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Greenville College Acquires Chartreuse Bed and Breakfast

Published: April 13, 2021

Thanks to generous donors, Greenville College has acquired property that will add beauty and function to its campus. On Dec. 19 the college purchased 422 E. Main St., site of the Chartreuse Bed and Breakfast. The acquisition features a spacious, beautifully renovated building and grounds in a prime location contiguous to campus.

The purchase was made possible by a designated gift from Enoch and Beth Poon. Mr. Poon, president of Innovative International LLC and a 1986 graduate of Greenville College, has stayed in the Chartreuse during recent visits as a guest speaker in the college's professional business leaders class. He saw value in the college owning the property.

While it is not known immediately how the college will use the space, Acting President Randy Bergen is confident that the purchase will help relieve tight quarters elsewhere on campus.

"We are enormously grateful to Enoch and Beth for this gift, particularly when we are short on space," said Bergen. "This building immediately gives us options for relocating offices and potentially opening up space in other areas for additional classrooms."

The college owns most of the property that surrounds its newest acquisition. The Watson and Bonnie Tidball Alumni House and Welcome Center and Whitlock Music Center are just one block north.

"Its proximity to Scott Field, the center of our campus, makes it a good fit for the college," said Dana Funderburk, vice president for finance. "It takes just minutes to walk from its front door to the student union, library, and gymnasium."

The college community is thankful for Mr. and Mrs. Poon's vision and action. The purchase creates opportunities for the college to address other critical needs and pursue its strategic goals without major investment in architectural fees or the construction of new buildings.

"We are excited about the generousgift of the historic Chartreuse B&B property by Mr. and Mrs. Poon," said Rebecca Smith, chair of the Greenville College board of trustees. "Not only are we grateful to donors who partner with us to continue to give back to their institution of higher learning, but we look forward to incorporating this property into the campus resources which enable us to better serve and deliver our mission to our students."

Owners of the Chartreuse Bed and Breakfast, Cheryl Barnes Werner and Marilae Latham, are pleased with the property's new owners. "I have loved hosting Greenville College families, chapel speakers, and guests over the past five years and count it a privilege that our paths have crossed for this short time," said Werner, who plans on moving closer to her family in Alabama. "We are hopeful that the next use of the house will be blessed as we have been blessed."

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