Articles:

Buy Local

A One Tank Trip

Profiting From The Green Movement

$ Priceless $

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ContentsFrom The Editor 3

Profiting From the Green Movement 9

Barter Is Smart Business 12

Time To Refinance or Buy!? 15

A One Tank Trip 16

South Carolina Firsts 17

About North Charleston 18

South Carolina Wedding or Event Planners: Career Outlook 20

Calendar of Events 23

Shopping 24

Dining And Entertainment 25

Travel & Tourism 26

Churches, Schools, & Religous Supplies 27

Professional Services 28

Clothing Stores and Accessories 29

House and Home 30

Personal Care 31

Medical 32

Real Estate 33

Automotive 34

Banking and Finance 35

Specialities 36

Coupons & Specials 37

Buy LoCaLPromoting local business is as simple as having other company’s business cards or brochures posted on a board in your store. In an effort to promote your area, we are distributing decals that say “Check us out at www.Darlington.sc,” in hopes that local shoppers will visit the site to find local restaurants, clothing, specials, coupons and more. We are doing our part, so please join us, and promote your local merchants, and everyone will benefit!

top ten reasons to think LoCaLBuy LoCaL - Be LoCaL – heLp LoCaL Businesses

1. Buy LoCaL -- Support yourself and Darlington. Many studies have revealed when you buy from an independent, locally owned business in the your own area, rather than a nationally owned businesses, considerably more of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses. Local businesses continue to strengthen the economic base of the local community. These include case studies showing that local local owned businesses generate a premium in enhanced economic impact to the community and our tax base.

2.support LoCaL area Community Groups: Non-profit organizations receive an average 250% more support from smaller Darlington area business owners than they do from large companies.

3. keep your area unique: Where we shop, where we eat and have fun -- all of it makes our community home. Our one-of-a-kind local businesses are an integral part of the distinctive character. Local tourism businesses also benefit. “When people go on vacation they generally seek out destinations that offer them the sense of being someplace, not just anyplace.” ~ Richard Moe, President, National Historic Preservation Trust.

4. reduCe environmentaL impaCt: Locally owned businesses in your area can make more local purchases requiring less transportation. This generally means contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss and pollution.

5. Create additionaL JoBs: Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally and in the community, provide the most jobs to local residents.

6. reCeive Better serviCe: Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products and services they offer, and take more time to get to know customers.

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From the editor

www.Darlington.sc Online Magazine | 2009 6

From the editor - Continued

7.invest in your Community: Local businesses are owned by people who live in this community, and they are less likely to leave, and are more invested in the community’s future.

8. put your taXes to Good use: Local businesses require a relatively little infra-structure investment and make more effi cient use of public services as compared to nationally owned stores entering your area.

9. Buy What you Want, not What BiG advertisinG BudGets Want you to Buy: A South Carolina marketplace comprised of tens of thousands of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and low prices over the long-term. A multitude of small businesses, each selecting products and services based not on a national sales plan but on their own interests and the needs of their local customers, promises a much broader range of product choices.

10. promote LoCaL prosperity: An escalating body of economic research shows that in an increasingly homogenized world, en-trepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character.

Larry LocalEditor in Chief

south CaroLina WeddinG & event pLanners: Career outLook Can you imagine a more exciting career than being the person who helps to plan a couple’s happiest day together and makes them lasting memories for the rest of their life? Or planning a Corporate Event for some of the largest companies in South Carolina. The best part is you are creating an event that you do not have to pay for. If you are interested in a career as a wedding or event planner, read on to discover general description, educational requirements, and your job outlook information.

WeddinG and event pLanner JoB desCription

Wedding or Event planners, as the name implies, handle many or all of the details of setting up a wedding or other event from coordinating the caterers to directing the dinners. The term wedding planner is a classification of how involved the person is with their clients’ wedding. There are two other classifications which are wedding consultants and wedding directors.

Wedding consultants allow couples to plan the wedding and offer only their advice and

expertise. Wedding planners oversee and are responsible for much of the work of the wedding from beginning to end, but the couple is still involved. Wedding directors take care of the entire wedding event, which affords the couple getting married to only focus on getting married. Wedding directors sometimes usually attend the wedding to make sure the day goes exactly as planned. If it rains on the day of an outdoor wedding, the wedding director will have an alternate plan already in place.

