with RE Carroll. “This area is developing so rapidly. It’s such a hot, fast-moving market. It’s booming. It’s crazy. It’s exciting to see all the growth.”

TRIO, a Mount Pleasant-based marketing communications agency, will provide free advertising and marketing services to local nonprofits on Oct. 25. Through its 24-hour CreateAthon initiative, TRIO will dedicate free marketing services to organizations in need. TRIO will be accepting applications from Monday, June 18 - Friday, Aug. 17. Applicants are asked to submit a 60-second video on why their organization should be selected.

If you know of a new business venture, contact reporter Rickey Ciapha Dennis Jr at rdennis@berkeleyind.com.

“There are so many wonderful nonprofits in our area who need marketing help.” says Jenny Dennis, TRIO’s chief operating officer. “Unfortunately, a lot of these organizations struggle with having enough funding to invest in their marketing support. That’s where CreateAthon can help.”

Megan Hatcher did not initially have plans to become a teacher.

The Rochester, N.Y. native went to Clemson University to get her business degree. She got a job doing corporate accounts – Hatcher described it as a great job with great benefits.

Hatcher was living in Richmond, Va., when she met her husband Shannon, whom she has been married to for almost 11 years. When the couple found out they were having a baby they decided to move down south.

Hatcher’s two older sisters were already teaching in Dorchester District Two, with one at Ashley Ridge High and the other at Beech Hill Elementary. Hatcher loved coming to her sister’s class at Beech Hill to volunteer with her students.

When Hatcher became a mom to her now 8-year-old son Carter she realized she really wanted to be a teacher.

With that Hatcher changed her career. She went back to school, got her master’s in education and came to Knightsville Elementary, where she has been for the past four years. She initially started teaching self-contained third grade but now the 34-year-old teaches fourth-grade gifted and talented math, science and social studies – and she just loves it.

“I have the best job in the world,” she said. “I feel lucky.”

That being said, Hatcher said she couldn’t think of a single “worst experience” she has had with her teaching career. The best part, she said, is seeing the accomplishments her students make.

“Watching the kids, and really watching them turn into young adults, it’s a really cool experience – and knowing that you helped with that,” she said.

Hatcher was Rookie Teacher of the Year her first year at Knightsville. Aside from teaching she stays active with a kickball club, coaching the Math is Cool team and teaching the after-school Junior Science Exploration Team (JSET). She serves on the Sunshine Club as well.

Hatcher said she has considered going into administration one day, but wants to stick with being a teacher for now.

“Right now I can’t imagine being out of the classroom,” she said. “I love being in the classroom. I feel like I would miss it.”

When she is not at school Hatcher enjoys reading, traveling, doing crafts and playing with Carter. The family resides in Summerville and has an 11-year-old male Yorkie named Wrigley (named after Wrigley Field).

Hatcher says her family loves Disney World. They like sports and enjoy traveling together and being outside. They travel to Virginia often to visit Hatcher’s in-laws.

“We’re just three peas in a pod,” she said.

Hatcher’s mom also enjoys visiting her students at school.

Right now Hatcher said she is in a good place with her job and her life.

“I love my job, I am blessed with a wonderful family that supports my job,” she said. “I hope to be this happy in 40 years. I really feel like I’m in a very lucky spot.”

Driving from Moncks Corner to Knightsville Elementary every day is a long drive, but Melissa Odom says it is worth it.

Odom is in her third year teaching third grade at Knightsville, and her fourth year total teaching at the school, having spent the first year teaching second grade.

Odom started teaching in Anderson before moving to DD2, where she first taught at Eagle Nest Elementary for five years. This is her 14th year teaching.

Growing up, Odom worked with kids and could not picture herself doing anything other than teaching. She is from Mt. Pleasant originally, and graduated from Wando High School in 1998. At Wando she was a teacher cadet, and knew from there she wanted to teach.

Odom went on to Anderson University to study elementary education. After her time spent working in Anderson, Odom decided to move a little closer to home.

Odom said she loves being in the classroom.

“Year to year it’s a goal of mine to form a strong relationship and bond with my students, as well as watching them and helping them grow in preparation for their life and education,” she said.

Last school year Odom was a Teacher of the Month and was also a finalist for Teacher of the Year. In fact, she has been a finalist for Teacher of the Year at her previous schools as well.

This year Odom is teaching math, science and social studies. She teaches two classes with a combined total of 41 students.

Odom said she cannot think of any worst experience she has ever had teaching, but she finds the best thing about her profession is she learns more from her students every year; they teach her not just educational things, but things about life as well, she said.

Her favorite thing about Knightsville Elementary is how it is such a tight community; everybody is just a friendly face, she said.

“It’s just one big tight-knit community within our school – teachers or students, new faces or old faces,” she said.

Odom has been married to her husband Daniel for 10 years. They have a 4-year-old son named Hayden and another 2-year-old son named Jonathan. The family has two dogs: a 5-year-old lab named Gauge and 10-year-old cocker spaniel named Harley.

Odom said she is very close to her parents, who are still in Mt. Pleasant, and said that outside of school her family enjoys spending time together. She also likes being outside and doing things like going on a run, boating and going to the beach. One of her favorite pastimes is going crabbing.

Odom’s life goal is to try to live life to the fullest every day and be the best teacher for her students, colleague for her coworkers and mom, wife and daughter to her family.

“I just want to be the best I can be every day,” she said.

There were smiles, cheers, high-fives and even a few tears as Knightsville Elementary bid farewell to its fifth-graders on May 26 -- the last day of school for Dorchester District Two.

Knightsville Elementary traditionally has its fifth-graders parade through the school in celebration of graduating from elementary school, but this year the school had a special twist on the tradition: they invited back 2017 high school and college graduates -- also Knightsville Elementary alumni -- to return to their old stomping grounds wish the fifth-graders good-luck as they set off for middle school.

Drew Massey, graduating senior at Summerville High, called it nostalgic.

"It's weird to come back 10 years later," she said.

Massey was one of approximately 25 returning graduates who participated in the walk. Summerville High graduates donned their signature green caps and gowns. A handful of Clemson University and University of South Carolina graduates also participated.

The returning students spoke to fifth-graders in their classrooms prior to the parade to offer words of encouragement and students also heard from college professors from Charleston Southern University and The Citadel.

Massey said she wanted to participate because it felt special.

"I saw a lot of them (students) crying," she said. "I think they thought it was special too."

The entire school lined the hallways, along with parents, faculty and staff, to watch all the graduates weave through the building. Younger students awarded the graduates with cheers and high fives along the way while the school played "Pomp and Circumstance" over the intercom.

Teachers wore little graduation caps as well and, if they still had them, they were invited to wear their old graduation robes.

Principal Claire Sieber referred to the returning graduates as the "continuance of the legacy of learning that started here at Knightsville."

"You have empowered our fifth-graders to rise on and continue their education. I'm looking forward to all that the future will hold," she said.

The idea to invite the former Knightsville Elementary students back was Assistant Principal Carey Hodge's idea. Hodge said she had seen a similar event in her former hometown.

Sieber and Hodge said they wanted to have a community connection with the fifth-grade parade this year. With the response they got, Sieber said she anticipates this will be a tradition going forward.

Hodge said their focus for the last couple of weeks has been words of encouragement. She said they have been working on coordinating the event for three months.

Hodge said she thinks the Knightsville Elementary students really enjoyed it.

"I'm seeing tears of...joy and miss -- they're going to miss us. I know it's very bittersweet for them," she said. "But it's always a great thing when kids don't want to leave."

"Above all we just want them to love, learn and lead," she said.