5 New Sights in Spartanburg’s Downtown Cultural District
Spartanburg’s downtown is growing every day it seems like, and a major fuel of growth is happening right in the Downtown Cultural District. The district is about four-square blocks from Barnet Park to Spartanburg Community College's downtown campus on Kennedy Street, west on Kennedy to the Grain District, and bordered on its northern edge by the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium. It was the second designation awarded in the state and the very first in the Upstate!
Check out 5 of the latest creative additions to the Downtown District that you absolutely need to check out ASAP!
Barter Boat
Barter Boat is a carnival-inspired pop-up trading post captained by a trio of sails-women, former HUB-BUB AiR's Robin Schwartzman, Anna Abhau Elliott, and Desiree Moore, who travel from city to city trading with the citizenry. Focused on moments of generosity, Barter Boat engages audiences through the act of barter, oral storytelling, and visual art. Barter Boat will be docked at Fr8yard in downtown Spartanburg until May 5th!
Market on Main
Market on Main, located at 156 E. Main Street is a one-stop shop for all things local, artisan, handmade and unique. Market on Main features products of over 20 upstate vendors. Owners Aimee Cheek and Lisa Giaimo not only wanted the store to be a place for you to pick up a one-of-a-kind gift, but they also want it to be a place for you to get inspired for your next DIY project.
Lucy Boland Mural
Lucy Boland, local artist and co-founder of Shelley Art co. has brought her immensely popular series 100 women to life on the walls of Downtown Spartanburg! The latest mural in Downtown Spartanburg features three large scale sketches of women accompanied by retro and vibrant line work in collaboration with fellow artist Russel Bannan. Lucy's studio is located at 146 east main, above 3 sister boutique. She uses her downtown studio space as a creative hub for many creative processes including, painting, brainstorming and showcasing her art.
The Pharmacy
The Pharmacy is a new specialty coffee shop located on the ground floor of the Montgomery building in Downtown Spartanburg. Focused on the experience and subtleties of a good brew, The Pharmacy is taking coffee from just your morning cup that gets you through the day, turning it into an intentional experience that's meant to be enjoyed. With their in-house selection of specialty brews, flavors, and techniques, this is truly an experience you want to indulge in and Instagram too!
Love Where You Live Mural (Refreshed!)
The SDCD's most Instagramable mural just got a fresh coat of paint! Stephen Long, the Love Where You Live campaign director and co-creator of the Grain District, with help from Jeremy Kemp, and the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s OneSpartanburg initiative, led the effort to restore the Love Where You Live mural. The mural features a few of Spartanburg’s key symbols and names, with the Grain District logo, Sparkle City, and the Hoondirt downtown bike sculptures making appearances.
Photos courtesy of Abigail Hoffman