Wedding planners, specifically, perform a variety of tasks. They make appointments with clients and vendors, provide gown options, provide wedding theme options, and plan for the unforeseen among other things. The business side of wedding planning involves staying within

your budget, and making sure the vendors get paid. Wedding planners who handle all aspects of the event are mostly self-employed working both part-time and full-time. However, special event centers, wineries, hotels, and other hospitality facilities also offer employment opportunities.

Wedding planners must also write contracts and be efficient marketers of their business. The best wedding planner in South Carolina must get their name known, and can only handle a certain amount of weddings in any given time.

An event planner does the same basic tasks as the wedding planner, but the event will dictate what is different. A big corporate event may require several sound and video

systems. A golf tournament may require many sponsors being adequately recognized. Whatever the event, having alternative plans when things go not as planned is the mark of a good planner. This means that you must have a long list of suppliers and people in the service industries that can stand in when problems arise.

eduCationaL requirements For WeddinG & event pLanners

There are no federal, state, or local laws requiring wedding or event planners to have anything other than a businesslicense. Very few colleges/universities offer degrees or certificates in wedding and planning. Online schools offer training; however, carefully research the online school prior to paying any fees or signing up for classes. The best schooling is the College of OJT ( On the Job Training). Working for a wedding or event planner and learning from the ground up is the only way to truly learn the business. Certification is increasingly becoming sought after because clients want to make sure their special day is handled by a professional.

JoB outLook For WeddinG & event pLanners

Wedding and event planning in South Carolina is a growing field with more and more opportunities. Creating a profitable business is a slow process. Attracting clientele takes time, but there is always plenty of work for good planners.

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proFitinG From the Green movement

People in South Carolina are active in “going green” and doing their part to save the environment, save money and promote the local economy in the process. There are many green initiatives in the state from local blogs getting the word out to green businesses, green home builders and homes, recycling programs, as well as, organizations designed to promote South Carolina agriculture and SC products. Surely you have heard the buzz on going green and if you want to start getting involved and doing your part, here are some tips to get you started:

• aVOiD lettinG yOur Car idLe - Every second you spend idling your car’s engine means needlessly wasting gas, as well as, adding wear and tear on your vehicle. Idling over 10 seconds wastes more gas than is needed for startup. Overall, Americans idle away 2.9 billion gallons of gas a year, worth around $78.2 billion.

• turn OFF yOur COMPuter - Save energy and wear and tear on your machine by shutting down your computer when you are done using it and in the evenings before you leave work. You’ll save an average of $90 of electricity a year. The Department of Energy recommends shutting off your monitor if you aren’t going to use it for more than 20 minutes, and the whole computer if you’re not going to use it for longer than two hours.

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proFitinG on the Green movement- Continued

• aSK yOur POWer COMPany aBout Green enerGy - More than half of all electricity consumers in the U.S. now have the option of purchasing green power from their local utility. Find out how you can purchase green power by visiting the Department of Energy’s state-by-state list of providers. You can also check with your own utility to see what’s available. Palmetto Clean Energy is a local South Carolina green energy program http://www.palmettocleanenergy.org/default.asp

• KeeP SenSiBle taBS On your thermostat - It is to your benefi t to pays to pay close attention to your thermostat, since most South Carolina households spend 50 to 70% of their energy budgets on heating and cooling. For every degree you lower the thermostat, you’ll save between 1% and 3% of your heating bill. Do the same thing in reverse with air conditioning.

• WaSh yOur ClOtheS in CoLd Water - An easy way to clean green is to turn the dial on your washing machine to cold. Most laundry loads do not require hot water, and 90% of the energy used by washing machines goes into heating the water. The higher the water temperature, the higher the cost to you and the planet.

• enrOll in Online BillinG - Save natural resources, as well as late fees, by registering with online bill-paying options. Paperless billing not only saves trees; it also reduces the fossil fuel needed to get all those billing envelopes from them to you and back again. Plus, you’ll save money on stamps.

• Get riD OF JunK Mail - Approximately 100 million trees and 28 billion gallons of water are used to send junk mail to Americans annually. You can eliminate 75% of unsolicited mail by registering on the Mail Preference Service on the Direct Marketing Association website (for a fee of $1). Within 90 days, most unsolicited mail will stop.

• Print On BOth SiDeS OF paper - Most software programs give the option for double sided printing, but yet most still print only on one side of the page. Consider this: the U.S. alone uses 4 million tons of copy paper annually, about 27 pounds per person. Save dough and South Carolina landfi lls.

