September 2017 - In This Issue:
Hunter-Gatherer to Open at
Curtiss-Wright Hangar in November

Hunter-Gatherer will open its second location in November at the historic Curtiss-Wright Hangar in Owens Field. The 13,000 sq. ft. brewery will soon be open to the public and feature an event space, tap room, and observation deck. The food menu will include a
ppetizers, salads and thin crust pizzas that will be made in three  minutes by a unique, high heat oven.    

Kevin Varner is the owner and operator, and opened the original Hunter-Gatherer location in 1995 at 900 Main Street. "I think that the City of Columbia has been characterized as being a hard place to open and operate a business in the past", said Varner. "I do not think that is true today. City of Columbia employees have gone out of their way to help me throughout this project." 

According to a study by the National Brewers Association, South Carolina's 40 craft breweries and brew pubs bring $443 million annually into the state's economy and has created 3,000 jobs in South Carolina.  

South Carolina Summit on IT
 
Advancing
 South Carolina's Economy through Information Technology

Join IT leaders from CEO's to entrepreneurs across all industry verticals, as well as e lected officials and e conomic development practitioners at the  third statewide Summit on IT on   Tuesday, October 10.  

The day will begin with an overview of what is happening in IT workforce development across the United States, followed by the findings of the South Carolina workforce study. Learn about the challenges and opportunities that South Carolina faces in IT workforce development and the innovative approaches being taken to solve these issues. 

"With some amazing partners, both our city and state have advanced tremendously in supporting the growth of our knowledge economy, and we look forward to the fruitful and innovative conversations to come that will take us to the next level," said Mayor Steve Benjamin.

The workshop is hosted by IT-oLogy, in partnership with City of Columbia, SC Chamber of Commerce, and SC Department of Commerce. The event will be held at  1301 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC.
   
For a full schedule and to register click on the link below.



  
Catch the Cap!

A new public bus service called the Soda Cap Connector launched on September 1st. The bus route connects  major Columbia destinations including the SC State Museum, the Vista, Main Street District, the State House, Five Points and Benedict and Allen colleges

Heather Cooper, PR Director for Soda City says that "Columbia is culturally diverse. It's a city built by smart people doing interesting things. The more people that are able to immerse themselves in the Soda City experience and support local businesses in every district, the better."

This service will run Tuesday-Saturday from 10:00 am-6:00 pm as a pilot.  The first six months are free. The buses are equipped with access to free WiFi, ports to charge their phones and  security cameras.  



Rethink Business. 
We're not the sleepy little city you remember.

The City of Columbia has experienced significant growth and revitalization over the past few years, and we've clearly sharpened our focus on growing business. Ready to take a new look at Columbia?  SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE 
Columbia Economic Development
803-734-2700