Mortgage Broker in Surrounding Lexington, SC

Let’s be real: We like to watch things blow up.

It’s right there in the national anthem, after all. “And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in air...”

While there won’t be literal bombs bursting in Columbia and the Midlands this Independence Day weekend, there undoubtedly be plenty of fireworks in the sky.

Certainly, there will be some who choose to shoot fireworks at home, with stashes purchased from the ubiquitous roadside stands that pop up each summer, or from year-round stores like Casey’s Fireworks on Rosewood Drive.

But while at-home fireworks shows certainly have their charms, there are many who — perhaps wisely — choose to leave the pyrotechnics to the professionals and attend one of the many celebrations, ballgames and festivals that include fireworks across July 4 weekend.

There are a number of events that include fireworks scheduled during this extended Independence Day weekend, beginning Friday, June 30, and stretching all the way to July 4. Here’s a look:

Independence Day Celebration at Lexington Icehouse Amphitheater (June 30) — The town of Lexington will kick off a weekend filled with patriotic events across the Midlands.

On Friday, Lexington will celebrate with an event at the Icehouse Amphitheater downtown. At 7 p.m. the 246th Army Band will play a concert on the amphitheater stage, and it will be followed with a fireworks show. Drinks will be available for purchase, and attendees can tune radios to 93.1 FM to listen to patriotic music during the fireworks.

Town officials said the best viewing areas for the fireworks will be the Icehouse Amphitheater, Main Street restaurants, Lexington Square Park, Lexington Veterans Monument and from any public parking lot downtown.

Celebration on Lake Murray (July 1) — The skies will come alive over Lake Murray as it hosts its 35th annual Fourth of July weekend celebration.

The party kicks off at 12:30 p.m. Saturday with a patriotic boat parade at Bomb Island, which is viewable from either of the park sites near the Lake Murray Dam. Then, at roughly 9:30 p.m., one of the state’s biggest fireworks shows will pop off. Fireworks will launch from Spence Island and Dreher Island. Organizers note that the best viewing locations are from a boat. Turn your radio to 106.7 FM for patriotic music that plays in sequence with the fireworks.

Town of Blythewood Rockin’ Red, White and Blue Celebration (July 1) — Blythewood’s getting ready to rock once again.

The town’s annual Rockin’ Red, White and Blue Celebration is set for 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday and will feature live music (including a set from The Voltage Brothers), vendors and, of course, fireworks. The free event will take place at Doko Meadows Park at 171 Langford Road.

Columbia Fireflies baseball vs. Augusta (July 1) — The crack of the bats won’t be the only loud sounds you can hear at Segra Park on Saturday night.

The Class A Columbia Fireflies will host the Augusta GreenJackets at 6:05 p.m. Saturday in a Carolina League tilt. The game will be immediately followed by a fireworks spectacular. Tickets start at $5 and can be purchased at firefliestickets.com or the stadium box office.

Independence Day Celebration at Fort Jackson (July 1) — Midlands residents will have a chance to celebrate at one of the nation’s largest Army training facilities.

Gates will open at 4 p.m. Saturday at Fort Jackson for the installation’s annual Independence Day bash. There will be carnival rides, live music from acts such as Blanco Brown, and a dozen different food trucks. The evening will culminate with a massive fireworks show over Hilton Field at about 9:20 p.m. Make sure to bring a valid ID and car registration to enter Fort Jackson.

Lexington County Blowfish baseball games (July 3 and 4) — You can feel the boom two consecutive nights at Lexington County Baseball Stadium on Ballpark Road.

The Coastal Plain League’s Lexington County Blowfish will host the Asheboro Zookeepers on Monday, July 3, and the Glowfish on Tuesday, July 4. Both games will begin at 7:05 p.m. and each will be followed by a fireworks show. Visit goblowfishbaseball.com for ticket information.

Fireworks With the Phil (July 4) — There will be a symphony in the sky — and a literal symphony — on Tuesday, July 4, at Columbia’s Segra Park.