• CarPOOl! - If your commute to work is 25 miles each way and at least half is in typical stop-and-go traffi c, you’ll save roughly 10 percent of your monthly carbon emissions by carpooling. Not to mention saving money on gas!

• Buy CertiFieD SOuth CaroLina produCe - The Certifi ed South Carolina program is a new, exciting, cooperative effort among producers, processors, wholesalers, retailers and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) to brand and promote South Carolina products. Our goal is for consumers to be able to easily identify, fi nd and buy South Carolina products.

the currency is unstable and devalued by hyperinflation.

What are the BeneFits oF Barter?

Barter Can Bring New Customers: This enables you to expand your market and maintain your cash-paying customers.

Barter Conserves Cash: Barter generates new customers

because buyers are encouraged to pay with their products or services and save cash.

Simply put: If you had to make a purchase for $1000, would you rather write a check or pay with an equal amount of your product/service at its normal selling price to a new customer? Most businesses prefer to barter and keep cash.

Barter Raises Profitability: Barter customers pay retail prices and fees, so you get the full value of your goods and services.

Barter Moves Surplus Inventory: Retailers must keep their inventory moving and our customers shop for the most up to date merchandise each season. Carolina Barter Exchange can deliver you buyers to move excess inventory, eliminating the advertising costs and heavy discounting otherwise needed to achieve this goal.

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Barter is smart Business

Barter is a form of trade where goods or services are traded for other goods and/or services, without cash being exchanged. Barter normally replaces money as the method of exchange in times of monetary crisis, or when

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What is Barter?- Continued

raise eFFiCienCy

Service Business: Increase billable hours! If you are not at 100% capacity 12 months a year and you can handle new customers, Carolina Barter Exchange can help you fill your free time with new business opportunities. And now you will have trade dollars to purchase the products and services you need.

Hotels: Suppose you have 10 vacant rooms at $100 a night and you need a new brochure for $1000. Barter provides a way for you to buy your brochure, fill your rooms (at your cost), and maintain your cash.

Networking Increases Your Customer Base: Barter customers will bring you all the cash referrals that your current clients bring. You will increase new cash paying-customers, as long as you give your barter cus-tomers the same great services and pricing you offer everybody else.

Get Virtually anythinG!

Recent year statistics:

• The common dollar amount of commercial barter rose to $1,927.

• Merchants accounted saving an average of $32,700 using barter and saw and average cash flow raise of 18%.

• 1 in every six businesses participated in at least one barter transaction for the first time with intentions to do more in the future.

• 1,845 new corporations had barter transactions surpassing $100,000.

• 74% of all Fortune 500 companies utilized barter-up a whopping 14% from last year. • 93% of all small business owners (less than 25 employees) report trying barter with a positive result.

Carolina Barter Exchange (CBE) is the fastest growing barter company based in South Carolina. CBE has representa-tion in all 46 counties including Charleston, Columbia, Hilton Head Island, Myrtle Beach, and Greenville.

CBE is the fastest growing trade exchange in The Carolinas. CBE helps its member companies enhance their businesses through exchange of products and services instead of making cash disbursements.

Some examples of the products and services we offer include: advertising, printing, travel and vacations, auto repairs, restaurants, caterers, art and custom framing, office equipment, medical treatment, computer services and more.

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time to reFinanCe or Buy !?Right now, mortgage rates are at their lowest level since 1971. Think about that. Twenty-fi ve years ago, homeowners were paying as much as 18% on a 30-year fi xed. Today it’s just a little over 5%.Combine that

rate with the tax advantages of a mortgage, and you have an incredibly cheap way to build wealth, but you better act now.

Real estate guru Barbara Corcoran has already seen a tremendous surge in refi nance applications – more than triple the average – and the number of people getting approved is astronomically higher as well, she says. But that doesn’t mean the low rates are a panacea for the ills of the housing market. It is only once home prices start to go up that we will fi nally see a light at the end of tunnel, Corcoran says. Until that happens, we are still going to have to crawl out of this mess. “[Low interest rates are] a not a lifesaver,” Corcoran says. “This is just a helping hand.”

David Kittle, chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association, has this advice to homeowners looking to refi nance: Do it. Don’t get greedy searching for another quarter-point. Lock in rates now. He is seeing applications soar over 125% just since Thanksgiving due to the low rates.

