Buy a home at a reasonable rate with a VA loan in Goose Creek, SC

In the Lowcountry charm of South Carolina, Goose Creek stands as a testament to the profound impact of embracing business-friendly policies.

As the city continues to evolve, its commitment to fostering a welcoming environment for businesses has proven to be a key driver of economic growth, community development and an enhanced quality of life for its residents.

At the heart of Goose Creek's success story lies job creation. The city's business-friendly ethos has attracted diverse enterprises, from local startups to established companies, resulting in a surge of employment opportunities. More jobs not only mean financial security for individuals but also contribute to the overall economic vibrancy of the community. It's a win-win scenario that underscores Goose Creek's dedication to the well-being of its residents.

The economic vitality generated by a business-friendly approach also reaps dividends for public services and infrastructure. Enhanced revenue streams allow the city to invest in top-notch educational facilities and well-maintained public spaces. Residents benefit from these improvements, experiencing an elevated standard of living that is directly linked to the city's commitment to supporting businesses.

Diversity in the business landscape is a hallmark of Goose Creek's success. From innovative startups to local mom-and-pop shops, the city's inclusive approach ensures businesses of all sizes and types can thrive. This diversity enriches Goose Creek's culture and fortifies its economy against unforeseen challenges, fostering a resilient and dynamic community.

Critics may express concerns about larger corporations overshadowing local enterprises, but Goose Creek's approach is about balance and inclusivity. The city recognizes the importance of nurturing small businesses, supporting local entrepreneurship and maintaining a level playing field. This ensures the benefits of a thriving business environment are accessible to every corner of the community.

Moreover, Goose Creek's business-friendly environment extends beyond the boardroom. Successful businesses in the city often become integral community stakeholders, actively participating in local charities, educational initiatives and civic events. This collaborative spirit further solidifies the notion that Goose Creek's economic success is intertwined with the prosperity and well-being of its residents.

As Goose Creek continues to attract attention for its business-friendly policies, it serves as a shining example for other communities seeking sustainable growth. By prioritizing businesses and creating an environment where they can flourish, Goose Creek secures its economic future and cultivates a vibrant, thriving community that residents proudly call home.

In a landscape where cities vie for prominence, Goose Creek's commitment to being business-friendly emerges as a beacon of inspiration, showcasing the immense benefits of fostering a symbiotic relationship between a city and its businesses.

As Goose Creek thrives, so do its residents, proving that a business-friendly approach is the cornerstone of a prosperous and resilient city.

What’s the difference between a baby boomer and a toddler? You can get a toddler to eat vegetables.

My beloved husband, Widdle Baby, acts like I’m trying to kill him when I put him in a headlock, pry his lips open and try to ram a broccoli spear past his clenched teeth. His jaws are steel-trap strong, so this strategy only works if I jump him when he’s sleeping. The problem is when he wakes up because now we have trust issues in addition to his vegetable shortage.

Don’t get me wrong; Widdle loves turnip greens, snap beans, pole beans, butterbeans, garbanzo beans, squash, sweet potatoes, stewed cabbage, cole slaw, fresh corn, tomatoes, okra, asparagus, bell peppers, black-eyed peas, crowder peas, cream peas, sweet peas, radishes and, if all the planets are aligned, baby spinach.

So what, you ask, is the problem? Widdle believes he’s good if he eats any of the above vegetables once or twice a week. He noshes on donut sticks, Oreos, potato chips, Slim Jims, pork skins and Payday bars the rest of the time.

If it were up to me, he’d eat something green and leafy every day, but it’s not up to me. That’s because Widdle is a travelin’ man: His job covers a half-dozen rural counties, and he knows all the best greasy spoons, small-town diners and mom-and-pop restaurants.

The point is, Widdle eats his main meal at midday, away from my judgmental gaze. He’s not interested in eating dinner after feasting on fried pork chops or grilled hot dogs with homemade chili or catfish stew with cornbread.

Here’s a typical evening: I descend upon him when the Ring camera goes off. We do the hi-honey-how-was-your-day dance and share a heartfelt hug. (Widdle gives the best hugs.)

Then, gently: “What did you have for lunch, Widdle?” I ask.

Eighty percent of the time, he says, “Fried chicken wings from Ernie’s,” or, “A beef and cheddar sub from Aunt Minnie’s. That horseradish SLAPS.”

“So, no vegetables?” I ask.

He shrugs. “The tenders were fried in vegetable oil. I think.”

I clear my throat: “SO, NO VEGETABLES TODAY?!”

“Nope, but I ate at Don’s Diner last Thursday and had three kinds of peas and turnip greens.”

