The Hub City Co-op has selected the site of the cooperatively-owned grocery market

located at 176 N. Liberty Street in downtown Spartanburg.  

The site was selected based on co-op and natural foods market best practices and feasibility studies. A lease was signed June 8th with the owner Champion Investment Corporation.  

The site is conveniently located in downtown Spartanburg across from the Chapman Cultural Center and The George; many will recognize the location as the former site of Frank Hall Tire Store and before that the Volkswagen / Porsche dealership in the 1950's.

Tours will be offered the third Thursday of the months of July thru October

during Art Walk (6pm to 9pm)! 

Thank you, Spartanburg, for a wonderful Spring at The Urban Planter.  We have really enjoyed getting to know our customers over the last 6+ months.  There is nothing like being able to address someone coming through the door by name, it's one of the many things we love about our small business.  We are planning a trip to The Atlanta Market this month to prepare and buy for the Christmas holiday.  We are really looking forward to spending Christmas with Spartanburg again this year. 

The heat this summer as become almost unbearable.  We have some great workshops coming up this month and hope you'll join us in our beautiful, welcoming and air conditioned store!  We are always looking for new ideas for workshops, if you have one, please let us know.  We are excited to be making fairy gardens this month and really hope to get to know some of your children this summer too! 

We will be closed on Wednesday July 4th in observance of Independence Day.  Regular business hours will resume Thursday.  We are filling a lot of containers for folks 4th of July celebrations, bring your containers in and let us make a beautiful arrangements for yours, too! 

We have some wonderful things coming to make your very own fairy garden!  Wheel barrows, arbors, benches, tiny little pots, swings, FAIRIES and swimming pools!   

Check out these beautiful little gardens and get the inspiration you need to  

make your very own garden.

Thursday July 12th 6:30pm:  Wayside Cottage with Joan Wheatley  

Ok, so what's next?  If you'd like to join us for one of these interactive, really fun workshops, call the store and we will get you registered.  We promise, you will have a blast.  Parents, bring your children, they will have tons of fun, too!  Register: 864-804-6256.  Questions by email: theurbanplantersc@gmail.com

The Vapor Emporium & Gift Shop has added gifts from three new artists:  

Miniatures and Shadow boxes by Joan Wheatley, handcrafted Writing Pens,  

Wooden Puzzles and other Gifts by Chris Pittman  

and Italian Charm Bracelets by Sherry Stokes.  

All of our gifts are produced by Local Artist and are available for purchase.  

Vapor Emporium & Gift Shop

505 East Main Street (next to Bob's Car Wash)  

in Downtown Spartanburg 

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Starting July 9th,  The Plaza on Main is offering box lunches from Converse Deli 

on Thursday nights at Music on Main!    

Upcoming Author Visits @ the Headquarters Library 

The Headquarters Library will host two author events in July.   

The first will feature author Ruta Sepetys and will take place on Sunday, July 15.   

The second will feature author Libbie Summers and will take place on Thursday, July 26.  

Meet author Ruta Sepetys and join us for an author talk and book discussion about her novel, "Between Shades of Gray." This event will take place on Sunday, July 15 at 2:00 p.m. in the Library Snack Bar.  Copies of the book are available for check out at the Library and for purchase at the Hub City Bookshop and at the event. Snacks will be served and an autographing session will follow. This event is for both teens and adults and is free and open to the public. 

If you like pigs, food, cooking or just good "pig tales," this is the program for you.  Join us on Thursday, July 26 at 7:00 p.m. to meet author Libbie Summers, author of "The Whole Hog Cookbook."  Libbie grew up on a hog farm in Missouri and grew to become the culinary producer for Paula Deen, who instilled in her a Southerner's affection for the pig. Most of her recipes have a down-home accent, but many reflect international influences too: Sweet Tea Brined Pork Shoulder, Pork Chops and Applesauce, Pork Belly Gyros, Pork Pies, and Jerk Roasted Tenderloin. Attendees will be treated to a few of her recommended culinary treats.  

This event is free and open to the public. 

Visit our website www.infodepot.org or call 864-596-3502 for more information  

about either of these programs.  

