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Stepping inside Inspire Joy feels less like entering a retail shop and more like stumbling into a place where imagination is welcome. Bright colors, original artwork, music, creative projects and cozy corners invite visitors to slow down, look around and perhaps rediscover the joy of making something with their own hands.

That vision belongs to owner Elianna Radin, who recently opened the new downtown Summerville storefront at 127 Central Avenue after years of dreaming about using her art to encourage others.

"From a very young age, I knew I wanted to do something meaningful with my artwork," Radin said. "I've always loved creativity and have been creating ever since I can remember."

Choosing downtown Summerville as the home for Inspire Joy was an easy decision.

"I love Summerville so much," she said. "I genuinely wouldn't rather be anywhere else. It's such a beautiful community and just feels like home."

The shop's name reflects the purpose behind everything Radin creates. More than selling artwork or colorful gifts, she hopes Inspire Joy encourages people to pursue their own dreams while bringing a little more happiness into everyday life.

"Two of my main goals when it comes to my art are to inspire other people to go after their own dreams, and also add a little more joy to the world," she said.

Visitors will find apparel, original artwork, stationery, handmade accessories and gifts throughout the shop. But the storefront is only one part of the experience.

A second room encourages guests to linger, whether they're bringing their own creative projects, picking up art supplies, playing the piano or guitar, or simply spending time with friends. Throughout the year, the room will transform into immersive themed art experiences designed to make guests feel as though they've stepped into another world.

The first experience, "Back to the Summer," celebrates the wonder and nostalgia of childhood summers through a mix of interactive activities.

"I hope people can come in here, find inspiration and the courage to create," Radin said. "Even if you don't feel like you're a typically creative person, I believe everyone has creativity inside them."

That philosophy is especially meaningful in a world that often feels rushed.

"There's something so special about sitting down and intentionally creating something,” she said.

The shop was designed for both children and adults, with colorful products and experiences intended to appeal across generations. Radin also plans to feature local artists, beginning with Peg Timm, whose artwork is currently on display.

Opening the business wasn't without challenges. Preparing the space on a tight timeline brought long days and moments of uncertainty, but support from family and friends helped bring the vision to life.

"Each member of my family plays a key role in what is now the Inspire Joy storefront," Radin said. "It really is a family project."

As Inspire Joy becomes part of downtown Summerville's growing business community, Radin hopes it will be remembered as more than a place to shop.

"I hope they leave feeling inspired and encouraged," she said. "Whether that's to explore their own creativity or just encouraged in general."

Ultimately, she hopes every visitor remembers Inspire Joy as "a joyful environment full of creativity and space to dream big dreams."

Despite an expectation of future growth, Nexton Parkway was built as a two-lane thoroughfare.

In 2026, with a bevy of new housing and commercial projects in Nexton coming online, a new school about to open, a hospital under construction and another having just submitted plans to the state, residents are left wondering: “Why was Nexton Parkway not built as four lanes to begin with?”

That very question was posed by multiple people to William Fishburne, director of commercial development for Brookfield Properties, during a recent Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce event.

Fishburne described Brookfield Properties as a master developer that “bought the land, and then we put in all the infrastructure, and then we sell land off to third parties.”

Reassuring residents that widening Nexton Parkway to four lanes is still planned, albeit about five years down the road, Fishburne passed the buck to local government.

“Berkeley County is our partner in this development agreement,” he said. “We put in that first two lanes on day one.

“Most developers would never have done that. I mean, we spent a ton of money before we made one sale, and we connected it end-to-end and provided a regional road.”

Fishburne noted that a staggering 75 percent of Nexton Parkway movement is through traffic, rather than traffic originating from within Nexton.

The county is betting on the passage of a bond referendum in 2028 for future funding. However, in the fiscal year 2027 budget that recently passed, the county earmarked $4.7 million for the design and permitting to widen Nexton Parkway. Construction would likely start in 2029 or 2030, said Fishburne.

“We’re actually working with them (Berkeley County) pretty directly on figuring out a way to go ahead and get the second two lanes designed and permitted in advance of that bond passing, so that when it does pass, the project can actually start,” Fishburne said. “We count the traffic, we sit down with the county and we talk about the plans. I would just say both of us are doing the best that we can, given the circumstances, to get the infrastructure in.”

In the near future, a left-turn lane and traffic light will be installed at the parkway’s intersection with Grand Boulevard. Sigma Drive’s intersection will get a traffic signal. Residents will have connections to U.S. 176 via Grand Boulevard, Midtown Avenue, Blueway Avenue and High Market Street. Developers also hope to widen the multi-use trail in select areas.

20-year development

Nexton broke ground in March 2013 after several years of planning during the Great Recession. The first home sale was in 2015. A 20-year buildout encompassing 5,000 acres is expected to conclude around 2032.

By that time, there will be an estimated $7.5 billion in cumulative economic impact projected from residential and commercial development, said Fishburne, who added that construction activity supports about 1,800 jobs annually.

At full buildout, Nexton will produce $2.6 billion in recurring annual economic impact, supporting nearly 15,000 permanent jobs, he said. The master plan calls for 7,500 for-sale homes and 3,000 rental homes. To date, about 4,100 homes have been sold.

“We have about 10 home builders that build homes in Nexton, and we try to have a very wide price range and style of those homes,” said Fishburne. “We want a variety of homes; we want a variety of businesses. If somebody came to us and was like, ‘We really want to try a new prototype,’ wonderful; please bring it here. We love that kind of thinking.”

