A Pendleton-based startup, VBase Oil Co., received a $250,000 investment from SC Launch Inc. VBase Oil is a manufacturer of sustainably focused, non-toxic high-performance oils and lubricants. SC Launch is an investment associate of the nonprofit South Carolina Research Authority.
The startup became a member of the SCRA’s member community in February 2024. Uses of Vbase’s oil include gear oils, tractor fluids, large blenders and other appliances. The manufacturer is located at 657 S. Mechanic St. in Pendleton.
Dimontonate USA LLC is coming to Exchange Logistics Park in Anderson County near Piedmont. Dimontonate is a producer of flock material, a fabric that has a variety of uses, including the interior of jewelry boxes andglove compartments. It takes on a feel similar to velvet.
The business leased a 52,000-square-foot space in the industrial complex’s third building. Building 3 is currently occupied by Halton MEI USA, the business’s first South Carolina facility, which announced its tenancy in July 2024. Dimontonate’s tenancy will increase the occupancy of the shared building, which totals 157,212 square feet, by about 60%.
Exchange Logistics Park is located near the intersection of Interstate 85 and S.C. Highway 86 near Piedmont.
Westminster will soon get a new recreation center along Hall Road in the northeast corner of the city.
Horton Outdoor Recreation Center is a collaboration with the city of Westminster and engine cooling manufacturer Horton Inc. The $7.5 million dollar project is funded by $5.5 million from South Carolina and an additional $2 million from Horton.
Plans call for construction in three phases. Phase 1 includes three baseball fields; Phase 2 will be an indoor facility. The final phase will add more fields. Construction began in October 2024. Phase 1 is slated for completion in August 2025.
A local nonprofit, The Pendleton Foundation for Black History & Culture, is in the process of restoring the facade of Keese Barn.
The nonprofit focuses on highlighting and celebrating Black history in the town. The barn is a former grocery store first opened by Benjamin Horace Keese in the early 1900s.
Later, the site became a gathering place for Black members of the community when Keese built a cafe onsite. The Hundreds became the first eat-in restaurant for African Americans living in Pendleton. In 2000, the structure was taken apart and replaced with a memorial by architectural students from Clemson University.
The nonprofit established the Keese Barn Legacy Project with the intent of rebuilding the facade and returning it to a gathering place. The hope is that it will become a meeting place for festivals, concerts or picnics.
On Feb. 6, the nonprofit released a statement that it received a $250,000 donation from an anonymous donor. It also revealed a multitiered sponsorship packages ranging from $1,000 to more than $250,000. For those interested in donating, visit blackhistorypendleton.org/sponsorship-packages.
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