Of course, you should only refi nance if it saves you at least 3/8 on the rate and if you plan on staying in your home for at least four years, Kittle says. Along with good credit, proof of income and money by means of a down payment or equity in the home, there are certain things every homeowner needs regardless of interest rate levels.

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a one tank trip Got the vacation blues? South Carolina abounds with destinations you can visit on one tank of gas…trips that showcase the Palmetto State’s beauty without busting your budget. What a rich, exotic place South Carolina is. One of the original American Colonies, the state has an abundance of historical sites that bring our nation’s past to vivid life. The outdoors lover can enjoy a variety of activities such as kayaking, hiking, saltwater fi shing, even scuba diving in the company of alligators. The state’s culture has been shaped by its European, African and

Caribbean settlers, as evidenced especially by the food, which is some of the most delicious we’ll ever have the pleasure of eating.

aiken

Do you like horses, the City of Aiken is your destination. Explore the Thoroughbred Hall of Fame & Racing Museum; the facility presents the history of thoroughbred racing, spanning more than a century. Admission is free. Also in Aiken, is the DuPont Planetarium, located on the grounds of the University of South Carolina. The 30-foot dome has fully-automated, state-of-the-art projection systems; an observatory is also on hand, featuring a variety of powerful

telescopes for stargazing purposes. Downtown Aiken is fi lled with southern charm. The restaurants, antique shops, and local stores will fi ll anyone’s afternoon.

GreenWood

Continuing on your trip and take Highway 19 towards Greenwood. On the way you will pass by the Ninety-Six National Historic Site, where two battles of the Revolutionary War were fought and where settlers braved harsh winters and Indians to stake their claim. Now, visitors can experience it for themselves in the original Star Fort, built in 1781, the Stockade Fort and siege trenches, or by strolling through the original town sites of Cambridge and Ninety-Six. This historic site is a fascinating look at the way things were when our nation was in its infancy. Well worth the time to explore! Get back on Highway 19, and continue on to the US-25 which leads you to Greenwood. This town, with its fresh air and sunny skies is a great place to pull over and enjoy some of the many outdoor activities to be found here. The Heritage Trail is a 2-mile paved path, perfect for walking, jogging, or biking. Lake Greenwood is a fi ne place to break out the rod and reel and try your luck with the catch of the day. By night, you can dine at any one of the myriad of fi ne restaurants, which showcase cuisines from Europe, the Caribbean, or good old-fashioned American steak and potatoes.

CLemson

Get back on the US-25, and merge with the US-178 to Clemson. (Thirty miles later via the US-123 and you are in

Greenville). Both cities offer more opportunities for fishing, golfing and fine dining. In Clemson, you should take a day to enjoy the natural wonders of Paris Mountain, with its 1200-acre grounds, majestic, monument-like peak, and the Sulphur Springs hiking trail which makes for an excellent workout.

Truly, South Carolina offers visitors a chance to enjoy the modern age while giving us a glimpse into our nation’s past; it’s the perfect place to enjoy the best of all possible worlds for just One Tank of Gas!

south CaroLina Firsts Like any other State, South Carolina is full of “Firsts”. The following is a list of some of the more popular Firsts, that may be good to brag about, or for use in a trivia game:

• First European settlement in South Carolina in 1526 near Georgetown settled by Spanish explorer Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon named San Miguel de Gualdape (Rumor has it that he was the first “Half-back”- that he wanted to be half way back from Florida to New York)

• First permanent English settlement in South Carolina established at Albemarle Point in Charleston in 1670

• First free library established - Charleston, 1698

• First opera performed in America - Charleston, February 18, 1735

• First building to be used solely as a theatre - Dock Street Theatre in Charleston, constructed in 1736

• First Jewish synagogue in South Carolina (Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim) - Charleston, 1750

• First Black Baptist Church established, Silver Bluff, 1773

• The Charleston Chamber of Commerce was the first city Chamber of Commerce in this country - 1773

• First public museum - Charleston Museum, organized January 12, 1773

• First business publication - South Carolina Price Current in Charleston, 1774

•The first time a British flag was taken down and replaced by an American flag was in Charleston in 1775

• Golf was first played in the city limits of Charleston. The South Carolina Golf Club was formed in 1786 - this was the first golf club.

