Women's Clothing Boutique Near Me Springfield, GA

Property owner releases information about what will call the historic location home

SPRINGFIELD, Ga. (WTOC) - The former Blocker’s fried chicken property in Springfield was purchased back in 2016.

In 2018, WTOC spoke with the owner about her plans for it, at the time she couldn’t say, but now she can.

The food from Blocker’s was unforgettable, and it appears the building that housed it is, too.

Memories the new property owner Rebecca Tebeau is hoping to recreate.

“There was a charm to Blocker’s,” said Tebeau, “but we want to bring it into 2020.”

Although some things will be changing.

“It will not have fried foods,” Tebeau says.

But, she hopes many things will be just like you remembered them.

“We’re hoping to bring that same hospitality into what we’re doing today.”

Hospitality won’t be the only thing you recognize from the old Blocker’s.

In fact, much of the new building will include wood from the original, something that drew Tebeau to the property and she believes will bring others there too.

“My interest was the history of it, and I didn’t want to lose one of the charms that’s in this city. I want to see Springfield build back up in the downtown area.”

A notion that lifetime resident of Springfield, Richie Burns, can certainly get behind.

“Another eating place or a shopping place anything to bring people into Springfield.”

As well as Lynette Bragg, who also calls Springfield home.

“We need excitement in the town, we need different variety and things going on to build community.”

As for what the property will be used for, Tebeau says it’s going to be a restaurant, but that’s all she’ll say about it for now.

While the menu may be a mystery there is one thing, she says you can expect.

“I want it to be a place that when someone travels through and when they come back they get home and they say, you know that was a great place in Springfield, that was a cute little town I want to go back there one day.”

Tebeau still doesn’t have a firm opening date for the restaurant but is hoping doors will be open by the end of summer or early fall.

Copyright 2020 WTOC. All rights reserved.

SPRINGFIELD, GA (WTOC) - The City of Springfield is hoping to attract some hungry mouths to their downtown area.

Council members recently passed an ordinance allowing licensed food trucks and mobile vendors to operate in the city.

“The good thing about a food truck, like my wife used to say, if the people aren’t there, a brick and mortar restaurant, you’re stuck," said Big South Barbecue/Rollin’ Smoke truck owner, Shawn Scott. "With a food truck, I can drive it to where the people are and serve them.”

Scott isn’t the only one excited about the new ordinance,

Springfield Community Development Director Erin Phillips said they are hoping the new food truck ordinance will give people more choices.

“A lot of people don’t realize that Springfield has a lot of jobs, so we have a lot of people that come in here and we don’t have a lot of lunch options,” Phillips said. “So, hopefully, allowing the food trucks will give people more lunch options, and activity on the weekend is something that we’ve really been focusing on.”

They’re hoping to put the city of Springfield back on the map.

“I think the ordinance will be a good thing," Shawn said. “Several years ago, they put a bypass on Highway 21 which routed everyone outside of Springfield, and they’ve fallen off a a bit in businesses,” he said. "I think with this new food truck ordinance, it will be a good draw to bring people into the lower City of Springfield.”

It’s something Scott said has been a long time coming .

“There’s one, maybe two places to eat in Springfield, but if we can provide good quality food from a mobile environment, show up when the people are there, I think it will be beneficial for food trucks,” he said.

“There are people who live and work in Effingham County that have food trucks that are operating them in Chatham County that weren’t actually able to operate them here in Effingham or anywhere else outside the rules of Chatham county," Phillips said. "We’re really excited that we can offer that option.”

To be eligible, vendors must apply for a Springfield food vending license.

A temporary food service license is $25.

It’s $150 dollars for a yearly license.

Applicants must also get approval from either the Effingham Department of Public Health or the Department of Agriculture.

Copyright 2019 WTOC. All rights reserved.

When was the last time you went to jail?

I did recently with my entire family and spent a very enjoyable afternoon there at the Effingham Living History Museum in Springfield, Ga.

