Imagine a place that feels like home, a place where you feel a sense of comfort, community, and familiarity. In Spartanburg, South Carolina, Main Street Pub is that place. Your downtown neighborhood pub - welcoming people of all shapes and sizes to enjoy a good drink, delicious food, and a hospitable atmosphere that makes you feel as though you’ve known it your whole life. Over the past decade and a half, Main Street Pub has become an irreplaceable staple in downtown Spartanburg - and it’s only continuing to grow.

With the exponential growth of the Upstate and development of the downtown Spartanburg area, more and more patrons have found an admiration for Main Street Pub. The area’s latest addition you might ask? A stadium for Spartanburg’s brand-new minor-league baseball team - the Hub City Spartanburgers. This stadium will be situated just down the street from the classic Main Street Pub, which will bring even more new faces into the establishment. The pub has always enjoyed its intimate atmosphere and cozy vibe - but with the success of the surrounding neighborhood, owner Raj Patel knew it was the right time to expand the business. Luckily for Main Street, the adjoining building presented the perfect opportunity to give the people more of what they love.

The decision was made to add to this already beloved bar and the rest is history. Main Street Pub shut its doors in early 2024 to conduct the refurbishment and expansion into the connecting building. The adjoining space bestowed a complete rehabilitation project with new electrical, plumbing, and layout. And while expanding was a priority, it was important to make some enhancements to the overall space. Brand new TVs sprawl across the bar and other viewing experiences provide a whole new way to watch live sports - including a massive projector screen and 4-panel LED screen mounted on the wall closest to the bar. Main Street Pub also sports a new logo with some delicious additions to the menu. And perhaps the most impactful transformation to the space - adding much needed shading to increase occupant comfort and enhance aesthetics.

Local shade fabric manufacturer, Mermet USA, was up for the task and Raj would come to find that Mermet’s E Screen™ fabric with KOOLBLACK® technology would be the perfect fit for the establishment. With the harsh rays of light shining through the windows of the brick building, a high-performance fabric had to be chosen to ensure the comfort of each and every patron. When paired with Mermet fabrics, KOOLBLACK® Technology has the revolutionary power to reflect heat - making dark fabrics cooler than ever. This made the selection of a fabric with KOOLBLACK® an obvious choice. The new space and additional windows have increased natural light levels and ambient heat, with Main Street Pub’s team knowing exactly when to descend each shade depending on the time of day. Anything to make the people feel at home!

        As for the color and weave pattern - designer Sandra Cannon at Sandra Cannon Interior Design gave some insight into why E Screen™ was the ideal fabric collection for this project. “We knew we were looking for a fabric that matched the vibe of a classic, beloved neighborhood space.” To paint the picture for you, the space boasts recaptured steel I-beams joined by weathered historic brick. The industrial vibe needed a complimentary shade fabric weave pattern, and with a quintessential basketweave pattern you have the perfect match. Plus, the charcoal color adds depth to the interior, further complementing the industrial feel. Just like Main Street Pub, Mermet’s E Screen™ fabric is a classic staple - and as Sandra put it, “a complete home run.”

Now with great shade fabric comes the need for a great shading system and boy, did they deliver. A strong and sturdy, yet classic shading system is what Main Street needed and the RB 500+ roller shade system by Hunter Douglas Architectural was the perfect choice. Hunter Douglas Architectural, or HDA, is a major manufacturer of architectural products and their expertise in customization, fabrication, installation, and technical support made them the exemplary shade supplier for this project. In total, there are 13 interior shades which feature the RB 500+ system with Mermet’s E Screen™ with KOOLBLACK® technology. To coincide with the charcoal fabric and dark hues of the space, the RB 500+ with black fascia and mullions was selected for each window. This color adds a sleek sophistication without making it too fancy - much like the spirit of Main Street’s expansion strategy. Project designer Sandra Cannon put it best, “Main Street (Pub) is so popular, we want people to feel like they are still in their favorite location and give them more of what they love. Not fancier, just MORE of what they already enjoy.” How can you argue with that?

To add to the wow factor of the shading, Somfy RTS motors were added to each shading system, giving them the ability to automatically retract with the press of a button on a remote control. A simple, yet effective way to update the technology and enhance the experience of the pub. And last but not least, the star of the show - the exterior zipper system that measures 161 inches wide by 80 inches tall! Situated in the very front facade of the pub, this exterior zipper screen sports the same black hardware and shade fabric as the 13 interior shades. Customers bask in the outdoor feel when the shade is deployed, and enjoy benefits like superior view through and protection from outdoor elements like bugs and bad weather. The zipper system can even withstand winds up to 25 miles per hour while in operation. With the famous unpredictability of South Carolina weather, this is bound to come in handy!

A complex and effective shading system partnered with an older building frame ignites the need for a knowledgeable, highly-skilled installer. That’s where Integrity Blinds & Shutters comes in. Local to the Upstate SC area, the team at Integrity has spent decades working with commercial and residential clients to provide premier window covering solutions. Not only is Integrity the long-time installer for Raj Patel, their team boasts expert shading installers - making them a natural fit for this project. Two top-notch installers from Integrity set up all 13 interior shades and the large exterior shade. They knew exactly what to do - installing the systems carefully and meticulously. With Integrity’s showroom just miles away from Main Street, their team will be able to service the shading systems with anything they might need. It pays to be local, don’t you think?

The collaboration of several local businesses to support the growth of a beloved town staple is inspiring. As the downtown Spartanburg area continues to flourish, so will Main Street Pub. Bringing people and businesses together from all walks of life is the way of Main Street, and this project is a beautiful reflection of this communal spirit.

*Photography and videography done by Drew Herskind at Herskind Media.