• First Roman Catholic Church St. Mary’s August 24, 1789, Charleston

• First cotton mill built - James Island, 1789

• First fireproof building built - Charleston, 1822

• First steam locomotive built in the United States to be used for regular railroad service - “Best Friend of Charleston,” 1830.

• First municipal college - College of Charleston, opened April 1, 1838

• First Roman Catholic cathedral in South Carolina Cathedral of Saint John and Saint Finbar - Charleston, April 1845

• First state to secede from the Union, December 20, 1860.

• First shot fired in Civil War on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, April 12, 1861.

• The first submarine ever to sink an enemy ship was the H.L. Hunley used by the Confederates on February 17, 1864 in Charleston Harbor against the U.S.S. Housatonic.

• The first state intercollegiate football game took place on December 14, 1889 with Wofford defeating Furman

• First commercial tea farm - Summerville, 1890

• First black woman to practice medicine in the state was Dr. Matilda Arabelle Evans in 1897

• First textile school established in a college - Clemson, 1899

• The first car was manufactured in Rock Hill by John Gary Anderson in January 1916

• First woman lawyer in South Carolina - Miss James M. Perry of Greenville was admitted to practice on May 4, 1918

• First national historic preservation ordinance passed by Charleston city council on October 13, 1931

• First television station WCSC broadcast from Charleston June 13, 1953

• First U.S. Senator elected by a write-in vote - Strom Thurmond, November 2, 1954

• First Spoleto Festival held in Charleston May 1977

• First Internet company to bring you the Internet, Streaming Radio, and Online Magazines- www.ONLY.sc ( click here for more information)

aBout north CharLestonThe city of North Charleston sits on the boarder of Charleston and Dorchester counties. North Charleston’s has almost quadrupled in population since it’s conception on June 12, 1972, encompassing over 73 square miles. With a population of over 85,000, North Charleston is the third largest city in South Carolina.

Until the Civil War, what is now North Charleston, consisted of primarily of plantations. The turn of the 20th century brought a boom of industry to the North Area, with the opening of E.P. Burton Lumber Company and the Navy Shipyard. In 1912, a group of Charleston business men laid out the Park Circle area. Much of Park Circle still adheres to the original 1912 plan. This thriving city is home to the North Charleston Coliseum, Performing Arts Center, & Convention Center. This complex is home to the South Carolina Stingrays, an ECHL minor league hockey team, and is a major hub of cultural events and conventions for the Tri-county area.

North Charleston’s climate has resulted in some of the most beautiful communities in the area. Several major developers have entered the market over

the past several years with a huge selection of new housing. With exceptional choices for the first time buyer, to top executive homes and homesites, these sprawling neighborhoods offer a wide range of amenities including golf, fishing, tennis, playgrounds, nearby schools, day care, shopping, dining and recreational opportunities. As part of the area’s boom, many developers have integrated fitness centers and jogging trails into the communities. Parks and Community centers also add to the beauty of these carefully planned neighborhoods.

North Charleston is home to several highly acclaimed “magnet” schools, including Garrett Academy of Technology, Charleston County School of the Arts, and The Academic Magnet High School. The city is also home to many well know colleges inclueding, Trident Technical College and Charleston Southern University.

Bunker shot perFeCtion: BLast your Way to a Better GoLF sCore

Bunker shots can be daunting but it’s really all in your head! Use these simple techniques the next time you’re in the bunker and blast your way to a better score.

Golf ScoreFirst, don’t change your swing. Use the loft of the club and your back swing to determine your distance. Of course this will take some practice so you know how to shorten your backswing to get the distance you need. You use your back swing to adjust your distance because you always want to accelerate through the ball. You never want to the club head to decelerate. Also open the club face if needed to decrease the distance the ball will travel.

Use the “bounce” on the club to launch the ball out of the sand. Don’t worry too much about the definition of bounce but try this the next time in the practice sand trap. Take your sand wedge and swing at the sand. Vary the angle the club hits the sand. When you bring the club down steeply you’ll take a lot of sand and leave a large “divot” in the sand. Decrease the angle that you strike the sand until you can feel the club almost bounce off the sand. Feeling that is more important than the actual

definition of bounce. The key is to have this bounce feel when hitting the ball out of the sand.

Open the club face and aim slightly right with an open stance with the ball forward in your stance, slightly off of your left heel for right handed golfers. When you swing follow the line of your feet.

