All in the Family

From Pepsi to packaging and property, the Hartness family legacy grows to include a four-star, boutique hotel

Shades of indigo and plum peek through the winter haze, revealing the majesty of the Blue Ridge Mountains spanning the skyline. Jaws drop upon entering the terrace of Greenville County’s newest luxury hotel. Like many rooms at Hotel Hartness, this third-floor suite includes a sweeping view of nature’s wonder. Those across the horizon look back, observing the hotel as another marquee landmark, cementing a family commitment to Upstate growth and engagement.

“It’s really gratifying. Our goal is to develop a legacy community for Greenville that lives on for generations to come, and the hotel is a major component of that,” shares Sean Hartness, CEO of Hartness Development and Hartness Construction. He’s overseeing final touches as teams prepare for an early March opening.

The 73-room boutique hotel will serve as an entry point at Hartness, a 480-acre, mixed-use development rooted in new urbanism and nestled between Highway 14 and Garlington Road. The large estate, which once housed one family, is on track to house as many as 1,000 families along with the hotel, businesses, and green space. “I call this a sustainable community,” Sean explains. “This was one of the biggest pieces of continuous property within the county yet to be developed. We could have sold it to others, but that didn’t reflect us. We’ve been pretty intentional on crafting our different tenants while preserving nature. We have a 180-acre nature preserve.”

The Vision for Hotel Hartness

Intention, invention, and vision have served as Hartness hallmarks for generations. Sean and his older brother David held front-row seats to witness it all. Their grandfather, Tom Hartness, purchased Greenville bottling rights to Pepsi-Cola in 1940. The patriarch liked to tinker and improve packaging, which led to a home-grown business holding 100 patents and serving Fortune 500 clients worldwide. Their father, Pat, eventually assumed the CEO position of Hartness International, and in the 1970s, started purchasing property in what was considered “the country” on Greenville County’s Eastside.

In the 1980s, Pat built a French-revival-style home on the property. That house now serves as the reception area and more for Hotel Hartness. The primary bedroom has been retrofitted into a cozy breakfast spot, and the family den has evolved into an on-trend bar. The beam-filled great room opens to a plaza with a fire pit and pool, pond, and woods. Manicured walkways lead to a stand-alone restaurant, world-class spa, and a multifunctional event space, all featuring a modern motif with European vibes.

“My brother and I used to fish and swim out here, and some things we better not mention,” the Mauldin High alum admits with a laugh. “It was a cool place to grow up.”

At one point in time, the family considered selling the land to Jim Anthony with The Cliffs. When the deal fell through in the early 2000s, Pat tasked his sons with exploring other options. “It’s been a linear process,” Sean reveals. “I tried to seek out really smart folks to hire or consult with us, but I give my dad all the credit. He’s a visionary. He could see the potential.”

An old grass runway and sawmill sit alongside a new chicken coop and farm that provide produce for the Hartness Village Kitchen and new dining establishments. The family thinks the immersive outdoor setting and resort-style amenities make the hotel the perfect juxtaposition to downtown hotels. “As we looked at the slice of the pie we could garner, we realized the weekday demand would be strong from nearby corporations like ScanSource and Michelin,” says Sean. “And neighbors will come for staycations, the day spa, Patterson Kitchen & Bar for dinner, The Captain’s Bar for drinks. All the components are there.”

As grand opening nears, Sean’s ready to guide the family down this new path. “I don’t feel pressure. I just feel desire to continue to build upon the shoulders of some really great people contributing to the fabric of Greenville,” the CEO shares. “I have young kids and my brother has older kids. To imagine that the future generation can enjoy the property just as we have for almost 50 years, along with the rest of Greenville? That’s super exciting.”

Launches & Landings at Hartness

Crescent Startup Community

What was once the home of the Piedmont Shirt Factory (where a young immigrant named Max Heller first worked), and later the Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company (under Hartness family ownership), is transitioning yet again.

This time, the building will be a large-scale, mixed-use Innovation District on Poinsett Highway. Along with Hartness, partners for the seven-acre project supporting early-stage incubation and entrepreneurial activity include Furman University, Flywheel, Venture South, and South Carolina Research Authority. With groundbreaking slated for first quarter 2023, Crescent will offer places to live, work, play, and innovate.

Triple Tree Aerodrome

The Hartness hobby of airplanes has taken off with this 501c3 organization, hosting full-scale and radio-controlled aviation events. Tom and Edna Hartness were the first generation to earn their wings, flying with the Civil Air Patrol. Pat caught the bug at age seven and grew up to build a landing strip and hold aviation gatherings at the family estate in Greenville. In 1997, he purchased property in Woodruff and eventually gifted the land to Triple Tree Aerodrome, which he created.

Each year, the nonprofit hosts thousands of flying enthusiasts from around the world for various participatory and learning activities.

Expected to open March 1, 2023. For updates and announcements, visit hotelhartness.com.

Photography courtesy of Hartness.