Wade’s Restaurant recently unveiled a new concept that will open in early 2026
on Reidville Road in Reidville. Wade’s Restaurant photo
Wade’s Restaurant unveils Wade’s Jr.
Adapted from information provided
by Wade’s Restaurant
A cherished Spartanburg culinary
institution is taking a step forward. Wade’s Restaurant, a James Beard Award-winning beacon of Southern comfort food
for nearly eight decades, has announced plans to launch a brand-new concept: Wade’s Jr. Set to open in early 2026 on
Reidville Road, this next-generation eatery will bring the signature flavors of Wade’s to the west side of Spartanburg
in a modern, fast-casual format.
From its founding in 1947, Wade’s has become synonymous
with home-style Southern cooking — fluffy yeast rolls, savory meat-and-three plates, and warm hospitality. Now, with
Wade’s Jr., the family-owned restaurant aims to meet the needs of today’s on-the-go diners while honoring its
rich legacy.
A New Twist on a Beloved Tradition
“Wade’s
Jr. is a natural next step for our brand, allowing us to serve more of our Southern comfort food in a format that fits modern
lifestyles,” said Anna Lindsey Liles, third-generation owner and marketing director. “We are proud to continue
our legacy while bringing our beloved recipes to even more of Spartanburg.”
Located along
the bustling Reidville Road corridor — a gateway to the fast-growing Duncan and Moore communities — Wade’s
Jr. will feature counter service, a streamlined “meat and three” menu, and a curbside pickup lane for online orders.
Guests can expect the same from-scratch recipes and warm service, in a format built for convenience. And yes — Wade’s
legendary hand-mixed yeast rolls, baked fresh daily, will still be front and center.
A
Family Legacy Evolves
Wade’s Jr. represents not just a new restaurant, but a new
chapter in the story of one of Spartanburg’s most iconic family businesses.“Our family and team have been dreaming
up the next version of Wade’s for years,” said Hamp Lindsey, co-owner and son of the founders. “Spartanburg’s
growth is truly exciting, and we are proud to expand within this vibrant community. Wade’s Jr. allows us to reach even
more guests, especially those who may not always make it to our east side location.”
The
new location will also debut refreshed branding — including an updated logo and modernized veggie characters —
inspired by the restaurant’s most recognizable icon: the golden yeast roll.
Honoring
the Past, Serving the Future
Though Wade’s Jr. marks a fresh direction, the flagship
Wade’s Restaurant on South Pine Street will continue to operate with full dine-in and ToGo service, ensuring longtime
patrons still enjoy the full experience they’ve come to love.“Continuing our family’s legacy of serving
great Southern cooking to Spartanburg is an honor we don’t take lightly,” said Wade Lindsey III, another third-generation
owner. “Our commitment to excellence and continuous improvement has been the cornerstone of our success for generations,
and we remain dedicated to bringing the best of Southern hospitality to our community.”
According
to Joey Basso, Chief Operating Officer, the launch of Wade’s Jr. is the result of years of planning.
“The right team and the right location have come together at just the right time,” Basso said. “The
stars have aligned, and the timing of this new concept perfectly matches the vision we’ve been working toward. Our team
is energized, prepared, and excited for this next chapter.”
Looking Ahead
As construction gets underway, excitement is already building among loyal Wade’s fans and newcomers alike.
With Wade’s Jr., Spartanburg’s favorite comfort food is becoming even more accessible — without losing the
heart and heritage that made it great. For updates on Wade’s Jr. and to follow the journey to opening day, visit wadesjr.com
or follow @eatatwadesjr on social media.
Spartanburg Methodist College names Tyler Miller
new head baseball coach
By Daniel Kambel for Spartanburg Methodist
College
The next chapter of the Spartanburg Methodist
College baseball program will be led by Tyler Miller as announced by athletic director Megan Aiello.
Miller
has been named the head coach after a nationwide search, following the 33 years of leadership by Tim Wallace. Miller comes
to SMC with a lineage of baseball coaches, his grandfather, Clyde amassed 835 victories as a head coach that finished his
career at nearby Gardner-Webb and his father, Joe was the head coach at another nearby school, Anderson University for 23
years.
“We are excited to welcome Tyler Miller as the new head baseball coach at Spartanburg
Methodist College. With his experience playing and coaching in South Carolina, Tyler kows the history and prestige of our
program,” said Scott Cochran, president of SMC. “We’re conifdent he will provide our players and program
a great opportunity for continued success and growth on and off the field.”
Before entering
the coaching ranks, Miller was a standout infielder at Anderson University where he earned honorable mention all-conference
honors twice. During his senior campaign, his efforts earned him a Gold Glove honor. For his career, he ranks in the top ten
in five-different offensive categories. Miller also played in the summer months for the DuPage Drones in Lisle, Illinois of
the Prospect League and the Forest City Owls of the Coastal Plains League in Forest City, North Carolina.
Spartanburg Community College, Winthrop University announce new transfer partnership
Spartanburg
Community College (SCC) and Winthrop University have announced a new academic partnership that will help students transition
seamlessly from SCC to Winthrop, select their desired major, and move steadily toward graduation.
The agreement, which introduces four guided Meta-Majors, will allow students to complete both their associate’s
and bachelor’s degrees efficiently.