The South Carolina Philharmonic Orchestra will play a concert at the baseball stadium, with gates opening at 6:30 p.m. and music beginning at about 8 p.m., with the concert culminating with a big fireworks display. Visit firefliestickets.com for ticket info.

Lexington County Peach Festival in Gilbert (July 4) — One of the most charming July 4 traditions in the Midlands will happen once again in Gilbert.

The annual Peach Festival will be going on all day July 4 at Gilbert Community Park and will include a car show, a Peach Parade, live music, arts and crafts vendors and, you guessed it, a fireworks show at the end of the evening at about 10 p.m. For more information, visit lexingtoncountypeachfestival.com.

This story was originally published June 29, 2023, 11:14 AM.

Jordan Lawrence | Chronicle

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Posted Thursday, May 25, 2023 2:23 pm

jordan@lexingtonchronicle.com

A pair of steakhouses are set to replace two popular Lexington-area restaurants.

Happy Fork, the dining group and developer that has opened the Chophouse of Chapin and Bakon Southern Eatery in the Chapin Commons development, is set to bring Southern Smoked Tavern and Steakhouse to the spot at 924 E Main St. formerly occupied by Griffin Chophouse.

Meanwhile, new steakhouse Bone-Appetite, which was initially set to replace Griffin when that restaurant closed in March, is now set to replace Oak Grove Fish House at 309 Oak Dr. The local seafood eatery had initially posted in April that it was closing for renovations.

Happy Fork is well-acquainted with both the space and Griffin Chophouse, having partnered with owner/chef Henry Griffin to open the restaurant in 2020 before they parted ways.

“I knew the building, I knew the location,” Happy Fork owner/CEO Ron Pereira told the Chronicle. “Actually, I live five minutes down the street, so very familiar and entrenched in Lexington. So as soon as we saw the sign come up for lease, we immediately jumped on it. And I knew the [Midtown Fellowship] church, the landlords, from the past and they’re just absolutely, phenomenally great people, can't say nothing but [good] things about them.”

The location is attached to the Lexington outpost of Midtown Fellowship, one of the church’s three Midlands locations.

As to how Happy Fork decided a steakhouse was the best call for the location, the CEO said his team is always paying attention to what people are asking for.

“When you go on Facebook, and you see those big groups and the hundreds of comments of what everybody's looking for around here, everybody was demanding a steakhouse,” Pereira said. “So part of what we do at Happy Fork is we listen. We don't just sit there and throw a concept together. We focus on a lot of key people in the area, look at a lot of social media, try to figure out what the people really want. And that's what we try to deliver.”

While Griffin, too, leaned steakhouse with its menu, Pereira said Southern Smoked will stand apart from its predecessor by balancing its selection of high-quality steaks with more trendy options like street tacos and deviled eggs topped with burnt ends. He said the new restaurant will also have a more casual sports bar feel, with an ample selection of TVs to catch NFL and SEC football games and other action.

As to when the new restaurant will open, Pereira said, “I’d like to say the end of June, my team wants to revolt on me when I say that. I’d like to have been open yesterday. We’re pushing hard and fast. Our biggest hurdle will be employment. We’ll probably need a good 40-50 employees.”

Bone-Appetite, which is being spearheaded by former Travinia Italian Kitchen chef and partner Justin Owens, was also sparked by calls from locals for a Lexington steakhouse.

“Local residents [come by], some of them are disappointed that the Oak Grove Fish House is closed because they like their fried fish and whatnot,” Owens said of the engagement he’s had so far with the Oak Grove community, located about halfway between West Columbia and Lexington along U.S. Highway 1.

“But then immediately, when they find out it’s a steakhouse, they become super excited.”

Also similar to Southern Smoked, Owens said he will attempt to distinguish the restaurant with the variety of options alongside T-bones, New York strips, filets, “all that good stuff.” He mentioned distinct items like a pork chop with a chicharon on top and a chicken dish that’s served alongside a seasoned, fried corn rib, which he said becomes “like ribs, like pork potatoes.”

