By: Lauryn Jiles, Sophomore at Lander University. Marketing major and Mass Communications Minor.

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When it comes to owning a small business, location is a huge factor. With population growth, more + more small businesses are beginning to pop up within the Greenville, S.C. area.

A small business which has been very successful in the year they’ve been open is Clean Juice. Located at the Shops at Greenridge on Woodruff Rd., Clean Juice has brought in a wide variety of customers with their delicious, yet healthy menu. “We make everything in house which is different from a lot of other juice bars. We don’t use any powders or syrups or anything artificial. There’s no sugar or dairy except whey protein, so everything is vegan, clean, + certified organic. We have the USDA come in to the store every year + certify that we have organic produce and products. We do juices from a juicer, which is made to order right in front of you. We also do cold pressed juice, which is raw and unpasteurized and kept in our fridge for up to five days. We also do smoothies and acai bowls, steel cut oats, bullet coffee, + avocado toast,” says owner of Clean Juice, Joanna Klee.

The restaurant scene in Greenville is buzzing + taking the city by storm. Greenville’s newest restaurant Limoncello, located downtown, takes Italian food to a whole new level, with their fresh food made in house. “Limoncello is an Italian drink served in Italy, so we just thought it’d be a great name for the restaurant and everybody would know based off the name that It’d be Italian,” says owner of Limoncello, Lamar Davis.

Davis explains the key to being able to run a small business is experience and passion. “It’s the customer service aspect of it. I love helping people. I love seeing people smile and food is a great way to do it especially if you do it correctly. My father, he owned a seafood restaurant in Greer for 18 years, my grandmother owns a diner in Greer, my uncle owns a baking company in Greer, so I learned from them. I joined the service, and in the Navy, I was a cook + a lead supervisor. I got out and attended culinary school and got my degree in Business Management, then I went back to school and became a certified nutritionist and a personal trainer, and then it all just folded together."

The music scene in Greenville has been growing for the past few years. Horizon Records, located near downtown, is known for their various genres of records and CD’s. Open since 1975, Horizon Records has managed to bring in many music lovers of many different backgrounds. “We stay extremely close to just music products + it’s one thing that I’m really proud of. We sell CD’s + records in all formats, stereo gear (all vintage and renovated), we have some cassette tapes, and our own line of Horizon t-shirts. There are several genres that are extremely popular. Rock, in all its forms is probably number one. We do a ton of R&B in all its various forms whether its old school or new. We have hip hop, country, folk, + jazz and a lot of blue grass sells,” says owner of Horizon Records, Gene Bergerri.

Small businesses are quickly becoming a booming industry in Greenville. According towww.scchamber.net, there are 33,938 employees working for small businesses in Greenville, S.C., with a percentage of 10.99% of all workers.

Do you have a favorite small business in GVL? Let us know in the comments below.