This unique destination is housed in the Old Jail Museum and each room is filled with historic and cultural items that have been collected from area residents and historic sites of the lower Savannah River area. The jail was in operation until the early 1990s, and the old building retains the rambling character and even old jail cells from the former law enforcement center of Effingham County.

Little did we realize that we would see a wealth of items and artifacts that brought a thousand years of human habitation of the Lowcountry region under one roof. The museum is a little under an hour’s drive from Bluffton.

The area was laid out in the late 1700s and expanded in the mid-19th century as railroads connected the region to other parts of the growing country. The museum reflects this sense of growth and takes you through the ages.

The old two-story jail was built in 1934 and still retains the characteristics of that time period. You will be greeted by friendly staff who will gladly tell you about the building and the history of the region. The first room is almost entirely filled with Native American and prehistoric artifacts recovered from surrounding farm fields and river landings and preserved for viewing.

Each room of the building takes you though another age, from the American Revolution and the pioneer age, the Civil War and the end of slavery and into the 20th century. There is a significant display of memorabilia from World War II and more modern conflicts that includes stories of Effingham County residents who answered the call to arms.

There are home goods and a farm cabin replica as well as a general store and rooms devoted to industries such as turpentine production and farming.

In the jail, go to cell area where steel bars and metal cots have been preserved.

On the grounds of the property there are more than a dozen old buildings that have been preserved. These include a “dog trot” farm house, a train depot, a replica of the old school house and even a moonshine still. All of these structures are fully-furnished and also serve the purpose of hosting regular “living history” events where local reenactors and historical preservationists dress in period clothing host the annual “Olde Effingham Days Festival” every April.

From the old jail to swapping stories in the old bootlegger’s cabin, my family and I enjoyed our visit to the Effingham Living History Museum and plan to return this spring for the festival.

There are some friendly people in Springfield, that hope you will, too.

The Effingham Living History Museum is located at 1002 Pine Street in Springfield, Ga. The town and museum are an easy 50-minute drive from Bluffton. Take SC 46 to I-95 in Hardeeville and then Exit 109. Head north on US 21. At 14 miles, turn right onto South Laurel Street and at 1 mile turn, right onto Stilwell Road. Cross through town on 21 and take a right onto Rabun Street. Take a right onto Pine Street. The museum is located on the top of the hill at the end of the street. There are restrooms and other facilities at the Old Jail Museum and other attractions nearby, including old Ebenezer, site of the first settlement of Salzburgers from Germany, and a colonial church.

The Olde Effingham Days Festival is scheduled for Saturday, April 13 2019. The Effingham Living History Museum is open year-round except major holidays. Hours are Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. If you plan weekend visit, call and schedule an appointment.

For more information, call 912-754-2170 or visit www.n-georgia.com/effingham-old-jail-museum.html.

This story was originally published February 27, 2019, 6:52 AM.

SPRINGFIELD, Ga. (WTOC) - While some businesses are beginning to reopen across Georgia, many others remain closed due to COVID-19.

Leaving towns like Springfield looking for a sign of a brighter future. A sign they may have found in a downtown that continues to change and grow against all odds.

Of course, the town hasn’t been immune to the economic impacts caused by the spread of COVID-19

“You know, we’re all really nervous about our small businesses. Some of them are still opening and going but it’s been a hard hit for some of them to not be able to operate they way they’re accustomed to,” said Springfield Community Development Director Erin Phillips.

As you drive through downtown, things don’t quite look like they used to. Businesses completely shut down or operating in new ways to keep everyone safe.

But Phillips says there may be a bright spot.

“It’s definitely seeming like the construction projects are doing well. I think people have a little extra time and they’re taking advantage of that.”

That may be putting it lightly.

One of the biggest transformations on Laurel Street, "the former Walt’s building is finally under construction,” said Phillips

In under three months the old furniture store making a major transformation.

Just a down the road, “Blocker’s is one that’s finally getting a good idea of what that new look is going to be like there,” Phillips adds.