While he declined to discuss specifics about why he ended up moving on from the old Griffin location, he credited the Duke family, which owns Columbia seafood mainstay Blue Marlin, for helping him find his way to a location he’s excited about. He details that the seating will include 120 spots inside and 40 outside. He seems particularly excited about what he called a “great” outside area, saying the restaurant will utilize its patio for brunch with live music on Sundays.

“I really thought I needed to be ... on Main Street, you know, I needed to be on Sunset [Boulevard], but man, I’ve been received so well over here,” Owens said.

The chef and owner is hard at work on the space — he was at the location and had to turn off a sander when he took the Chronicle’s call — and said he hopes to be up and running in the next couple weeks.

Chapin Commons makes progress, developer eyes Lexington expansion

Another ongoing project for Happy Fork is Chapin Commons, the upscale shopping and dining center at 301 Columbia Ave. that is already home to Chophouse of Chapin and Bakon and which the company continues to build out.

“It’s moving along, and it’s definitely a big project,” Pereira said of the development, where construction has been paused for several months. “We're trying to get construction moving, and get the costs under control because we were way out of budget due to a lot of variables. So we’re trying to push as fast as we can and just keep moving along.”

Among the future tenants slated to make their home are three more Happy Fork dining concepts, including a less-steak-forward outpost of Southern Smoked (so as not to compete with Chophouse of Chapin), a drive-through restaurant called Modern Fresco and an as-yet-unnamed frozen yogurt spot.

Also slated for Chapin Commons in the future are a med spa, a gym to replace the MUV Fitness that closed earlier this year, and a nail salon, with Pereira noting that his team is trying to solidify additional plans for an axe throwing spot and a cigar shop.

The CEO also mentioned that Lexington is on the company’s radar to replicate what it is doing with Chapin Commons.

“We're hoping to do Southern Smoked Tavern and Steakhouse in Lexington as kind of our first spot in Lexington,” he said. “ We're planning, once we finish Chapin, to do another smaller shopping center in Lexington to incorporate the concepts I have out and Chapin and bring those to Lexington.”

Pereira said Happy Fork is hoping to secure land this year, adding that they are looking at options near the Publix Super Market at Hendrix Crossing along U.S. Highway 378, west of downtown Lexington.

“That would be more ideal for us to be more on the outskirts,” he said. “Our niche is to be not near downtown, but to be delivering good food, good products, great service on the outskirts, so you don’t have to drive 30, 40 minutes to get downtown.”

Keywords

Bone-Appetite steakhouse, southern smoked tavern, lexington restaurant, griffin chophouse, oak grove fish house

LEXINGTON, S.C. — Lexington is growing its Main Street area with new restaurants and businesses.

A resident of the town, Kris Hill, and his girlfriend said they are always looking for new things to try.

Hill said he has lived in the area for the past few years and likes the peace, but he's watched the community grow more over time.

"I'm excited about new restaurants coming because my girlfriend and I are looking to get out more, and expand, so that'll be perfect," Hill said.

Lexington Mayor Steve MacDougall said the growth residents like Hill notice is intentional.

"I think it's good for the businesses that have been there for a long time, that have fought the battle to get people coming in," MacDougall said. "I was in the restaurant business for 30 years, and I learned once other restaurants start popping up around you, more people flock to the area."

A few buildings on Main Street have appeared, and some have been empty for quite some time. But Mayor MacDougall said they are slowly filling up.

The new Icehouse Amphitheater building will be home to an unidentified new restaurant.

The two buildings across the street from Icehouse, right in front of Stephen's Evangelical Lutheran Church, and across the street from Bubba's Biscuit, will also be made new. The smaller brick building closest to the church will become a Takosushi restaurant. The white brick building next door will be home to Moltó Vino's latest location.

Courtney Cobb has lived in the area for 20 years and frequents downtown. On Sunday, she was sitting outside enjoying a meal from Bubba's Biscuit. She said a few new places to grab a bite sounds great for residents like her and the town itself.

"I think it'll be good for the local economy to have more businesses and more jobs," Cobb said. "They just need enough parking; that's the only thing."

Both Takosushi and Moltó Vino's websites have their new Lexington locations listed already. Still, neither has listed an opening date just yet.

