The Faces of the Golden Strip couldn’t move forward with this project without introducing you to Rory Curtis!
In his own words…
About a dozen years ago, my fiancé Lee Ann Swanson and I came up against hard times. We had both lost our jobs due to recession cutbacks, Lee Ann’s father passed away, and Lee Ann herself was diagnosed with cancer. All of this took place within the same 30 days. After selling nearly everything and moving in with her mom to help take care of her, Lee Ann and I made some life changing decisions. One of those decisions was to start working for ourselves and do something that we both enjoy. The second big decision we would make was to promise ourselves that our new venture would include giving back to the community in a big way. This was the start of Carolina Olive Oil.
Initially we literally worked out of the trunk of our Ford Taurus doing trade shows and selling wholesale to restaurants. One of our first significant sales came when we sold 2 cases of Blueberry Balsamic Vinegar to Smoke On The Water in downtown Greenville. As hilarious as it is to admit it over a decade later, we thought that we had hit the big time when we delivered those 2 cases. A big thanks to Smoke On The Water. Their love of our product encouraged us to keep going.
Fast forward a little over a decade and we now have a brick and mortar store with over 100 kinds of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, along with wine, steaks, gourmet coffee, loose leaf tea, and chocolates in downtown Simpsonville.
And, if you are wondering if we kept our promises about giving back to the community, well, yes. We often help over 100 local charities a year, including schools, churches, hospitals, businesses, and some needy individuals.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
Lee Ann and I are now empty-nesters and for the time-being live in a loft overlooking the clock tower in downtown Simpsonville. We both have a long background in sales. Lee Ann’s mom eventually moved in with us and we became her full-time caretakers before she eventually passed away after a multi-year battle with dementia.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
Carolina Olive Oil has become the most rewarding project I have ever worked on. It has enabled us to impact a community in ways that we would have never thought possible at the beginning. We have worked hard to promote the Simpsonville downtown area and have watched it grow practically overnight. Our customers have become our friends and for every ounce of effort that have given the community, they have given at least as much in return. We love the relationships that we have been able to build within our community.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
Our favorite restaurant was actually the bar we opened above Carolina Olive Oil called Level 2. We opened it at a time when there wasn’t a lot going on in terms of night life in downtown Simpsonville. We were known for live jazz, blues, and bringing music to the area that hard to find anywhere else. Sadly, we closed the bar when Covid came into play and have not reopened.
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
Carolina Olive Oil has been open for about 10 years in Simpsonville and was open in Fountain Inn for about a year prior to that.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
I had to think this one through a bit. There are a bunch that could easily qualify. I think though that I will give the honors to a friend of mine who passed away a little over a year ago, Lewis Stewart. Lewis was a kind man that always had a smile in both on his face and in his heart. He worked tirelessly for the community and for those who knew him will understand when I say that there was never a dull moment when he was around.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
I would love to do a world wine tour some day drinking a glass of fine wine in the countries known best for making it. A glass of red from the Rioja region in Spain, a Bordeaux in France, a Carmenere in Chile, a Malbec in Argentina, and so on. Lee Ann and I have made our living serving wine and olive oil to others. I think we would like to sit and watch the show for a change.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Go out of your way to do something special for a random someone every day. You never know who your next customer will be.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
It’s a short list. I have been blessed to have done more than most during my life. Retirement with a bottle of wine and Lee Ann to drink it with sounds better and better.
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
I think it has to be The Ice Cream Station. They serve an uncountable number of families and have been a big impact on downtown Simpsonville.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
I think that Lee Ann and I with any luck and a few prayers will be having a number of those lunches in the neat future. Lee Ann has been going through her second battle with cancer and just finished chemo treatment number 6. The community has stepped up and supported her in a very big way throughout her fight and we would love to have a number of these lunches these wonderful people upstairs in our loft whenever Lee Ann is recovered and we can arrange it.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
I have never seen such a feeling of loyalty from a community. Through Covid, Cancer, a downtown fire, shutting down a bar, and a slew of ups and downs, the community has stuck by us.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
Hopefully retired next to a backyard fire, arguing with Lee Ann over which red wine pairs the best with smores.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
Okay, so now you want something interesting?
Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
The view from the the top of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. The climb was worth every step.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
Lee Ann Swanson
Q: Describe what “neighbor” means to you?
Thoughtfulness.
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Lee Ann Swanson.