Putting on some final touches as they aim for an opening this fall.

These are far from the only projects in downtown right now.

A good sign for the city.

“It is definitely positive feedback to see them out working on their buildings and continuing to invest in them,” said Phillips.

A reminder that all hope isn’t lost.

“There’s light at the end of the tunnel and they’re just trying to get ready for everything to get to some semblance of normal again,” said Phillips.

And how you see the world right now, just depends on where you’re looking.

Again, the owner of the old Blocker’s building did say they are still hoping to be up and running by sometime this fall, but they still don’t have a specific date set nor are they releasing what will fill the old building.

As for the old Walt’s Building, they were originally aiming for August of this year but WTOC did not hear back from the building’s owner to see if they are still on schedule.

Copyright 2020 WTOC. All rights reserved.

Jason Rahn pulled up in the yard with a brand new dump truck and blew the horn.

His wife, Nicole Rahn, wasn’t sure what to think. The night before he told her he was quitting his job as a welder for a ship-loading company.

He had also been working jobs for the couple’s lawn care and residential site development business before going on his 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. shift each day. He needed $600 a week to make up for the lost wages.

Turns out, the impulse buy was a good one. They hired a driver, and it replaced the lost wages. It also freed up time to grow the business.

That was in 2009 and so began The McGraley Company in Springfield, Georgia.

Today, it has over 70 employees, $13 million to $15 million in revenue, and has built some profitable relationships after years of quality, dependable service. It has also diversified into landfill construction, industrial property maintenance and erosion control, and established dirt pits and a hauling business. It also does demolition and commercial earthwork and site prep. Along with being a finalist for Equipment World's 2022 Contractor of the Year Award, the company also won our 2022 Safety Award.

Seeing opportunities, taking risks

With Nicole handling the office and financial side of the business and Jason overseeing the projects, the couple worked out of their home in Springfield. They added a shop behind the house and parked their equipment on the two-acre lot.

Meanwhile, they had four daughters to raise. And they used the letters of their names to form the new name for their expanding company, which was growing beyond landscaping and residential work.

“So we made up a word and we re-created ourselves,” Jason says of The McGraley Company name. “It kind of covers everything that we do, and it give us plenty of room to add to it and grow.”

They grew the business by seeing opportunities and taking risks to enter new markets. They also patiently built long-term relationships, growing small jobs into large long-term contracts.

One of its biggest customers is Georgia Power’s Plant McIntosh, where it handles the company’s fly ash landfills and performs a variety of other projects.

Jason landed the work there by first mowing the grass on a one-time job.

“I started out there just mowing by myself,” he says. “And little things would come on. They would want to add a little rock in a road, and they would ask, ‘Are you interested?’”

“I'm interested in anything you’ve got,” he told them.

“There was nothing that they could throw at me that I would say, ‘No I'm not interested in that.’”

While at the plant, he noticed large contractors cleaning the ash ponds, making $1 million each pond.

He laughs as he recalls how he would tell Nicole, “I just want to clean one pond, and then we’re out.”

“And we’re currently cleaning three,” says Nicole.

In all, McGraley has cleaned seven of Georgia Power’s ash ponds. They recently signed a new contract with the utility for five more years.

Another opportunity came for McGraley when the couple got tired of waiting for contractors to plant grass on projects, or the work was poor quality.

So they bought a hydroseeder, which neither of them had ever used before.

“So I started looking it up, and some of it started making sense,” Jason says. “These people that you're hiring, they’re not putting all the stuff in there that needs to be. They were cutting corners.”

He followed the instructions, and the company’s grass for erosion control to cover landfill cells was coming in thick, high and green.

“We could make grass grow on anything,” he says. “All you had to do was follow directions.”

Word spread about their abilities, and contractors began to request McGraley on their projects.

The company was also able to meet the high quality and environmental standards for Georgia Power and other industrial customers.

