A Place to Build a Life, a Business and a Future
For three generations of the McClintock family, Spartanburg County has been more than a place on a map.
It has been a place to build a life, create opportunity and put down roots.
At 81, Betty McClintock has spent her entire life in Spartanburg County. Her son, Dave McClintock, grew up on Spartanburg’s south side before building a local following through Big Dave Eats, where he showcases restaurants, businesses and community stories across the region. And Dave’s son, David Haley recently made a decision that many communities hope young people will make but often struggle to achieve: after living away, he chose to come back home.
Together, their experiences tell a story about how Spartanburg has evolved over time while remaining the kind of place people want to call home.
Building a Life
When Betty reflects on the Spartanburg she has known for more than eight decades, she thinks about family, neighbors and community.
“We were one of the first families that moved there,” she said of her Phyllis Goings neighborhood. “A lot has changed over the years.”
Today, she sees new homes, new businesses and more amenities available close to where people live. For many older residents, those investments have made everyday life more convenient and accessible.
But what matters most to her hasn’t changed.
“Spartanburg feels like home to me because I’ve been here all my life,” she said. “I raised my kids here. I worked most of my life here. It’s a nice place to live. I’ve met a lot of nice people.”
She pauses before adding another observation.
“I’m proud of the way they have built up the community. It’s nice.”
For Betty’s generation, opportunity meant having a stable place to raise a family, build relationships and create a life.
Building a Business
For Dave, opportunity has taken a different shape.
Born at Spartanburg General Hospital and raised in the Park Hills community, he remembers a Spartanburg where teachers acted as extended parents, local business owners knew families by name and entire neighborhoods helped raise the next generation.
“Everybody looked out for everybody,” he said.
After college and several years working in the wireless industry, Dave eventually returned home. What started as sharing restaurant recommendations with friends evolved into Big Dave Eats, a platform that has spent more than a decade highlighting local restaurants, entrepreneurs and community stories.
“When you say investment, for me it’s all about relationships,” he said. “I take pride in showcasing local stories.”
Those relationships, he says, are one of Spartanburg’s greatest strengths. Being from Spartanburg gave him connections, opportunities and a support system that made it easier to build something of his own.
At the same time, he has watched the community continue to evolve.
He remembers shopping downtown with his grandmother as a child. He remembers what the area around the baseball stadium looked like decades ago. He remembers when people often left Spartanburg to find new experiences, restaurants or entertainment.
Today, he sees something different.
“People are shocked by all the new restaurants and businesses coming in,” he said. “You can get any cuisine you want here.”
He admits some of the changes felt unfamiliar at first.
“It was scary when things started changing,” he said. “You see something torn down and wonder why.”
Now, however, he sees the impact.
“From the parks to the trails, it’s beautiful,” he said. “In the next five years, it’s going to be incredible.”
Building a Future
For Dave’s son, Spartanburg represents something different again.
After spending time living in Virginia, he found himself at a crossroads. Like many young professionals, he could have chosen to build his future almost anywhere.
Instead, he chose Spartanburg.
“I knew I had a good community and support system behind me,” he said.
The decision was about family, but it was also about opportunity. Within weeks of returning, he had reconnected with friends, familiar faces and community institutions that had been part of his life since childhood.
“Everybody feels like family,” he said. “It’s the Southern hospitality of it all.”
Just as important, he quickly found professional opportunities.
“It took me about a week to find a job,” he said. “When you can do that, it makes you feel wanted.”
His experience reflects a broader shift in Spartanburg’s economy. A generation ago, careers were often concentrated in textiles and traditional manufacturing. Today, residents can pursue opportunities across advanced manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, technology, professional services and other growing sectors.
For younger generations, that means they no longer have to choose between career opportunity and coming home.
One Community, Three Generations
While each generation’s experience has been different, a common thread runs through all three stories.
For Betty, Spartanburg was a place to build a life.
For Dave, it became a place to build a business.
For his son, it became a place worth returning to and building a future.
The buildings, businesses and amenities may have changed over the years, but the sense of community that drew each generation here has remained remarkably consistent.
“It’s home,” Dave said. “And what a beautiful home it is.”