Few couples love, respect and understand the specialness of Greenville more than Velda and Jackson Hughes. After all, they helped create it.

Velda has built one of the area’s most successful public relations and marketing firms, while her husband Jackson has literally helped build Greenville via his company, Hughes Commercial Properties.

Both have been recognized widely for their achievements, and now they can add Avenue to their sparkling resumes. Avenue represents a new level of elegance and beauty to a town that continues to achieve great things, thanks to people such as Velda and Jackson Hughes.

It’s hard to go anywhere in Greenville without being tempted by one of Carl Sobocinski’s restaurants. Carl founded a culinary empire here in Greenville, Table 301 Restaurant Group, and over the past 20 years has spearheaded the company’s growth and development which now includes Soby’s New South Cuisine, The Lazy Goat, NOSE DIVE Gastropub, Passerelle Bistro, Papi’s Tacos, Highway 301 Food Truck, Southern Pressed Juicery, Jianna Modern Italian and Table 301 Catering & Kitchen.

Carl’s passion and philosophy is now being implemented in the extraordinary kitchen of Avenue. Table 301 Catering has formed a partnership with Avenue so that guests at an Avenue event won’t just have a spectacular venue to admire, but equally alluring cuisine. The unique menu options, the extensive wine list and the glorious cocktails are just another reason that Avenue is like no other event venue in town.

Rachael has been captivated by the Hospitality and Tourism industry since the 6th grade when her parents purchased a small marina in Deltaville, Virginia. 

A graduate of Western Carolina University, she paid her way through college with industry jobs from white water rafting, waitressing, lodging, hotel, dock handing and specialty events. She was also a competitive cheerleader for Western Carolina. Upon graduation she was immediately promoted to Dining Room Manager and Special Events Coordinator for the exclusive Chattooga Club in Cashiers, N.C.

In 2010, Rachael fell in love with Greenville. After moving to S.C., she became the Private Dining Manager for High Cotton Greenville while starting her own company, Greathouse Events. Most recently, Rachael served as the Club Manager for the Chattooga Club, where she oversaw all club services and events. 

She has nurtured her hospitality education with continued training in the wine regions of Oregon, California, Washington State, and Blackberry Farms in Tennessee. And she is in constant pursuit of growth and learning to enrich the lives of others around her and to hone her craft.  

Rachael's love for the minuscule details and vision helps define what is really special about Avenue and the level of service and transparency it brings to Greenville’s community. Her knowledge of high-end events and hospitality shines in her work for Avenue. 

Outside of work, you can find Rachael spending time laughing with friends and family, most often found not too far from the lake and playing games. She also spends time pouring into her community through events. 

Tanner's journey into cooking was sparked by watching his mother cook and the belief that food has a unique power to bring people together. This love for food eventually led him to Devereaux's, where he discovered his true passion for becoming a Chef. Under the guidance of Steven Greene and Spencer Thomson at Devereaux’s, Tanner found the inspiration that affirmed his career path.

 
While originally from Detroit, Tanner has spent most of his life in the South. Along the way, he made stops in Cary, N.C., where his son Ryder was born, and Chattanooga, T.N., where his daughter Evie came into the world. Greenville, however, has always been home. After returning to the area and establishing roots, Tanner and his family welcomed their third child, Milo.
 
Tanner is excited to reconnect with his culinary beginnings at Table 301 as the Executive Chef at Avenue. His journey with Table 301 began in 2007 and continued until 2012, before venturing out to cultivate new talents and techniques in the notable kitchens of The Umstead Hotel and Spa, Westin Chattanooga, and most recently Hotel Hartness | Patterson Restaurant.
 
Beyond the kitchen, Tanner cherishes spending time with his wife, Keri, and their three children. His interests include hiking, photography, movies, and building Lego creations with his kids. 

Overseeing Table 301’s catering operations at Avenue, a popular rooftop event space in downtown Greenville, is a multi-tasking job that includes everything from handling clients to managing operations, vendors, rentals and staff. For Bethany Carter, it’s a job that fits her personality perfectly. “It’s always been my passion to help people’s visions come to life and to make lasting memories,” said Bethany. “I’m also obsessed with logistics, so I love taking a ‘that won’t work’ situation and making it into a ‘how did they do that’ moment.”