“If you don’t get 90% grass growing on the project, you don’t get paid,” Nicole says. The owner would hold 10% of the money.

So they made sure the grass grew well and passed all of the tests.

Filling a need

Another frustration that turned into a profitable business for McGraley came in 2012 when they bought a dirt pit.

“It just seemed like when you needed a good dry load of dirt for your job, you couldn’t get it,” Jason recalls.

The property with the pit had been foreclosed on. The Rahns only wanted the dirt pit, but the bank refused to divide the property. They eventually decided to build their new headquarters, offices, maintenance shop and storage areas on the land.

The dirt pit, however, was filled with water. So for 32 days, Jason and Nicole used a 10-inch pump at 3,500 gallons a minute, 24 hours a day to pump out the water.

“We’d get up at 12 o’clock at night,” Nicole says and laughs.

The fuel truck couldn’t get down into the pit to fuel the pump, so Nicole and Jason would haul bucketfuls of fuel down the dirt hill in the night and at all hours to keep the pump running.

“We didn’t know any different,” Jason says.

Now they have three fuel trucks with long reels, and they set the fuel tanks uphill and run the lines downhill, so they no longer need the pumps.

In selling the dirt, the Rahns keep their customers in mind, remembering how it was when they were in need. They produce several different types of dirt from the same pit, such as screened topsoil, hard pan and sandy fill.

“We probably spend a little bit more money on our process, but we’re giving the customer what they want,” Jason says.

They’ll also provide as little as half a truckload, which many larger companies won’t do.

“We learned that one load turns into 100,” Nicole says. “And then you get the presence in the community and people know.”

Along with developing strong customer relationships, McGraley has made some internal changes that have helped the company grow.

The biggest came when they hired a consultant about six years ago to go throughout the business and show how it could be more efficient and profitable. It required hearing some constructive criticism and being willing to change.

The result has been dramatic, says Nicole.

“He came in and taught me the financial side,” she says. “And that's when we saw growth in our company.”

The consultant now comes in once a year for an evaluation and to offer suggestions.

“Now if I need to borrow $3 million, I am confident in what I'm doing,” she says. “He's a huge part of us. He taught us so much.”

Another big part of McGraley is its community involvement. The company gives generously to the Springfield area and has a reputation for helping folks in need.

“I love to give,” Nicole says. “It’s very, very rewarding to know that you are helping somebody.”

When they were starting out in business, Nicole and Jason talked about their goals and what they hoped they would achieve.

“We wanted to build a company …” Jason said.

“… that people were proud to work for,” added Nicole.

Along with supporting the community, McGraley has backed its employees and helped out in tough times. The company pays 100% of its employees’ health insurance, 100% for boot allowance, 50% for uniforms if employees want them, and it funds a 401(k) retirement plan.

When the pandemic began in March 2020, they gathered all of the company’s employees and made a commitment to them. They gave each one a $2 an hour raise, and they asked that the employees save the money in case times got tough.

“Everybody was scared,” Nicole recalls. “We need our employees to be committed to us. We’ve got to do something to secure this workforce, because we're still committed to our customer. And so we came up with the commitment bonus.”

And when December 31 came, the company decided to make the raise a permanent one.

“They’re not a big company, but they’ve grown their business here locally and have a strong presence in this immediate area,” says William Mock, Georgia Power plant manager. “It’s tough work, especially right now, trying to find qualified operators, and they continue to do well. People see the value they put into each of their employees and the commitment they make to them.”

Nicole and Jason Rahn of The McGraley Company were a finalist in Equipment World's 2022 Contractor of the Year program. The program recognizes contractors who display the highest standards of business acumen, equipment management expertise, attention to safety and community involvement. Each year, 12 finalists receive an expense-paid trip to Las Vegas to participate in roundtable discussions and an awards ceremony.

Nominations for the 2023 Contractor of the Year awards will open this fall. For more information, visit https://www.equipmentworld.com/contractor-of-the-year.