ColaPop Economic Update – Fall into Winter 2025

R. Davis
Sep 2
2 min read

South Carolina’s economy hasn’t been sipping pumpkin spice lattes — it’s been running full steam. From factory floors in Spartanburg to tech hubs in Columbia, the Palmetto State kept the momentum going straight through the fall. Here’s your no-fluff breakdown of what’s been brewing between September and December.

Business Buzz: SC Edition

1. Manufacturing Muscles Up

BMW hit another gear with EV battery production in Spartanburg.
Redwood Materials doubled down in Berkeley County with battery recycling ops — think of it as South Carolina’s new clean-energy heartbeat.
Translation: more high-paying jobs, more supply chain clout.

2. Startup Scene Gets Spicy

Columbia, Charleston, and Greenville aren’t just about BBQ, shrimp & grits, and waterfalls — they’re birthing startups like crazy.
App-based services, logistics tech, and digital agencies are flooding into accelerators like NEXT (Greenville) and SOCO (Cola).
Local investors are finally loosening the purse strings, especially when there’s real estate attached.

3. Real Estate Reality Check

Statewide housing markets cooled a touch, but hot pockets like Myrtle Beach, Mount Pleasant, and Fort Mill are still sizzling.
Developers are switching gears: fewer marble countertops, more middle-income homes. Think practical over flashy.
Office space? Still awkward. Conversions to mixed-use are the new remix.

4. Small Biz Money Squeeze

Banks across the Southeast tightened credit standards this fall.
But where the banks step back, private lenders and PE funds step in — scooping up deals in commercial real estate and service-based ventures.

Looking Ahead: Holiday Season & Beyond

Tourism Pop: Coastal towns are gearing up for holiday and snowbird season. Bookings? Record highs. Hospitality? Cash registers ringing.
Construction Heat: Infrastructure projects in Columbia’s corridors and Charleston’s port expansion are moving from blueprint to bulldozer.
Workforce Watch: Wages may be leveling off, but employers in logistics, trades, and home services are still waving big “Now Hiring” signs.

U.S. Economy Highlights

Fed Pause → Possible Cut: With inflation cooling, whispers of a rate cut are getting louder for early 2026.
Shoppers Slow Down: Holiday splurges are trending cautious, but spending on essentials and experiences is still strong.
Tech Glow-Up: AI and chipmakers rebounded big, fueling fresh M&A chatter.
Commercial Real Estate Blues: Office towers? Still ghost towns. Mixed-use conversions are the survival play.

Global Pulse

China Stimulus: More manufacturing and real estate support rolled out. Big for exporters.
Europe’s Cooldown: Inflation easing, ECB hinting at cuts = a little more breathing room.
Trade Tensions: U.S.–China talks heating back up over semiconductors and green tech.
Oil Watch: Prices stable for now, but the Middle East never stays quiet for long.

Final Sip

South Carolina’s economy is cruising into 2026 with a mix of horsepower (manufacturing), hustle (startups), and holiday cheer (tourism). Sure, there are headwinds — tighter credit, national spending jitters, and global trade drama — but the Palmetto State keeps proving it’s got grit and growth baked in.

For locals, founders, and investors: keep your eyes on mid-tier housing, clean energy supply chains, and small business financing shifts. That’s where the juice is.