From industrial site to modern town square: Inside Central Roller Mills

Spend the day shopping for your home at The Central Roller Mills

Located 5 miles northeast of Clemson and 27 miles southwest of Greenville, the little town of Central, South Carolina, is not at the center of Upstate commerce. What stands out there, however, is a shopping district that exceeds what you’d expect from a town of just over 5,000 people, featuring a newly reimagined mill complex that makes Central well worth the 45-minute drive from Greenville.

Opened in 1903, Central Roller Mills processed wheat and corn for farmers and produced flour and feed that supported the agricultural economy of Pickens and Anderson counties. At its peak, it was one of Central’s major employers. The Mill lay dormant for more than 40 years, until a recent renovation led by a local partnership breathed new life into the building. Brick walls, exposed beams, and the mill’s vertical scale remain, reshaping a former industrial site into a place designed for people to gather in the only surviving intact roller mill in South Carolina.

For seekers of home goods, the reason to visit The Mill is Going Against the Grain Mercantile, a modern-day general store. Readers of atHome may recognize the sensibility behind it. We featured Katherine Brooks’s Victorian home in Central in 2021, and this project feels like a natural extension of her aesthetic. As owner of Going Against the Grain, she partnered with friends Celeste Elliott and Julie Columbus to expand the idea, layering in a wine bar named Stems and in-store houseplants.

Inside, the mix of home goods is considerable. Seasonal paper goods—party supplies, cocktail napkins, planners, stickers, stationery—rotate through the shop alongside tableware and handmade pottery meant to be shown off at the table. Local provisions highlight gourmet salts, honey, tea, and coffee, joined by cocktail mixers and hostess gifts. Kitchen items and serving pieces sit near houseplants paired with attractive pots. There are gifts for men, children’s items tucked into quiet corners, and locally made jewelry alongside leather goods, throws, and designer pillows.

Beyond Going Against the Grain Mercantile at The Central Roller Mills

The shop feels aspirational without being precious, a place to build collections slowly and to buy gifts that feel personal rather than obligatory. On its own, it’s destination-worthy, especially from Greenville. Taken together with The Mill’s campus, it becomes a sweetheart of a day trip.

Brooks, Columbus, and Elliot share a vision for the town they love. Rather than operating as traditional shopkeepers, they see The Mill as a destination where retail, dining, and wandering overlap. Brooks documents the transformation on Instagram as the property continues to expand. Dining is part of the draw. Beck’s Bakery, owned by Becky Stokowski, pulls in a steady crowd for baked goods that often sell out, along with sandwiches, crepes, and bread—like the popular white rosemary loaf—meant to be carried home. In the courtyard, the Blue Ridge Grill food truck serves up comfort via grilled steak burgers, lobster rolls, shrimp and grits, and hog wings.

Smaller details reward those who linger. A book RV called The Bee’s Knees is parked near the food truck, stocked for browsing. Inside The Mill, Paddle and Board Charcuterie prepares grab-and-go boards that pair nicely with selections from the wine bar. Upstairs, a wellness room hosts Pilates, yoga, and pop-up classes such as sound baths.

More than just a shopping destination, Central Roller Mills functions as a modern town square. People come to browse and end up staying to enjoy pastries or wine. They arrive for lunch and leave with bread, a book, and gifts for family and friends. In giving new life to a historic industrial building, the women behind Going Against the Grain Mercantile have helped create a hub for the community.