In this episode, I visit Sharon Manor in Abbeville, South Carolina, and sit down with owner Benita Chupp to learn the story behind this beautifully restored historic building. What was once a rural schoolhouse from the early 1920s has been transformed into a charming bed and breakfast—but the path to creating it wasn’t something Benita and her family had planned. After discovering the building through an online auction, they took a leap of faith and stepped into a renovation project that would eventually become both their home and a place of hospitality for travelers and the community.
During our conversation, Benita shares how faith, family, and a love of welcoming people into their home shaped the vision for Sharon Manor. We talk about the building’s fascinating history, the guests who return to stay in the same classrooms where they once attended school, and how the entire family plays a role in running the bed and breakfast. This episode is a reminder that sometimes the most meaningful journeys begin with a door that unexpectedly opens.
Episode Highlights
[01:08] – Benita shares how an online auction unexpectedly led her family to purchase the historic building that would become Sharon Manor.
[02:44] – The building’s past as a local schoolhouse from the early 1920s and how it evolved into a community gathering space.
[04:37] – How Benita discovered that hosting guests had quietly been a childhood dream all along.
[05:40] – The entire family gets involved—from decorating guest rooms to helping with cooking and outdoor projects.
[07:22] – Benita reflects on her favorite part of running the bed and breakfast: meeting guests and hearing their stories.
[09:12] – How Sharon Manor’s coffee offering connects to her husband’s small-batch coffee roasting business.
[10:23] – The impact Sharon Manor has had on the local community and preserving a historic building for future generations.
[15:14] – A touching moment when a former student returns to stay in the very classroom where she attended first grade decades earlier.
Links & Resources
Sharon Manor: https://sharonmanor.com/
Audio, Video, and BTS: Melanie Lech Multimedia
Special Thanks to: The Old 96 District
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