‘Transformative’ entertainment hub will replace gas station in booming downtown Simpsonville

SIMPSONVILLE — A former gas station in the heart of downtown Simpsonville will soon transform into an entertainment complex called the Community Hub Plaza. 

The new amenity will feature a restaurant, gastropub and gaming area with duckpin bowling, golf simulators and karaoke. It will also include 16,000 square feet of outdoor space. Simpsonville resident David Berger is spearheading the project through his company Community Hub LLC. He said the project could be “transformative” for the Upstate town’s growing city center.

“Where downtown Greenville has been the main character for the last two decades, these submarkets are developing their own identity and own downtowns, which I think is really amazing,” Berger said. 

The Community Hub Plaza will sit on South Main Street, near the popular local spot Vaughn’s Foodhall and next to Slice Pizza, a restaurant owned by Berger that recently opened a rooftop space. 

Berger said the development has been in the works for three years. He knew the former owners of the gas station well, he said, and they approached him to discuss the site’s future as they prepared for retirement.

“They were concerned about the legacy of the property for downtown Simpsonville,” he said. 

While the gas station that currently stands on the tract will be torn down to make way for the project, Berger said he plans to incorporate the property’s history into the coming development as much as possible.

Construction is set to begin on the complex in spring 2025 and last roughly a year.

The project comes as Simpsonville’s population continues to soar and the city prepares to begin a sweeping public works and streetscaping project intended to improve traffic and beautify downtown.

City Administrator Dianna Gracely said the redevelopment of the South Main Street property will complement the planned city center overhaul.

“Redevelopment projects like this continue to add to the vibrancy of our downtown,” she said. “We have great momentum going into our public improvements and truly appreciate the partnerships we’ve cultivated.”

While the new complex will sit in the heart of Simpsonville, Berger said he expects it to draw people from around the Upstate.