Mayor Steve MacDougall said the old, purple Lexington Chronicle building would transform into a clothing boutique.

It’s been about a half-decade since the Farmer’s Shed closed its doors on Augusta Highway opposite Lexington High School.

Now Ben Hooker and Brandy Hashem plan to give the home of the former restaurant and market life again with a pizza and ice cream place.

Boho Pizza and Brew is looking to open later this summer, hopefully late-July or August, with construction and revitalization on the building at 2514 Augusta Hwy. ongoing. The duo plan to keep some of the rustic appeal of the former Farmer’s Shed while completing necessary structural upgrades.

The restaurant will offer artisan pizzas, beer and wine. It will also include a sweet shop offering ice creams and other treats. On the weekends, they hope to offer brunch pizzas and mimosas.

After driving by the place many times, Hooker and Hashem developed a vision of what they wanted to see there.

“Lexington just needs more places with live music and that’s kid-friendly,” said Hooker. “It sparked something inside me to do something.”

The back area of the restaurant is set to have a patio, including space for that live music, and a place for kids to play, including games and a small playground.

“I always wanted something that was family-friendly where kids can eat while the parents have a drink or two,” Hooker said, going on to describe how the idea of a pizza place came about. “What does everyone eat? Pizza. Most families want this so we thought, ‘How can we bring it together?’”

As the business partners delved more into putting the restaurant together, they learned a lot about pizza, and Hooker said he’s excited to bring something different to Lexington.

While pizza is the main entrée, sweets are also a big component of the restaurant. In the back of the space will be Lana’s Sweet Shop, named in honor of Hooker’s daughter.

“My oldest daughter passed away and it drove me to do something,” he said. “Lana’s Sweet Shop is in honor of her.”

Hooker said they will try to source whatever they can locally, whether that’s working with local bakers or serving some local beers.

The restaurant joins a couple of other businesses already neighboring the former Farmer’s Shed. On one side of the restaurant is Belly’s Southern Pride and BBQ, and on the other side is Big Oak Farms Boutique. Belly’s has been around since 2002, and Big Oak Farms boutique opened within the past year.

Keywords

lexington restaurant, columbia pizza, midlands beer, lake murray ice cream

Pickleball is a growing sport in the community, although there are not many places around to play. Lexington County Tennis Complex (LCTC) has created eight new pickleball courts to allow more people to become involved with the sport.

The grand opening for the new pickleball courts was last Friday and around 75 people came to try out the new courts.

LCTC had to take down two tennis courts to make the eight pickleball courts. It took a few years for the complex to adopt the sport of pickleball, as the former director of tennis did not want to give up any tennis courts to be changed into pickleball. Bryan Clary is now the director of tennis and pickleball for the Lexington County Recreation and Aging Commission and welcomed the idea of adding in the pickleball courts.

“It was Bryan Clary coming in who seemed to be much more open and the county was much more receptive to his overtures regarding this,” said Ron Brooks, maintenance director of the Lexington County Tennis Complex. “He seemed to understand that it was an extremely fast-growing sport and it was not going to go away.”

Brooks said the project would not have been possible without the support of the community. Many people spoke out, wrote letters, created petitions, and made social media posts in an effort to get the pickleball courts approved.

Pickleball is a co-ed sport and can be played by almost anyone. Brooks said that the sport used to tailor more towards older community members, but has since gained attention from people of all ages. It is also largely played by athletes who have retired from another sport or who have suffered from an injury.

“My athletic career was cut short from some pretty serious injuries and I never thought I'd be able to compete again,” said Brooks. “Pickleball allowed me to come back and overcome the injuries, participate, have a lot of fun, make new friends and get out of the house a couple of nights a week.”

LCTC has 3 certified pickleball coaches who offer tips and lessons for those who have not played pickleball before or want advice.

The tennis complex hopes to add one or two more pickleball courts in the future, that are structured as stadium courts for higher levels of competition.

Pickleball court rates are $1/person for 2 hours of play.

Pickleball schedule at LCTC

Information about LCTC’s summer tennis and pickleball camps is available at lcrac.com.