According to previous reporting in The Post and Courier, the suburban mega-cluster of Nexton, Carnes Crossroads and Cane Bay is projected to house between 50,000 and 75,000 people over the next decade.

A population boost of that magnitude requires dining options, grocery stores, schools and healthcare services.

“Midtown is really our focus now,” said Fishburne, listing a daycare, orthodontist and Opie under construction. Opie, a drive-thru grocery store and café, marks the third grocery store in Nexton, following Harris Teeter in May 2024 and Publix in February 2025.

As more multi-family housing, restaurants and retail come to the area, those developments will surround the newly built Midtown Middle School, which will welcome students this fall. This is the second school within the community, after Nexton Elementary opened in 2015.

Opening in 2028, the 70-bed hospital MUSC Health Nexton Medical Center is part of a medical campus that includes a branch of the Hollings Cancer Center and an outpatient medical office building called Nexton Medical Pavilion that recently broke ground.

Novant Health submitted plans this summer for an 86-bed hospital on a sprawling medical campus near the interchange of Nexton Parkway and Interstate 26.

Fishburne gave an overview of the “Parkway District,” comprised of The Hub, One Nexton and Marketplace.

The Hub totals 90,000 square feet of mixed-use office, medical office and retail with 30,000 square feet remaining under construction.

Lot 50 is 25,000 square feet of office, retail and entertainment. The first phase is to open later this year or early 2027. It will include a restaurant, and Parlor Donuts has committed as a tenant.

One Nexton currently has a Publix and Nova One Nexton apartments opening in late 2027.

Marketplace has Harris Teeter, Chipotle, Chase Bank, Dog & Duck and additional in-line spaces under construction.

SL Shaw/Nexton Village will have 70,000 square feet of mixed-use office, medical office, hospitality and retail.

A resident asked Fishburne about constructing a better connection to the master-planned community Carnes Crossroads.

“There is the potential to have a connection right here to Carnes,” said Fishburne. “The one thing that would get a little bit complicated is, you know, traffic.”

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCIV) — Most kids who fall in love with baseball dream of making it to the big leagues. Few ever do.

Summerville native Brian Plexico is one of those rare exceptions. He made it to Major League Baseball, where he’s spent more than two decades at the highest level—all without ever needing to step foot on the dirt.

As Vice President of Baseball Systems for the Tampa Bay Rays, Plexico operates at the intersection of data, software, and Major League strategy. But long before he was building cutting-edge analytics systems, his story started right here in the Lowcountry.

"Literally had that conversation with my dad last weekend," Plexico said. "It certainly wasn’t the way I envisioned it when I was younger, but to have experienced it the way I have has been very fulfilling and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it."

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Ditching Med School for Big Data

Plexico grew up a Summerville Green Wave fan through and through. He went on to play baseball at the College of Charleston, but over time, his major league dreams shifted toward pre-med plans.

A senior-year internship with the South Carolina Stingrays hockey team changed everything.

"The doctors there said, 'That’s a tough life,'" Plexico recalled. "Ditched the idea of med school."

While he wasn't built for medical school, programming was in his blood. America’s pastime remained his core passion. When a rare opportunity popped up combining sports and tech, Plexico didn't hesitate.

"A job posting matched my resume to a T," he said. "Put in my application and told them I played college baseball. Interviewed with them, two weeks later I’m here—and I’ve been here for 20-plus years now."

Building Tampa Bay's "Moneyball" Engine

When Plexico joined the franchise, then-General Manager Andrew Friedman and new owner Stu Sternberg were looking to revolutionize how the team analyzed player performance.

"I walked into my desk and there was an article on my desk that the Cleveland Indians had a software system that the manager had on his desk and he could look up anything he wanted to look up," Plexico said. "Andrew said, 'I want that—just better.'"

Plexico got to work creating what became the backbone of Tampa Bay's famous data-driven approach.

"What I built was a software application that anyone within the baseball department can go in—it’s Moneyball-esque," Plexico explained. "It has all the information we collect on players, statistics we get from MLB and other data sources, and puts it all in one place. Everybody, whatever their job function is, from President of Baseball Operations down to amateur scout and everyone in between, can do what they need to do."

As technology advances, so does Plexico’s workload—and that’s exactly how he likes it.

"Quite honestly, that is what keeps it fun for me," he said.

The Lowcountry Connection

Plexico works hand-in-hand with coaches and front-office executives, seeing firsthand the impact of his systems when the Rays take the field.

He also keeps a close eye on local Lowcountry talent making the journey from the 843 to the Trop.

"I love it. I like to follow them all," Plexico said. "Tony Ciuffo was the Sports Information Director when I was at CofC—rekindled my relationship with him once we drafted Nick. Always proud to see a guy come from Charleston like Taj Marshand. PJ Morlando is friends with my nephew. Great to meet him—we brought him in for a predraft workout before he got drafted. Nice to get to know him for a day."

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Still a Fan at Heart

From the Rays' historic 2008 World Series run to Evan Longoria’s iconic Game 162 walk-off home run in 2011, Plexico has had a front-row seat to some of baseball's greatest moments.

"Still a team sport, even in the office," Plexico said. "So many moments I’ve been lucky to be part of or witness to. 2008, going to the World Series when nobody expected us—huge first moment. Evan Longoria’s Game 162 may be the best night of baseball forever. To be in the stadium and see that ball go over the fence takes you back to being a kid, even though you get to watch it every day."

For the Summerville native, no matter how many complex algorithms or dataset metrics he runs, the love for the game hasn't changed.

"It's those moments that I love," Plexico said. "Ultimately, I’m still just a fan, just like everybody else watching."