CAYCE — Customers are climbing the walls at the newest business in Cayce.
Capital Climbing Cayce opened its doors at Parkland Plaza on May 30 to those who backed the project in advance. The gym will open to the public on June 10.
It adds an outdoor attraction in the Midlands that had been lacking as the community becomes more of a draw to outdoor enthusiasts.
The gym has more than 2,000 feet of space for those who want to work on bouldering and rock climbing at different levels of difficulty, with marked routes on the walls to follow.
The walls rise up to eight feet and are inclined outward, with thick padding welcoming those who have lost their grip.
For those who like to rock climb, having a spot right in Cayce to enjoy the sport is a boon.
“It’s good to have good bouldering here, five minutes from my apartment,” said Garfield Fowler, a University of South Carolina student who was trying out the new walls on the first day that members could use the space.
The idea is to have a destination for those who love rock climbing and bouldering but also have a place where newcomers can try the sport, owner Chris Neal said.
Capital Climbing even has climbing shoes in a variety of sizes that can be rented.
“One of the things that we wanted to offer was the opportunity to walk by, come in off the the street and not feel like they weren’t welcome,” Neal said.
It has taken months to get the space open for customers. Years ago the space was a dollar store, Neal said.
To convert it, he had to remove the drop ceiling and vinyl floors, then work with a Utah company, Vertical Solutions, to install walls and rock pads.
The space also needed a new roof and air-conditioning system.
The climbing walls include a Kilter Board, which has a huge variety of holds and is electronic, so can be programmed with an app to highlight routes of varying difficulty.
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It slopes inward at 45 degrees from vertical.
Some space at the gym allow children to climb, Neal said, adding that he has brought his own kids in to test the difficulty for younger customers.
Scouts’ designer
Scout Motors, which will build pickups and SUVs in Blythewood, has made one of its most important decisions as it ramps up.
Scout has selected Chris Benjamin as its chief design officer, the company announced May 30.
Benjamin is a veteran of automotive design, working with such brands as Jeep, BMW and Ram Trucks. Most recently he was leading interior designs at at Stellantis North America, the parent company of Chrysler.
“His thumb prints are all over many of the most beloved off-road vehicles in the market today,” Scout Motors CEO Scott Keogh said.
Benjamin said in a statement that Scout’s classic designs have been among his favorites.
“They created the archetype for the modern SUV in the ’60s and proved that a daily driver could also be a weekend adventurer,” Benjamin said. “My task now is to balance the iconic design language of the past with all of the innovative possibilities that electrification unlocks.”
The company, part of Volkswagen, picked Blythewood in March for its $2 billion assembly plant. Production there is projected to start at the end of 2026.
Esther’s closes
Richard Conklin, sounded like anything but someone who was done with restaurants as he announced the closing of Esther’s Soul Food + Kitchen, the restaurant in the Village at Sandhill.
Conklin, who announced the closing of the restaurant on its Facebook page on May 21, talked about the challenges of the restaurant industry but also sounded like new plans are already underway.
“I’m working on a lot of things right now,” Conklin said. “I am not giving up.”
One new thing already has been rolled out: Conklin will be doing live cooking shows in Instagram and pop-up soul food events, with the first set for June 25 at 730 Polo Road.