Maria Maier will be having a 1 night only sale on July 13th from 6-9.   

Come see Maria before she heads back to Germany.   

Grab a few of her newest paintings while you sip on some wine and mingle.  

Limited Edition Wine Themed Sailing for 2013 

Ad sales for the 2013 Spartanburg Visitor Guide are underway!   

In case you aren't familiar with the guide, here is just a little bit of background info  

on the CVB and the Spartanburg Visitors Guide for you: 

The Visitors Guide is produced annually (it comes out each January)  and 40,000 copies are printed. They are distributed at all visitor locations including all of the SC Welcome Centers as well as at the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce. It is also available  

at GSP Airport, AAA offices in North and South Carolina and is given out to people who attend conferences and meetings in Spartanburg or request visitor information.  

An electronic version is also  

available online (http://www.visitspartanburg.com/Contact%20Us/Free%20Guide.htm). 

The cost for a half page ad is $500; $800 for a full page; and $1,350 for a two-page spread.  

The deadline for ad reservation is August 31 and the deadline for artwork is September 15.  

When you do the math, it really comes out to be a great deal-40,000 copies and the guide  

is distributed for 12 months. 

For more information, please contact Amy Phillips at 864-594-5050 or aphillips@visitspartanburg.com.

Cute Summer things at The Lemon Peel!

Hospice Care of South Carolina Named 2012 Employer of the Year

First in state to be recognized

Hospice Care of South Carolina (HCSC), the leading hospice provider in the state, has been chosen by the National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses (NBCHPN) as its 2012 Employer of the Year. Hospice Care of South Carolina is the first hospice and palliative care provider in South Carolina to win this prestigious award. HCSC was recognized for their hard work and dedication during the 2012 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicare/Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association Annual Assembly held in Denver.

"We started an effort six years ago to set ourselves apart from all the other hospice programs by training and educating our staff," said Todd Picou, co-founder of Hospice Care of South Carolina. "We have worked hard to encourage, incentivize, and celebrate our staff's'- dedication to becoming leaders in hospice care certification. We are pleased our staff has been recognized for their work."

 The NBCHPN award recognizes dedication from an employer who has provided outstanding support to the certification programs for hospice and palliative providers. Each year the NBCHPN, selects one exemplary organization from thousands across the nation based on certification levels, support for certification and continuing education. In addition, employers must have participated in the NBCHPN Support Program for at least one year prior to qualifying for the award. Through the completion of specialized education, experience in a specialty nursing practice, and the successful completion of a qualifying exam, nurses and other qualified members of the health care team, achieve specialty certification credentials. Numerous studies have demonstrated a positive link between certified nurses and outcomes for patients.

"This award is a measure of excellence for our organizational mission, which is to be the best provider of hospice and palliative care services while developing the most trained and competent employees," said co-founder J. David Niday.

"We are extremely honored to receive this award," said Diane Parker, RN, MSN, NE-BC, Chief Nursing Officer at HCSC. "The Board of Directors voted unanimously, which validates what sets us apart as a quality organization across the nation and in our own state. We feel truly blessed to have such an amazing staff who strive for excellence in all that they do."

Previous winners of the award include York Hospital of Pennsylvania (2011), Hospice of Southern Illinois in (2010/2009), Home Hospice of Odessa Texas (2008), Hospice of the Comforter, Altamonte Springs Florida (2007), Columbus Hospice, Columbus, Georgia (2006).

Hospice Care of South Carolina (www.hospicecare.net) is the leading hospice provider in South Carolina. For more than a decade, HCSC has been changing the way people think about hospice care by focusing on living, and focusing on what the end of life can be. With 35 local offices that serve all 46 counties, HCSC is the only South Carolina hospice provider that trains others in every curriculum of the End of Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) a nationally accredited course in all areas (CORE, Critical Care, Geriatric, Veterans and Pediatrics). HCSC employs 37.5% of all Certified Hospice and Palliative-care Licensed Nurses in South Carolina.

Pictured L to R - Todd Picou, co-founder of Hospice Care of South Carolina, Diane Parker, CNO, David Niday, co-founder of Hospice Care of South Carolina.