MAY 2025: Chamber News + Member News!

May, 2025

President's Message

The South Carolina Chamber recently hosted the annual Small Business Day at the State House and your Chamber staff participated in the celebration! The backbone of our economy, small businesses make up 99.4% of all companies in our state and employ over 822,000 South Carolinians.

Most Lancaster County businesses are small businesses, and they are helping to drive our local economy. From legacy businesses that have served our community for decades, to new entrepreneurs ready to establish themselves, small businesses are creating jobs and taking care of their employees.

The Chamber is proud to support our business community as together we work to keep Lancaster County business friendly and a thriving destination for business!

CHAMBER NEWS

Two of our Chamber staff had a great time representing at the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce Small Business Day at the State House! They connected with Lancaster County chamber members like Ebony from Amillion & 1 Photography & Video Imaging, small businesses throughout the state like Mimi from The Tiny Tassel in Charleston, and local business owners like Sherita from Mommy’s Monos in Lancaster. They even snagged a photo with the Lt. Governor!

The 2025 Ag + Art Tour of Lancaster County kicked off May 2nd with a ‘Boots & BBQ” Event at Laurel Haven. Then on Saturday, May 3, the tour brought travelers from near and far to Lancaster County. From the panhandle to the southern part of the county, there were eighteen stops along this year’s tour. Visitors were able to go to farms, art studios, greenhouses and more as they discovered all of the agribusiness and art we have here in Lancaster County. With participants being in the thousands again this year, many of these places saw more traffic than on a usual day. It was the perfect opportunity to grab fresh eggs, new pottery and more. Many visitors were also able to learn more about how these places run, and all they have to offer. From behind the scenes tours, to strawberry picking, it was evident that these places play a vital role in our local economy. It doesn’t stop there, the arts were highlighted in unique ways that many may have missed if it were not for the Ag + Art Tour. Downtown Lancaster offered two art stops- the Native American Studies Center highlighting Catawba pottery, and Chastain’s Studio Lofts displaying local art student’s work. The rain held off for most of the day, but even with showers in the afternoon, you could still see participants in the greenhouses of Griff’s and getting a sawmill demonstration on at Benford Brewery. The Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce was proud to host the Lancaster County leg of the Clemson Cooperative Extension’s SC Ag + Art Tour for the second year in a row. More photos can be found on the Ag + Art Tour of Lancaster County Facebook page!

Clcik Here for More Morning Business Connection Information

You can view all upcoming Chamber events 24/7 on our online events calendar!

lancasterchambersc.org/events/calendar

PROGRAMS

Young Professionals

What an amazing night at our Sip, Snap & Socialize event! We loved meeting so many new faces and watching so many young professionals make meaningful connections. Huge congrats to our lucky raffle winners, and thanks to your generosity, we raised a significant amount for the YP Leadership Lancaster Scholarship!!

Special thanks to our incredible partners for making the night a success:

Amillion & 1 Photography & Video Imaging, Heath Springs Pizzeria, and Lancaster County Parks and Recreation!

Thank you to the YP Program Sponsor: Comporium

The Chamber set up a YP Program booth at the Indian Land Community Festival on May 10th!

Be sure to spread the word about this awesome free program for young professionals in Lancaster County!

Facebook page

Thank you to our Ambassador Program Sponsor:

Ambassadors

Road Clean-Up

A huge thank you to our amazing Chamber Ambassadors who volunteered their time to help clean up Colonial Avenue on Friday, April 25! Their efforts make a real difference in keeping our community beautiful.

April Meeting

Our Chamber Ambassadors came together in April for a productive and enjoyable meeting where they had the opportunity to fellowship, share important updates about our Chamber members, and discuss upcoming local events. We appreciate Chamber Ambassador Nicole for putting together lunch, featuring Chick-fil-A Lancaster sponsored by Comporium!

We cannot thank our Chamber Ambassadors enough for their ongoing dedication and commitment to keeping members informed and engaged.

Click Here to See 2025 Ambassadors

Leadership Lancaster

Our final session of the Leadership Lancaster 2024–2025 program wrapped up on May 7th with an action-packed Law Enforcement Day!

This hands-on experience gave our class an in-depth look at local law enforcement operations, training, and real-life scenarios.

The day kicked off at the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office SC, where Sheriff Barry Faile shared insights on Lancaster County operations, and Major Shaw led a tour of the facility, including the evidence/crime scene building. Next, we visited the 911 Call Center and Detention Center to see firsthand how emergency communications and jail operations work.

The group then made their way to the Lancaster PD for a presentation on community engagement, the day-to-day work of city officers, and to get the chance to say hello to Police Chief Don Roper.

After lunch at the Training Center, Major Shaw of the Sheriff’s Office gave a powerful session on officer protocols, training methods, and the real dangers officers face—complete with impactful video footage.

To wrap up the day, the class put their learning to the test through virtual reality scenarios, staged situations, and a challenging obstacle course used in real officer training.

A huge thank you to all our local law enforcement partners for an unforgettable and eye-opening day!

MEMBER NEWS

To view all Lancaster County Chamber members, visit our online directory!

Chamber Member Directory

NEW COMMUNITY CALENDAR!

This new interactive calendar allows all Chamber members to upload their events, making it easier for the entire community to stay informed.

Moving forward, instead of featuring individual event flyers, we’ll be highlighting the full calendar in each newsletter—giving all events equal visibility! Be sure to start uploading your events today so your business stays in the spotlight.

View Community Calendar

Broadstreet.net Celebrates Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony in Downtown Camden

Camden, SC – May 16, 2025 – Broadstreet.net officially opened its new office in Downtown Camden with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on Wednesday, May 7 at 11:45 a.m. The new location, situated at 537 E DeKalb Street above Gallery 537, marks a new chapter in the company’s continued growth and commitment to serving local businesses.

The ceremony, hosted in partnership with the Kershaw County Chamber of Commerce, brought together community members and partners to recognize Broadstreet.net’s contributions to the region’s small business community through digital marketing, website development, and content creation services.

Amy Kinard, Executive Director of the Kershaw County Chamber of Commerce, offered her congratulations during the ceremony, noting: “The Kershaw County Chamber is excited to celebrate the success of Broadstreet.net. I remember meeting Tom for the first time, long before he opened his first office in town. Now he and his expanding team have been helping Kershaw County businesses with their website and social media needs for over 6 years, and they need new office space. That’s something to celebrate!”

Founded by Camden resident Tom Sliker, Broadstreet.net has become a trusted resource for businesses across South Carolina looking to enhance their online presence and marketing reach.

“We’ve grown steadily over the years, and this new office gives us the space to continue delivering reliable service to our clients,” said Tom Sliker. “We’re focused on helping businesses get the tools and support they need to succeed online.”

For more information about Broadstreet.net and its services, visit www.broadstreet.net or call 803-575-0564