Look who’s (finally) open for business!
The Crossroads Chronicle is now open for business! We’re located at 571 South Main Street, and our hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. We’ll be happy to now assist you in-person with all things relating to our operation. You can drop in to set up a subscription (more information about this follows in this story); obtain and/or fill out a form for Pet of the Week, Terrific Little Tikes, engagement announcements, birth announcements, and other social news; chat about news leads; inquire about advertising; or just simply say hello and check out our new office!
Local construction crews have transformed the newspaper’s home, which one served as the “mini bank” drive-thru for Spivey State Bank. Chronicle majority owner Greg Bennett purchased the property in 2019, but more than a year would pass before 571 South Main Street would occupy another business.
In The Chronicle’s earliest days, Bennett and partners Trudie Kasper and Halei Lamb met at the “little bank” to discuss newspaper matters. The idea for the paper came to life inside those walls, and the details followed. When the team began mulling over places The Crossroads Chronicle could call home, the three felt naturally inclined to explore the option of the mini bank. It would take some work, but the place had potential.
Bennett, Kasper, and Lamb had a specific look in mind—one of modernity. Over the last 10 weeks, workers have constructed an office that fits their vision. Crews started by tearing out the two tunnels that once formed the drive-thru and used the remaining perimeter to frame the building. Next came the installation of the insulation, windows, and front door. All the while on the inside, workers demolished part of the bricks that previously formed the front of the bank facing Highway 1 South; the exposed bricks left today casually divide the upstairs work area from the downstairs storage space and break commons.
The exterior of the building is comprised of pre-existing brick, new siding, and fresh shingles. A color scheme of soft grey, white trim, and black—chosen deliberately as a nod to the appearance of an old-school newspaper—has been implemented from the inside out. Tying the office together, of course, are black desks, which pop against the new hardwood, and state-of-the-art Mac products.
All people involved in the construction of The Crossroads Chronicle’s home have ties to Emanuel County, and all of the products used were purchased locally. The staff moved in on Thursday, February 18. Look for more information about a formal grand opening in the near future.