Columbia SC grabs first-ever James Beard Award

By Mike Switzer

Published August 23, 2024 at 6:30 AM EDT

Mike Switzer, host of the South Carolina Business Review

You may have heard about this already, because the occasion certainly has received a lot of press. In June of this year, a Midlands wine bar received a coveted James Beard award, the first time this has ever happened in the Capital City. Mike Switzer interviews Tim Gardner, owner and founder of Lula Drake Wine Parlour in Columbia, S.C., recipient of the 2024 Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages category from James Beard.

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Mike Switzer

After almost 20 years, Mike Switzer retired from Wells Fargo Securities in 2001 as Senior Vice President/Investment Officer and Certified Portfolio Manager. In 1999, he and his wife, Maggie, purchased and operated for eight years the Baskin Robbins ice cream store on Forest Drive in Columbia. They grew the store from a bottom-tier operation in the Baskin Robbins franchise system to one in the top 5% nationwide within three years, tripling sales along the way. While operating the ice cream store, Mike and Maggie received patents for a portable ice cream sink and fold-down sneezeguard they invented and in 2002 started Magnolia Carts, an ice cream cart manufacturing company, which they sold in 2013.

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