“That was four days ago,” I say, voice rising. “You can’t just eat veggies twice a week. Here, I’ll steam some broccoli for you.”

“No,” he says firmly. “I don’t work hard all day to eat steamed broccoli at night.” (Which is actually a valid argument.)

In one way, his lunches on the road are a godsend: He’s never, in 18 years, asked me what’s for dinner. If he wants a quick snack, he cheerfully whips it up. (It’s usually peanut butter on wheat with milk.)

But here’s the thing: Sometimes I get a wild hair and actually WANT to cook. Even the most reluctant chef understands: We don’t necessarily want to rustle up a three-course meal with wine pairings but simply nurture a loved one on a fundamental level. “Nothin’ says lovin’ like something from the oven.”

Widdle is always amazed and appreciative (if somewhat apprehensive) if I surprise him with, say, spaghetti and meatballs. He beams, bestows thanks, and doesn’t eat a bite. I’ve thrown out more meals than Carters has little pills. So, finally, I left it alone. He is fully capable of nurturing himself.

Which leaves me mournfully staring at a fridge crisper full of broccoli. Does anyone have suggestions on how to sneak vegetables into a 68-year-old toddler?

Julie R. Smith, who makes black bean brownies that Widdle likes, can be reached at widdleswife@aol.com.

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - One Goose Creek barber college is making an impact on both hair and history.

Even at 82 years old, Howard Boyd is built for barbering. You could say it’s in his blood. Boyd’s father, a barber, was his first teacher.

“He used to cut hair on the porch—front porch and he was telling me how to cut his hair,” Boyd said. “So, I ended up cutting his hair and he turned the clippers over to me and said, ‘Hey, you need to—you can take it from here. You can have it.’”

Beyond that feeling of a fresh fade, it’s Boyd’s legacy that will live on. He’s the founder of the first Black-owned barber college in the state of South Carolina.

“It was just a three-bedroom building which we stayed. My family lived here. That was the kitchen. And right downstairs here, which is the garage carport, we were able to start the garage barbershop,” Boyd said.

Since its founding in 1986, Goose Creek Barber & Styling College, which is now Howard’s Barber & Styling College, has trained about one thousand students, according to Boyd.

“Just the work I’ve done speaks for me,” he said.

Former students like Jessie Washington, Kenyatta Grimmage and Jermaine Scott have all gone through the college and have made barbering an integral part of their own lives.

“In 1996, I was able to open the first female, African-American barbershop in Goose Creek, South Carolina,” Jessie Washington said. “I’d just like to thank Mr. Howard for having the vision to help others.”

“We give free haircuts at the College of Charleston, where you know, I’m the Associate Director of Admissions down there,” Grimmage said, who also happens to be Boyd’s son-in-law. “We do a program called Cuts and Conversations where we have conversations with young men.”

“It was like how can I step up my game and be like this guy whose name just rings bells throughout the whole community?” Scott said.

Washington, Grimmage and Scott are now instructors at Howard’s Barber & Styling College, working alongside Boyd to teach the next generation of hair artists and entrepreneurs.

“It’s work. Work. You have to continue to work. You have to have a passion for it. You know it’s nonstop, when it’s good or when it’s bad,” Boyd laughed. “But you still work. You keep the faith and it works out. Trust me.”

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

The city of Goose Creek is the most populated city in Berkley County. And with a tight-knit community, beautiful outdoor attractions and a great location with close proximity to Charleston, the city’s population continues to grow and thrive.

Goose Creek was officially founded in 1961, but its early history dates back to the beginning of the Carolina colony. The city was a waterway at the time, and the name “Goose Creek” likely originated due to the curved shape of its creeks and waters, similar to that of a goose’s neck.

The first inhabitants of the Goose Creek territory were the Eitwan and Sewee Indian tribes, and European settlers then arrived in the early 1670s. The rich soil of the area along the Cooper River attracted wealthy planters from the British Caribbean colony of Barbados, including Sir John Yeamans and Sir Peter Colleton.

The region of Goose Creek became known as home to the “Goose Creek Men.” These men established a trade route with the Native Americans, trading goods from cloth to guns and ammunition.

The Goose Creek Men were known for questioning higher authority of the Lord Proprietors in the colony, and they eventually undermined the hierarchy, gaining a majority in the Commons House of Assembly.

The majority of white inhabitants of Goose Creek practiced Anglicanism, but many Huguenots were established there after 1700, including the Izard family on the Elms plantation. The Anglican Parish of St. James Goose Creek was established in 1706 and completed in 1719 by a small group of planters.

St. James Church still stands today and is one of the oldest surviving buildings in South Carolina and one of the only surviving Georgian chapels in the nation.

