An exception to the rule lies on the north end of Main Street, where Majestic Productions set up shop 12 years ago in a building that is a stark contrast to the rest of the old downtown storefronts. Majestic, which performs lighting and production management for concerts, television and corporate events, might seem a little out of place in Summitville, but it has been a good neighbor, business owners say.

“It’s a small town, it’s safe,” Majestic Vice President Jon Weir said. “We don’t really worry about vandalism. You get to know the lady at the post office. Everybody kind of knows each other to some extent.”

Majestic moved to Summitville when its headquarters in Anderson changed ownership and the company needed to find space fast. Its home base location isn’t too important, as most of the designers, programmers and consultants who work there perform their jobs out of state anyway, Weir said.

Carey Fisher, vice president at R&R Engineering, said the business has been able to thrive in Summitville because of the townspeople.

“It’s the people that we have found probably the most appealing,” Fisher said. “The type of folks that are hardworking and have good family values.”

The plant, which employs 46 workers, started its South Main Street facility in 1995 and asked to be re-incorporated into Summitville once the operations were moved from the downtown plant. The business has tried to keep close ties with the town, employing its workers, sponsoring its sports teams and donating to its causes, Fisher said.

“Summitville has been a good place for us to be, and we want it to continue to thrive,” she said. “Small communities are most important. I think that’s where you find a lot of character.”

For King, the sense of community is what has kept him in the place where he was born and raised, and the community has kept his auto repair business thriving.

“We work on about anything,” he said. “Tractors, cars, trucks, lawnmowers. There isn’t too many places around here anymore where you can pull into the gas pump and have to wait for someone to fill up their lawnmower.”