Fashion Stylist & Entrepreneur, Kenaia Grayson is excited to announce the launch of her designer shoe with national shoe company, Aldo Shoes Inc. In October 2021, Aldo Shoes held a contest searching for a shoe design collaboration. Kenaia Grayson entered the competition at the end and wo…

Lisa Weston is the owner of Columbia’s Keon’s Billionaire Bistro & Lounge, located on 655 St. Andrews Road Suite 67. The family-run business officially opened in March 2022 and has seen its successes grow since opening. However, the story behind the business is much deeper - it is a stor…

The Inaugural 2022 Columbia Neighborhood Awards was hosted by Chris Connors with KISS FM 103.1 on Saturday, April 23, 2022. The program recognized “Community Game Changers” in Columbia, SC and paid tribute to local businesses and community leaders.

As we enter a new month, please remember that there will be multiple Juneteenth Celebrations being held across the Midlands. Here is a current list of local celebrations:

A huge crowd traveled to the small town of Rembert, South Carolina to enjoy the 25 annual Black Cowboy Festival. People from up and down the East Coast, and from as far away as California, enjoyed the 3-day event.

Stanley L. Myers, Partner at Moore Bradley Myers (MBM), has become a Fellow in the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers.

On May 4, 2022, the Greater Des Moines Committee inducted South Carolina native Dr. Angela Walker Franklin into the Iowa Business Hall of Fame. Also inducted were William “Bill” Lillis and Mike Wells as the 2021 inductees to the Iowa Business Hall of Fame. The Iowa Business Hall of Fame hono…

W.J. Keenan High School ninth-grader MacKenzie Glover is part of the inaugural youth-led Flight Crew of the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) Next Opportunity Fund’s Million Girls Moonshot. She is one of 16 STEM ambassadors between the ages of 13-18 chosen from across t…

The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Columba (SC) Chapter recently celebrated an eight-year anniversary of advocacy and empowerment for women and girls of African descent at its “Virtual My Sister’s Keeper Annual Awards Ceremony” on May 21, 2022.

On Sunday, May 22, 2022, over 100 people including elected officials and community leaders gathered on Atlas Road for a celebratory groundbreaking. The Midlands Community Development Corporation (MCDC) and Dominium, a leading affordable housing owner, developer, and manager have partnered to…

Tony Thomas, founder and co-owner of Tony Thomas Family Karate, was recently certified as a 10th-Degree Black Belt in Karate.

Whether it’s the creativity cultivated by playing Roblox, an online platform which allows users to invent video games and play those created by others, or the many opportunities she’s presented at Meadowfield Elementary School, fifth-grader Jayla Stokes has developed myriad interests.

Cardinal Newman High School student Victoria Harris has been featured in Rustic Spirit Spotlight.

Prisma Health will present WellFest 2022, a free health and wellness event, as a live virtual experience on Friday, May 20, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. and more on-demand educational sessions Saturday, May 21. The keynote presenters for the event are the Chicago-based Twin Docs, twin sisters who are physi…

Construction Dynamics, Inc. received the Charleston County School District’s “E” award given to firms whose educational facilities display excellence in construction.

Imagine a Corvette convertible falling in love with a motorcycle. If they got married, their offspring would look like a Slingshot.

The SBA South Carolina District Office has selected the 2022 National Small Business Week winners for state.

City of Columbia and Columbia Chamber representatives welcomed Columbia’s newest seafood restaurant with a grand opening on April 21, 2022 at 11 a.m. Long-time friends Delane Garner and David Sambrone-Darkins own the restaurant, which is a franchise location of the Houston-based company Krab…

Local baker and social media content creator Joi Kyles was featured in The Great American Dish-Off: Cheesecake edition, on The Good Dish. The episode aired in Columbia, South Carolina on Friday, Apr 22, 2022 on The CW.

