Pooler Lives Up to Its Tagline: Eat, Shop, Play & Stay

Pooler Lives Up to its Tagline: Eat, Shop, Play & Stay

Story and photos by Jane Grismer 

For many
residents, the idea of getting it all done in Pooler seemed more like a dream
than a reality. The city, however, has rapidly evolved into a one-stop shop to
fulfill its commitment to become a place where you can eat, shop, play and
stay.

“Pooler has it
all!” Pooler Mayor Rebecca Benton said. “It’s expanding with even more
businesses and opportunities for our residents.”

Born and
raised in the Pooler area, Benton has witnessed the expansion first hand.

“Our city is
progressing—coinciding with new businesses, expanding infrastructure to meet
our growing needs. All this while maintaining its small-town feel. We are very
proud of where we are as a city.”

The mayor
along with the city council work with Pooler government staff to keep it a safe
and desirable place to live, work and play.

To another
lifelong resident, Dana Noto, the city’s transition has been extraordinary.

“I live and work
in Pooler, and the luxury of being able to take care of all of my family’s
needs without leaving town was unfathomable just a few short years ago.”

“From
groceries to retail to medical care, it’s all here. We used to have to travel
into town (Savannah) for everything. I am very proud of where we are now as a
community.”

We highlighted
some businesses to eat, shop, play and stay.

Miss Sophie’s Marketplace: A Treasure in Itself

Inside
Pooler’s local treasure, the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, is
Miss Sophie’s Marketplace, a business owned by Teri and Steve Bell. Not only a
local favorite for lunch (Tuesday-Friday, 11:00am-2:00pm), the establishment
also has a booming catering business for the Greater Pooler area.

With a British
pub flair as a nod to the World War II museum’s decor, Miss Sophie’s prepares
some of the most iconic Southern entrees (read: comfort food). Customers can
select from their full menu with both Southern and British fare or can choose
from the hot bar specials that are announced daily on their Facebook page.

We’re
approaching (one of) Miss Sophie’s favorite times a year: their holiday
catering and very popular to-go holiday meals. The Holiday “Take and Bake” is
the tried-and-true option for customers to have dinners already prepared so
they can spend more time with their families. Some have been known to bring in
their own casserole dishes for Miss Sophie’s to fill—a secret pact between
customers and the restaurant.

In business
for 16 years, Miss Sophie’s Marketplace has withstood the test of time. During
the pandemic lockdown, customers rallied together to keep them afloat.

“We’re so
thankful for the support of our Pooler family, especially during the shutdowns.
Just when we were sure we would have to close the doors, they adjusted with us
and kept supporting us,” Teri Bell said.

“I can’t even
describe the generosity of this ‘small town.’ It was so amazing and humbling.
Customers, old and new, held us up and forever endeared themselves to Miss
Sophie’s. I wouldn’t want to do business anywhere else.”

And for
Pooler, Miss Sophie’s Marketplace has certainly become a treasure in itself.

(912) 330-0778
175 Bourne Ave., Pooler
https://www.facebook.com/MissSophiesMarketplace

Fleet Feet Pooler: Getting Pooler Moving and on the Map

For nearly 20
years, Fleet Feet has been the local authentic specialty running store. Gauging
both the area’s economic impact and the demographic of the store’s growing
customer base, Fleet Feet Savannah owner Mike Nadeau identified the need to add
a Pooler location.

“Pooler has so
much growth and excitement happening that it’s a privilege to serve the
community,” Nadeau said. “We’re excited to bring our services to Pooler and
help them to get moving.”

The local
Fleet Feet stores have been the first stop for runners and walkers to be
properly fitted for the correct shoes that align with the body, specialized
apparel such as clothing made with high-performance fabric, and properly fitted
sports bras for women.

It’s also the
hub for training, community and road racing.

The stores in
Savannah and Pooler both emphasize the importance of offering training programs
at no cost.

“My goal is to
get people involved at all levels—whether it’s off the couch or shaving time
off of your PR,” Nadeau said. “It’s important to us and that’s why we meet
every runner and walker exactly where they are at. Community is the cornerstone
of our business.”

With local
racing getting back into the groove after an unprecedented past year and a half
during the coronavirus pandemic, look no further than the local Fleet Feet
community calendar to promise a well-managed racing event in the area. Fleet
Feet offers race management to charity organizations and adds those events to
their publicized community calendar.

With races
just beginning to come onto the Pooler event stage, there’s no telling where
running will take this city. Like the pioneer that Fleet Feet Savannah was when
it first entered the area in 2002, consider Fleet Feet Pooler to be a stake in
the ground, a center for runners and walkers alike, the beginning of a
movement. Wish list? Putting Pooler on the national running map.

912-988-7927

1702 Pooler Parkway, Unit 103, Pooler

www.fleetfeet.com/s/savannah/locations/pooler

Lavish Hair Salon: Sustainable Success

For Melissa
Mast and Whitney Figueroa, co-owners of Lavish Salon, the jump to business
ownership in Pooler in 2015 was not only a natural decision but the best they
ever made.