By the eighteenth century, Goose Creek was a prosperous and popular area for rice production. The town continued to experience population growth, measuring a population of 2,787 in the first U.S. census in 1790. 2,333 members of that population were slaves who harvested the rice plantations.

Goose Creek remained prosperous for rice production into the nineteenth century, with the eventual demise of rice plantations after the Civil War led to the abolishment of slavery. Hurricanes eventually wiped out the remains of rice fields across South Carolina. The area became desolate and as a result, the population decreased heavily.

In the twentieth century, wealthy northerners bought land in Goose Creek to inhabit during winters. They moved to the area to hunt. The United States Ammunition Depot was established near Goose Creek, later becoming the Naval Weapons Annex in 1959.

These new establishments brought growth to Goose Creek, resulting in the need for the town to become incorporated. The town of Goose Creek was incorporated in 1961. The population underwent a surge in numbers, from 3,656 in 1970 to 17,811 by 1980, making it the largest city in Berkeley County.

The town continues to grow steadily. In 2021, its population clocked in at 46,229. The city is an attractive destination for future homeowners, boasting award-winning schools, recreational activities and a close proximity to the city of Charleston and coastal beaches. Goose Creek also hosts many events and takes pride in offering their residents the ability to live, work and raise families in the town’s borders.

GBT Realty Corp. will build the latest housing development in Goose Creek in Summerville. GBT’s The Village at Carnes Crossroads brings 306 multifamily homes and over 11,000 square feet of retail to the heart of the Lowcountry lifestyle community, according to a news release.

GBT acquired the 11.82-acre site earlier this month from Carnes Crossroads Association, the master developer of Carnes Crossroads, according to a news release. JLL Capital Markets arranged construction financing with Bank of America and Meta Real Estate Partners. JLL’s Managing Directors Matt Stewart and Chip Sykes, and Director Wyatt Strahan represented GBT Realty.

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“This is a lifestyle community that epitomizes the best of southern living,” said Barry Yoeckel, vice president, multifamily development, GBT Realty, in the release. “The Village adds a living environment that appeals to young professionals, growing families and empty nesters alike. We designed and planned our community to enhance and connect with the surrounding Carnes Crossroads neighborhoods.”

The rental homes are located at the intersection of Highway 17-A and Third Avenue, immediately across from The Marketplace at Carnes Crossroads, a Publix-anchored mixed-use development that is currently under construction.

The development team includes Atlanta-based Dynamik Design, Thomas & Hutton (civil engineering) and Samet Corporation (general contractor).

“Our plans feature upscale homes and best-in-class amenities that stretch across 11 buildings on the site,” Yoeckel said.

Floorplans offer a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom units with upscale finishes, the release stated. Community amenities include separate small- and large-breed dog parks, a resort-style saltwater pool with lounge deck, an outdoor kitchen set on a community lawn, a club room with catering kitchen and golf stimulator, a state-of-the-art fitness complex and a co-working center. A coffee purveyor is set to bring classic specialties to The Village as well as the community at large.

The first units are expected to be available spring 2025.

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCIV) — A white dust emitted from the Century Aluminum plant has been spreading through parts of Goose Creek.

Goose Creek Mayor Greg Habib addressed the issue in a social media post on Oct. 2.

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According to Habib, the white dust is Alumina dust, which is produced during the smelting process. Alumina dust is not supposed to leave the plant and is considered an important component of plant's ability to make more aluminum.

Century Aluminum believes the emissions may be caused by an "unusual" failure in the plant's baghouse, according to Habib.

"As you may know, all exhaust from the manufacturing process runs through a scrubber to clean the air and the Alumina dust is collected into the bags in the baghouse," the mayor said in a statement. "Century Aluminum then takes the dust and reintroduces (it) into the manufacturing process to make more aluminum."

According to Habib, Century Aluminum is looking at two potential possibilities for the emissions. One possibility is a recent change of suppliers for the filters in the baghouse and another is recent episodes of high pressure in the baghouse.

The mayor says Century Aluminum reported the issues to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC).

"Century assures us they are working diligently to address these emission issues," Habib said in a statement. "I do not doubt this. The Mount Holly aluminum smelter has been in operation for more than 40 years. They employ hundreds of our friends and neighbors and have a tremendous impact on our local economy. In my 40 years of living here, I do not recall another issue related to emissions from the plant."

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Habib also says he has asked for a town hall from Century Aluminum and the DHEC.

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An online petition was created on Oct. 1 demanding action to reduce aluminum emissions from the plant. As of Oct. 3, it has 333 signatures.