Born in Rochester, NY, Bethany grew up moving with her family throughout the East Coast of the country. She was homeschooled most of her life and as the oldest of 7 siblings was called upon to help around the house too. Bethany says her greatest influence was her family. “I was raised by very strong women – my mother, two grandmother’s and a great aunt – all of whom taught me to make ends meet by working hard, staying positive and projecting an upbeat attitude about life.”

In 1994, her family landed in Piedmont, SC and decided to stay. Bethany attended Greenville Tech majoring in Occupational Therapy before transferring to Volunteer State University in Hendersonville, TN. Her career in the hospitality industry started in 2000 when she worked for several restaurants, including OIive Garden where she worked her way up from server to manager and corporate trainer for Darden Restaurant Group. In 2004, she started with Soby’s as a server and worked in a variety of positions with Table 301 until 2014 when she left for other opportunities. In 2024, she found her way back to the company and to her new role at Avenue.

In her free time, Bethany loves spending time with her 20-year-old daughter. She’s also an avid festival attender and volunteer. She’s worked as an event manager for the euphoria food and wine festival since its inception in 2006 as well as for the Charleston Wine and Food Festival and Highlands Food and Wine Festival. Bethany enjoys all outdoor activities, including biking, hiking and working in her backyard.

Hallie Rae fell in love with the event industry in 2018 and has not stopped pursuing it since. She had the opportunity to start young at Ashton Events in Lakeland, Florida at the age of 16 and continued working for them throughout high school.

In 2019, Hallie Rae moved to Greenville, SC to attend Furman University and pursued a communications degree. Although she was in Greenville, she never failed to step in and help Ashton Events on event days while home for the holidays.

Throughout her time at Furman, she also worked on the Furman University Student Activities Board; planning campus wide events, working with students, faculty, and large budgets. She eventually became chair of several committees and had the opportunity to be the point person for events like Homecoming week and last day of class celebrations.

In the summer of 2021, Hallie Rae was an Events Intern at The Rutherford Greenville, and in the summer of 2022, she was Assistant Event Planner to Laura Shannon, Owner of Ashton Events.

In her free time, Hallie Rae enjoys spending time with friends and volunteering at her church. She loves reading, cooking, biking, and spending time by the pool. 

Hallie Rae’s love for planning, organization, detail, and people makes her an excellent part of the Avenue team!

Hannah grew up in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where she learned the ropes of the event industry at a young age by assisting her mom who was an event planner. In 2020, Hannah graduated from Liberty University with a degree in Communications and joined the Table 301 team in 2021. 

Hannah’s extensive experience in the food and beverage industry dating back to her teenage years has given her a wide-ranging knowledge of events and hospitality and has prepared her for every occasion at Avenue. She has an eye for design and detail that is surpassed by none. 

Hannah’s favorite WOW was a wedding where the bride and groom had their first dance out on the terrace at golden hour. “Surrounded by all of their people, it was intimate and so full of love.”

When not at work, you can find Hannah enjoying the company of her new husband, family and friends. She is forever in pursuit of continued education and finds the best way through trying new restaurants. She is forever inspired by new trends, fashion, and traveling. You can also find her enriching the lives of others through her weekly church devotion. 

Dietra Miles has a passion for creating unforgettable experiences that bring people together. Her love for event planning and customer service eventually led her to the hospitality industry, and luckily, to the Avenue team.

Originally from Greenville, South Carolina, Dietra has spent most of her life in the Upstate. Along the way, she's developed a deep understanding of what makes this community thrive. Since 2005, Dietra has dedicated herself to making a lasting impact on the city's vibrant food and event scene.

Dietra is thrilled to share her expertise as a seasoned events professional; Her journey has taken her through various roles, from Banquet Manager at Holly Tree Country Club to current Manager at Table 301 Catering. Additionally, with a background in administration, Dietra is well- equipped to deliver exceptional service. We are incredibly lucky to have Dietra on our team, and are excited to see the ways in which she continues to give back to the industry that she has invested so much in.

Dietra can be found on her days off, at church, concerts, shopping, traveling, enjoying family and friends. She loves to hang with her regular brunch crew.