While working
in Pooler for over 15 years, they were able to see the diversity and rapid
growth within the city while connecting to the community and honing their
craft. They decided it would be a great place to do business.

They weren’t
wrong. Their connections sustained them as they were seamlessly able to
transition into business ownership with great success by offering services such
as hairstyling, hair color, aesthetics and makeup.

“We have
recently added an aesthetics department,” Whitney said. “Our aestheticians
provide a wide range of facial services for a variety of skin conditions. We
also provide cosmetic services such as brow lamination, lash extension, henna
brows and body sugaring, just to name a few.”

Committed to
sustainable beauty, they are proud to be a GreenCircle Certified Sustainable
Salon, which is a system to thoughtfully and efficiently help recycle beauty
waste. They also are a Davines concept salon with a product line of sustainable
hair care products.

Besides beauty
and sustainability, their passion is for people — both from the customer
perspective and in developing new talent.

“We are
committed to elevating the beauty industry. Over the past two years we have
implemented an associate program to help grow and educate career-minded
stylists while maximizing their earning potential,” Melissa said.

They also have
a following of loyal customers that have kept their advertising budget
significantly low because of word-of-mouth referrals.

“We’ve had
customers that have stayed with us for our entire careers and they send their
friends and family,” Melissa said. “Of all the joyful things within our
business, this, to me, is a wonderful sign of our success.”

912-348-3053

www.lavishhairpooler.com

1212 US-80,
Pooler, GA

Holiday Inn & Suites Savannah Airport Pooler: The place to stay in Pooler

One of
Pooler’s newest hotels, the Holiday Inn Savannah Airport Pooler—located just
off of Interstate 95 inside the Tanger Outlets—is a comfortable haven for
travelers, corporate dwellers and shoppers alike.

The hotel has
become a favorite for corporate stayovers, and this year has become an
unofficial headquarters for group holiday shopping excursions with Tanger
Outlets just steps away.

“We love
seeing how travelers are creating exclusive getaways while utilizing the nearby
retail outlet space,” said Sheren Hinton, director of sales and marketing for
the hotel.

With a full
in-house restaurant and bar with many nearby dining options and just a short
ride to the Savannah Hilton Head International Airport, this 104-room jewel is
a great place to retreat. The hotel also houses a highly sought-out,
1,330-square-foot meeting space for corporate events and parties.

Dee Muff,
General Manager of the Holiday Inn Savannah Airport Pooler, is forecasting a
significant increase in room occupancy for the upcoming holiday season.

“We opened our
doors to a brand-new hotel about the same time that the world shut down,” Muff
said. He also stated that “the upturn of the local economy and recent travel
trends in our area is very promising, and we are especially looking forward to
the year ahead.”

He also thanks
Pooler for helping to pave the way for success in the business sphere.

“Being a
member of the Pooler community has created a backbone for our business that
became evident during the recent turbulent times—support that we will never
forget,” Muff said. “It absolutely pays to do business in Pooler.”

912-450-9800

savannahholidayinn.com

100 Outlet
Parkway, Pooler

Bold Soul Boutique: Style and purpose

When you enter
the doors of Bold Soul, an independently owned boutique in Tanger Outlets, you
will find an eclectic mix of carefully hand-selected apparel items, beautiful
accessories and inspirational gifts.

The items in
the store are carefully curated with delicate earth tones and a rustic vibe.
From the T-shirts to the paper goods, there are positive messages throughout Bold
Soul that can almost guarantee to put your mind on the right path.

All of the
items in the store serve a purpose. For owner Carrie Rouse, her business was
born in 2015 out of a passionate entrepreneurial spirit and a love of
affordable fashion and unique finds, while giving back to a greater cause.

“You can leave
the store knowing that your shopping bag has a little bit of good for someone
in need,” Rouse said.

A portion of
the sales from Bold Soul help sponsor educational expenses for almost 20
children who live in Pestel, Haiti, through the non-profit ChurchQuake
International. Bold Soul also offers a variety of products that give back to
other charities and various causes.

Between
purpose and passion, Rouse believes that the success of Bold Soul Boutique is
from the exceptional customer relationships that have been cultivated since the
store opened. That, and anticipating their customers’ needs.

“Our boutique
releases new collections every week to ensure our customers have top-notch
selection,” Rouse said. “We offer in-store shopping as well as a weekly
Facebook Live sale in addition to our online shopping on our website and the
Shop BoldSoul app.”

Whether people
shop online or in store, Carrie Rouse is so grateful to have her thriving
business in Pooler, Georgia.

“There has
been no better community to have a successful business than Pooler—it has been
an honor to become a part of it. It’s been an awesome experience to see just
how rapidly our city has grown and I’m excited to see where we are headed.”

(912) 450-0098
www.boldsoulboutique.com
200 Tanger
Outlets Blvd., Unit 717, Pooler