“Spartanburg Commun-ity College is proud to offer
our students opportunities to continue their education at a host of institutions from around the state and beyond,”
said Stacey Obi, Vice President of Student & Community Advancement at SCC. “These new pathways for students to transfer
on to Winthrop University are a result of close collaboration and mark the beginning of a great, new partnership with Winthrop
that we look forward to expanding in the future.”
The new program centers around Meta-Majors,
which groups academic disciplines into career-specific clusters. Each Meta-Major outlines key milestones, course requirements
and timelines for completing an associate degree at SCC and transitioning into a bachelor’s degree program at Winthrop.
Students benefit from personalized advising, early access to transfer tools and a clear “road map” toward degree
completion.
“We’re thrilled about the potential of this partnership, particularly
how it will enhance the academic journeys of our transfer students,” said Sebastian van Delden, Provost and Executive
Vice President for Academic Affairs at Winthrop University. “I’m thankful for the teams at both institutions.
Their collaboration and shared commitment to student success is a win-win for everyone.”
The Four Meta-Majors Include:
1. Business & Manage-ment
2. Science & Health
3. Society & Politics
4. Arts,
Language & Communications
Students and advisors are encouraged to visit myscc.info/transfer
for more information about the partnership and transfer opportunities.
Spartanburg Community College
provides affordable, high-quality education and workforce development opportunities to residents of Upstate South Carolina.
With five campuses and a range of transfer and technical programs, SCC serves over 10,000 students annually and partners closely
with community partners and employers to ensure student success: www.sccsc.edu.
Winds from Tropical Storm Helene ripped the roof off this home in Williston, S.C., at
5 a.m. Friday, Sept. 27, 2024, and caused the sunroom and screened-in porch to collapse. (Provided by Emily Wiles)
S.C. lays plans to rebuild or repair an estimated 900 homes damaged by Hurricane
Helene
By: Jessica Holdman for the S.C. Daily Gazette https://scdailygazette.com/
Anderson — South Carolina plans to rebuild or repair an estimated 900 homes
damaged by Hurricane Helene.
A state Office of Resilience plan lays out spending for nearly $200
million in federal and state funding set aside in the wake of the massive storm, which swept across the Southeast last September.
Helene marked the deadliest storm in state history, leading to the deaths of 49 people and bringing tropical storm-force
winds and heavy rainfall across most of western and central South Carolina.
To aid in recovery,
the Palmetto State will spend more than 80% of the $150 million it received from U.S. Housing and Urban Development on housing.
The lionshare — $110.7 million — will go to repairing and replacing homes, said Disaster Recovery Director
Scott Sharpe.
HUD requires the state to spend most, if not all, the federal funds in what it considers
the heaviest-hit counties: Greenville, Abbeville, McCormick, Edgefield and Orangeburg.
No more
than 20% is allowed to go to residents of Aiken, Saluda, Greenwood, Laurens, Union, Spartanburg, Cherokee, Anderson, Oconnee
and Pickens.
Legislators also approved $40 million in the upcoming budget to replenish one of
the state’s own disaster recovery funds, a portion of which the Resilience Office will use to rebuild homes in impacted
counties not eligible for federal dollars.
The state is focusing rebuilding efforts on those families
with the greatest financial need, starting with families earning just 30% of the area median income and further prioritizing
those with children and elderly or disabled family members, Sharpe said.
In Greenville County,
that’s less than $29,000 for a family of four. In Orangeburg County, it’s an income less than $20,400, according
to HUD figures.
The state will spend up to $225,000 to rebuild a home and up to $75,000 to make
repairs not covered by insurance or other financial aid, Sharpe said.
The goal is to make those
rebuilt homes more storm resistant. They’ll have reinforced roofs and windows resistant to hurricane-force winds. The
state also will elevate those in flood plains, Sharpe said.
When it comes to mobile homes, if
the homeowner owns the land, the state will replace them with standard, single family homes. If the homeowner leases the lot
their mobile home sits on, the state will replace it with a new mobile home.
Once it receives
federal approval, the Resilience Office will begin taking applications for federal aid, likely in late August.
The state dollars can be spent sooner, Sharpe said. State recovery officials, known as disaster case managers, have
already been gathering a list of eligible homeowners and Sharpe hopes to begin rebuilds on as many as 200 homes in the next
few weeks.
Beyond repairs, the state is setting aside $13 million to buy out repeatedly flooded
homes.
And $7.5 million will go to repair rental properties for landlords who agree to keep the
rent at an affordable level as set by HUD for at least five years.
Sharpe said Helene heavily
impacted renters. Tenants made up roughly 40% of aid applications filed with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Finally, the state is turning to volunteer organizations to help with repairs and stretch the recovery dollars further.
Those volunteer groups are often nonprofits that pay for repairs through their own fundraising. They’re also eligible
for money from the One SC Fund.
The fund was created in 2015 with the backing of then-Gov. Nikki
Haley to respond to historic flooding after Hurricane Joaquin stalled off the coast and dumped up to 2 feet of rain on parts
of South Carolina. The Central Carolina Community Foundation, which manages the fund, reactivated it in response to Hurricane
Matthew in 2016, Hurricane Florence in 2018, the COVID pandemic, and most recently, Hurricane Helene.
The
fund raised more than $5 million for recovery efforts following the September storm.
