Reviving The Art of Conversation

What nourishes you?

At Summers Corner, it’s the simple things we’re bringing back into focus: Balance. Harmony. Nature. Because it’s the simple joys of the Lowcountry that bring life back into balance. Reconnects us with what’s real. With what’s essential.

By forging bonds – neighbor to neighbor – we believe we can salvage something rare and wonderful about life in the South.

But we aren’t waiting for our homes to open to create a neighborly connection. In fact, we’ve been at it for months.

A certain, famous early Virginian invented Jeffersonian Dinners. A celebrated intellectual, Thomas Jefferson’s idea was to invite diverse groups of people to sit down together, break bread, and wrestle with the biggest issues of their day.

That’s an idea we can get behind. So we did. We invited thinkers and makers and community members to dinner and encouraged them to discuss the very things that we hope will make Summers Corner different.

We asked questions like: what nourishes you? What inspires you to make the things you make? We talked about what makes a community feel like a community. What makes life feel rich. And joyful. And beautiful. How can we grow Summers Corner into a place life is good every day? Where people are more connected – to the earth and to each other?

We tip our hats to the men and women who accepted our invitations and so graciously shared with us their thoughts. Who were so willing to open up, revealing themselves – many to strangers – in ways that were powerful and memorable. When we dine together, we create a bond. A connection.

We connected local elected officials with writers; artisans with busy moms; architects and retailers; civic activists with farmers. Over months and many dinners we all focused on the same essential question: what are the ingredients that make home and community work? And how do we ensure those ingredients live forever at Summers Corner?

We walked away inspired – and took a lot of notes. Trust that we will put them to good use in months to come.

We think Mr. Jefferson would be proud.