Hopping into the New Year! Greenville Bed and Breakfast Looks Ahead to 2016

Who doesn’t love a fresh start?  By all accounts, Greenville had a smashingly successful and eventful 2015, but we’re only beginning to pick up steam!  Greenvillians are full of big plans and big dreams for 2016.  As we look toward the horizon we see the cityscape growing, changing and glittering.  More corner cafés are opening, stylish apartments are being built and more services for urban dwellers are filling in to make our metro hum.  Downtown Greenville’s continued attention to arts and culture is adding layers of intrigue and vibrance.

The Swamp Rabbit Trail will expand in several directions in the new year and the features that support it will develop along with it.  A new park just to the west of downtown is in the design phase and will center on the Trail and the Reedy River.

Here at the Inn all of the bunnies are reflecting on the past year and Inn-visioning for the future as well.

Innkeeper, Wendy Lynam’s favorite memory of 2015 was the grand finale of Truck Inn Tuesday.  Greenville was showing the love with the biggest turnout of the summer that included a spontaneous petition by attendees to keep it going through fall.  Community spirit was high and a good time was had by all.  Patience! Summer will come again! 

Wendy’s favorite Greenville happening was watching the Farmer’s Market grow and combine with other features like outdoor yoga in the parks for an all-around sublime Saturday out and about.  Another highlight of 2015 was the Greenville Chamber's Inter Community Leadership visit to Austin TX.  

For 2016 our Innkeeper looks forward most to meeting all the cool people that stay at the inn and properties, quality time with her girls, taking her yoga practice to new levels, unveiling the new organic farm at the Swamp Rabbit Lodge, riding her bike in Greenville's glorious countryside, turning her "Cycling Greenville SC" guidebook into an app, revealing our cool new designer kits and our amazing new event on April 3rd (stay tuned) and watching the West End grow and swirl around the Inn.  Whew!!

AJ Maronie, Housekeeping Queen, loved hosting the chefs that graced our halls and, ahem, ‘rehearsed’, in our kitchen throughout 2015.  Attending the Competition Dining Series and becoming friends with Chef Heidi Billotto were highlights.  AJ especially enjoyed watching the Swamp Rabbit Properties become a favorite hub for new residents relocating to Greenville.  She likes being able to give a warm welcome to folks and assist in easing the transition with long term stays in our diverse range of accommodations.  Publicly, Mrs. Maronie is excited by the rumors that a light rail system is being considered here in Greenville to make traveling in and around the urban centers efficient and stress free.  Personally, career growth, increased prosperity, a peaceful environment and a little more travel top her wish list.

Lisa Parks, Manager and Retail Wizardess, was amused, flummoxed and aggravated by turns in 2015 with the saga of capturing the wild, urban rooster, General Pickens (blog post to follow), but can now claim Rooster Whisperer status.  This city girl turned farmer tended our hay bale garden and hydroponic tower garden to yield amazing amounts of greens, squash, watermelons and tomatoes.  

Her pick for significant Inn event: the addition of the beloved Bike Shed to the Swamp Rabbit Properties, expanding retail in the West End and satisfying everyone’s need for bike rentals, Latte Rides, Bunny Rides, bike apparel and bike jewelry. 

Top of her wish list?  For all, a life less consumed by auto use, which she knows is a strange wish for a Motor City girl!

Not so surprisingly,  Artist at Large, and cycling nut, Kathleen King, echoes the desire for a friendlier future for the car-free and car-optional lifestyle.  She looks forward to seeing infrastructure blossom with bike lanes in Greenville County, making the roads safer for all.  Her favorite aspect of the Inn this past year was seeing the local community embrace it as a convenient central meeting place for monthly gatherings and special events.  Ms. King’s personal focus this year is expanding the public art landscape as she launches a non-profit to achieve that goal.  In addition, she says she’s only just begun to explore the South and looks forward to that relationship deepening.

As for me, your Bunny Blogger at Large (in my burrow under the pecan tree), Watching Greenville dominate all those national top ten lists was a fun surprise that filled all of us with pride!  Watching you bipeds in general is immensely entertaining.  I’m a romantic and the wedding parties that have sashayed through the Inn bring a joy to my heart.  Y’all are so adorable heading out all gussied up, nervous and thrilled all at once.  In my wild dreams you folks keep planting more backyard/sideyard/frontyard… gardens.  Carrots are especially hearty and easy to grow!  May Greenville continue to manicure the banks of my beloved river and my family’s namesake Swamp Rabbit Trail.  The keyword for Greenville in this new year is “Motion”!  Tallyho, 2016!

--Percy