Feeling at home downtown with new Thai restaurant

Restaurant owner Palam Syprasert’s dream of expansion into other areas of South Carolina also is fulfilling the hopes of many citizens for downtown Florence.

Syprasert and his wife, Amy Younginer, recently opened Thai House 2 at 168 S. Dargan St. in the heart of downtown Florence. The restaurant serves traditional Thai cuisine as well as a full-service sushi bar.

Thai House 2, said Syprasert, is an expansion of his and Younginer’s original Thai House in Sumter, which both owners take turns operating.

“We switch. One day she’s here and one day I’m over there. It’s back and forth,” Syprasert said, laughing. “It’s a lot of driving, but it’s worth it.”

Syprasert and Younginer co-operated Thai House in Sumter for more than five years successfully before they thought about expanding their cuisine to a second location.

Syprasert said he had considered Florence among many other locations, but when a friend called him to inform him of an opening in downtown, Syprasert jumped on it.

They now sit in the location of the former Corner Cafe, which served country-style cuisine as well as a buffet for many years.

It’s quite a difference from the selection now available. But public response has been encouraging, Syprasert said.

“(We get) a lot of repeat customers. They’ll skip one day and come again the next,” he said. “A lot of customers say, ‘you’ll do real good here,’ especially George (Jebaily). Sometimes I see him in here twice a day.”

It’s true. Florence Downtown Development past president George Jebaily and his family are no strangers to Thai House 2 and Jebaily said other Florence residents shouldn’t be, either.

“It’s a wonderful addition to our downtown and to Florence,” he said. “We’re blessed with so many wonderful places to eat in Florence (and) it’s nice to see a restaurant in Sumter find that downtown Florence is an exciting place to do business.”

Thai House 2 also is part of the Downtown Development Corp.’s overall plan for the downtown revitalization, which says the establishment of downtown “anchors” — such as Florence Little Theatre, Drs. Bruce & Lee Foundation Library and the FMU Performing Arts Center, which is under construction — will draw traffic into the downtown area and create an “in-fill” of private businesses.

Jebailey said the recent success of the Art Trail Gallery across the street from Thai House 2 is proof that revitalization is on the right track.

That, he said, is interesting news for prospective investors in downtown.

“One of the exciting things for this restaurant is there’s going to be a performing arts center across the street,” he said. “These catalyst projects (anchors) give private investors the encouragement to take a risk. It’s one more step in the right direction.”

Florence Downtown Merchants Association President and city councilman Steve Powers said Thai House 2 is not only a great addition, but “I want to see more of them. Our goal in our downtown has always been restaurants and outdoor cafés.

“We want to a create a street of people stopping in cafés, going to the (Florence) Museum, the Performing Arts Center, and then people can park in one central location. (We want) retail that creates fast traffic when people go to the Art Trail.”

Downtown, Powers said, “should be a destination, not a pass-through.”

Of course, Syprasert and Younginer moved downtown for the business and the traffic. A good location and a nice atmosphere, Syprasert said, are the things he wanted.

“I went to a lot of restaurants and the waiters give you water and walk away for 30 minutes,” he said. “When people come in, you make them feel like at home. That’s how I do it in Sumter. A lot of people, my (constant) customers, they feel like they’re at home. They’re comfortable.”

Thai House 2 is not the first business to venture downtown. Check out these other businesses that have located to the downtown area within the past five years:

City Grill & Sports Bar
147 W. Evans St.
(843) 662-8100

Coit Street Village Apartments
230 N. Coit St
(843) 662-7008

S & J Antiques
140 S. Irby St.
(843) 319-3530

Vintage Vogue
130 S. Irby St.
(843) 601-1249