For over 125 years, Americans have had a love affair with their vehicles. Cars are one of the most expensive purchases most Americans make -- and one of the most personal. Cars are not just a form of transportation, it is also a means of self-expression. Many people express who they are thro…

If innovation is what you are looking for, look no further: AINautics, a premier (Unmanned Aerial Systems) UAS "Drone" Training and Service provider headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina, is launching the South Carolina Drone Initiative. The South Carolina Drone Initiative plans to chang…

In 1902, the Physicians Mutual Insurance Company was formed to provide health insurance to physicians and surgeons across America. Over the years, the company’s leaders realized that people from all walks of life deserve the same level of insurance that doctors receive. The company believes …

The global pandemic devastated the restaurant industry. The restaurants that survived had to make major changes to adapt. A Peace of Soul Vegan Kitchen was no exception. The restaurant transformed itself to a take-out only restaurant and while operating a food truck.

DESA, Inc. has been named to serve as one of eight participating “spoke” organizations in South Carolina for the U.S. Small Business Administration's (SBA) Community Navigator Pilot Program (CNPP). South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development (SCACED) received a $2.5 million…

The grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for Swiff Brand clothing store was held on Friday, February 25, 2022, at 736 Harden Street.

Construction Dynamics, Inc. (CDI) is pleased to announce that Nathaniel Spells, Jr. has been promoted to Vice President of Operations and David Myers, PE has been promoted to Vice President of Construction Services, effective February 1, 2022.

Richland Library is thrilled to welcome Beth Ruffin as our new entrepreneur-in-residence (EiR).

Tyra Jefferson; 2-time Food Network Alum, the Owner/CEO of Tyra’s BIG World of Flavor, LLC, President of Young CEOs & Leaders of Tomorrow, and a Young Entrepreneur has been chosen to participate in the 2022 class of Disney Dreamers Academy. Tyra, along with 100 other United States partic…

Columbia entrepreneur Courtney Ceacal works daily to improve the quality of life for pets in the Midlands while saving his clients time with his company Palmetto Scoopers. The waste management company visits the homes of many pet owners and takes on the unpleasant task of removing pet waste.

This month’s Auntie Karen "Think Big Know Bigger" Success Story features Jai-Anna Carter, Digital Creator and Communicator.

The WOW Performing Arts Center was planning on hosting a grand opening at its new location — 8907 Two Notch Road, Suite F — on January 28. Due to unforeseen circumstances the WOW PAC Grand Opening has been postponed. A new date will be announced at a later time.

It would stand to reason that if you‘re in the business of lifting up, whatever or whomever you’re lifting will experience improvement in their situation. When Kevin and Tammy Wimberly discussed how they wanted to give back to the community and decided to start a non-profit, the name was jus…

The Art of Learning, a Columbia, SC-based online education platform, is conducting winter check-ups with students to assess progress in their academic journey and in which areas they can improve.

Through a multi-year grant from Bank of America, programs that help address the region’s issues around economic opportunity and racial equality will be able to scale, helping even more people in our local community. The Columbia Urban League has been named as the 2021 Bank of America Neighbo…

This month’s Auntie Karen "Think Big Know Bigger" Success Story features Sylvia Williams: Visual Artist, Graphic Designer, and the owner of SPW Creations.

The South Carolina Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIASC) presented Michael Allen, AIA, founder and CEO of MOA Architecture, the 2021 Social Justice Award during the annual meeting held virtually on Dec. 9. Allen was recognized for his work to eliminate inequities in the bui…

Tia Brannon, a native of Columbia, began doing hair at an early age. It started when she did a neighbor’s hair.

Scientists know a thing or two about chain reactions.

A criminal law attorney who’s dedicated to helping others, Katherine Myers has joined Burnette Shutt & McDaniel.

When Richmond, VA native Cassandra Edwards relocated to Columbia, SC over 16 years ago, she never imagined that she'd be retiring from her beloved career at just 40 years old. But her love for the industry has not ended, it has simply transformed.

Rev. Dr. Solomon Jackson, Jr. has donated $200,000 to Voorhees College to support student scholarships. The official check presentation was during halftime at the Voorhees homecoming men’s basketball game, November 13.

“A beginning is a very delicate time to make sure that all the balances are correct.”