How to plant and grow a beautiful community
Downtowns, they say, hold the heart and soul of communities. Shopping, dining, and venues for shared experiences draw folks together. This January, when the Greenville Chamber of Commerce awarded chamber members for enriching the heart and soul of Greenville, relatively recent newcomers to the community claimed the Chamber’s 2022 Beautification Award.
Janie and Breck Nelson’s retail establishments—Evergreen Plant Co. and Spruce Craft + Collective Home Goods Store—represent the couple’s most visible contribution to the city. Behind the scenes, however, their vision for downtown beauty and growth encourages others to invest in the community as well. As one nomination comment put it, they inspire “a sustainable surge of improvements to our commercial spaces that honor the history of the original buildings.”
Greenville Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Elaine McNamara presents Janie and Breck Nelson with the Chamber’s Beautification Award
Honoring local history
The Nelsons’ focus on renovations that honor history began when Breck took the position of executive director of the Greenville SMART Center with Greenville University in 2019. The University had just received a $1M federal grant to renovate a three-story building that would serve as an entrepreneurial center on Greenville’s historic town square. Early plans called for the site to facilitate activities that stimulate economic development, innovative partnerships, and learning opportunities.
Breck’s entrepreneurial and construction background, together with his heart for university students, proved a winning mix. He hit the ground running, drawing community interest with short videos that gave “up close and personal” looks at the work going on behind the scenes.
He initiated countless conversations about the project’s potential and regularly participated with Chamber Director Elaine McNamara (who doubles as director of SMART Center operations) in a podcast that spreads the good word about Greenville happenings. Today, the SMART Center expands students’ opportunities to participate in classes, conferences, internships, and other hands-on learning opportunities.
Elaine McNamara and Breck Nelson at the 2019 groundbreaking for the Greenville SMART Center
Shopping local
Janie Nelson is the one behind the popular Evergreen Plant Co., Greenville’s local plant shop which features a “play-in-the-dirt” potting bar, arrangements, and unique plants and gifts for all ages. Spruce Craft + Collective Home Goods Store, opened in 2021, stemming from Janie’s idea to give the community a place to relax and shop locally for quality goods, and Breck’s ability for creating beautiful spaces. Spruce now sells a curated selection of goods both online and in-store with the goal to “bring beautiful things to the people of Greenville and beyond.”
Evergreen Plant Co.