Keep the weight on your left foot and don’t try to lift the ball, let the club do the work; trust me the club will lift the ball.

Hit about 1 inch behind the ball. The key is to get sand between the club face and the ball. This is where that bounce comes in to play.

Also, expect more roll on the ball when faced with a down hill lie in the bunker because the ball won’t get as much spin and tend to roll quite a bit.

Use and practice these techniques to get yourself off the beach and onto the green. For more helpful tips, advice, or to add some Golf Tips and Suggestions of your own - you are invited to visit the South Carolina Golfers Blog at

www.Golf.sc/Blog/

neiGhBorhoods1. Neighborhoods are where we all grew up a long time ago. Today, because of golf courses, shopping areas, subdivisions, jobs, schools, and a transient society, a neighborhood means different things to different folks.

2. Neighborhoods can be as small as a dozen or so houses, and be as many as thousands of homes.

3. Neighborhoods are common, and perhaps close to universal, since most people in urbanized areas would probably consider themselves to be living in one.

4. Neighborhoods are convenient, and alwaysaccessible, since you are already in your neighborhood when you walk out your door.

5. Successful neighborhood action frequently requires little specialized technical skill, and often little or no money. Action may call for an investment of time, but material costs are often low.

6. With neighborhood action, compared to activity on larger scales, results are more likely to be visible and quickly forthcoming. The streets are generally cleaner; the crosswalks are painted; the trees are planted; a festival draws a crowd.

7. Visible and swift results are indicators of success; and since success is reinforcing, the probability of subsequent neighborhood action is increased.

8. Because neighborhood action usually involves others, such actions create or strengthen connections and relationships with other neighbors,

leading in turn to a variety of potentially positive effects, often hard to predict.

9. Over and above these community advantages,neighborhood activity may simply be enjoyable and fun for those taking part.

But in addition to these benefits, considerable research indicates that strong and cohesive neighborhoods and communities are linked –quite possibly causally linked – to decreases in crime, better outcomes for children, and improved physical and mental health. The social support that a strong neighborhood may provide can

serve as a buffer against various forms of adversity. Sometimes a neighborhood isn’t a neighborhood until an event occurs, which draws people together, to become “neighbors”.

CommerCiaL reaL estate – rentinG in today’s marketFirst make sure that the area you have chosen is right for your intended business. If you plan on expanding, take that into consideration. Do you need to be close to an expressway, or the local airport? Before you decide, think ahead, because you may be getting into a long term commitment.

Make sure that any space you’re considering is big enough for both your current needs, and your foreseeable growth. Be realistic and never over-commit.

Do your homework beforehand. Investigate traffic patterns; tour the area and building. Find out who the previous tenant was, and why the business left. Learn what kinds of marketing the location does in support of its tenants (if any) and whether co-operative marketing funds are available to you.

Weigh the benefits of guaranteed foot traffic at a mall location against premium rent. Some malls require that all tenants stay open during mall hours, and pay for common area usage as well as the store’s own space and upkeep. Stores may also be asked to pay a percentage of sales to the mall.

Identify your closest competitors. Also check out neighboring businesses with an eye for complementary products or services. If you are locating in a

mall, check the lease agreement for any guaranteed protection against competition.

Evaluate whether the physical location and space is a good fit with your product line. Do you need a large, bright space or is an office warehouse sufficient?

Investigate any restrictions on signage. Signs are vitally important to retail businesses, yet many landlords decide on what a store can and cannot do. The rules may be even stricter in a mall, which closely monitors its physical appearance.

Negotiate the terms of your lease aggressively. Think about consulting a realtor that is familiar with the area. Never accept wording that’s confusing or that leaves you wondering who is liable for what. Ask for the right of first refusal on adjacent space in case you need to expand. Negotiate for free improvements, free rent, and other incentives before signing your lease.

Hire a real estate attorney who not only specializes in lease negotiations, but knows your area and, preferably, has dealt with your kind of business before. A lease negotiation can cover tens, if not hundreds, of terms, and you want someone in your corner who has seen it all before.

Know who is responsible for maintaining the heating, air-conditioning and other systems, as well as keeping up the parking lot and building exterior. This can be critical in older buildings. Who pays for the utilities and trash pick-up?

The time has probably never been better to start a new

venture if you have a business that is not being adversely affected by this economy. Just make sure you get the right location……

www.Darlington.sc Online Magazine | 2009 39

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