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Helping Seniors Make Better-Informed Medicare Decisions
Trying to pick a health insurance plan can be a chore for anyone. For many people, just mentioning the word "open enrollment" sends shivers down the spine. It seems like there's always a nagging feeling that you're wasting money, choosing a plan with poor in-network care, or both. One would think that health insurance gets easier as you approach retirement age, but the truth is that picking an initial Medicare coverage plan can be daunting.
Unfortunately, the confusing process of signing up for Medicare causes many seniors to forego healthcare coverage altogether. After all, Medicare enrollment can involve several federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration (or SSA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (or CMS).
At Senior Medicare Insurance Services, our passion is guiding seniors through the confusion of Medicare. That way, they can enjoy retirement with peace of mind knowing they are protected and ready for life after 65. We work with dozens of insurance companies, giving our clients the chance to choose a plan that best fits their lifestyle.
We choose to design our senior insurance plans with a focus on optimal benefits structure, lower costs, and personalized service. Some independent insurance agencies see their aging customers as nothing more than a financial transaction waiting to happen. In contrast, we treat each of our clients with respect and dignity as we help them navigate the confusing waters of Medicare. Combined with individualized service, we help older Americans make well-informed decisions about insurance. Whether you're in need of senior Medicare Supplement Plan insurance in Rock Hill or simply have questions about signing up for Medicare, our team is here to help.
Service Areas
What is Medicare?
If you're approaching the golden years of your life, it's important you understand what Medicare is if you don't already.
Medicare is a federal health insurance program reserved for people older than 65 who have worked full-time for at least ten years. The Medicare program is paid for by a combination of worker payroll tax, premiums paid by Medicare enrollees, and the U.S. government.
There are four parts of Medicare:
This type of Medicare is free for most U.S. citizens. Medicare Part A helps older adults pay for care in a nursing facility, hospital visits, and some forms of in-home senior care.
This tier costs around $100 per month. It covers different outpatient services like lab tests, preventative care, doctor's visits, mental health care, clinical trials, and some forms of surgery.
This type of Medicare is most often called Medicare Advantage. This tier of Medicare allows seniors to choose health plans provided by insurance companies like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. Individuals who use Medicare Advantage commonly use Medicare supplement plan insurance to help pay for health care costs that Original Medicare won't cover, like coinsurance, deductibles, and copayments.
Sometimes called "PDPs," these plans add drug coverage to standard Medicare, some Medicare Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS), some Medicare Cost Plans, and Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans (MSA).
The amount of money you pay for your health care depends on several factors, including:
- What kind of care you need, and how often it is needed.
- The type of Medicare coverage you choose.
- Whether there are alternative insurance policies that will help fill gaps in your coverage
- Whether a doctor agrees to charge you the same amount that Medicare will cover for a medical service
At Senior Medicare Insurance Services, we offer a number of health insurance solutions for seniors. Two of our most used services include Medicare Advantage plan insurance and Medicare supplement plan insurance.
Senior Medicare Supplement Plan Insurance in Rock Hill
Sometimes called Medigap, the purpose of Medicare Supplement Insurance is to help fill in "gaps" that might not be covered by Original Medicare. You can think of a Medigap policy as a supplement for your Original Medicare benefits.
Private companies like Senior Medicare Insurance Services sell this type of insurance right here in South Carolina. While Original Medicare will pay for much of the cost associated with health care services you need, it may not cover all of your expenses. Generally, Medigap policies do not cover costs stemming from eyeglasses, private-duty nurses, dental care, hearing aids, or long-term care.
Depending on the Medicare Supplement Plan that you choose, it may cover out-of-the-country medical services when you travel abroad. Assuming you have Original Medicare coverage, your policy will cover its share of Medicare-approved health care costs. Once your Original Medicare coverage reaches its limit, your Medigap policy will pay its share of the fees.
Our Medigap policies are drafted to meet your specific needs, and can help cover remaining health care costs such as:
Deductibles
Copayments
Coinsurance
Important Information About Senior Supplement Plan Insurance
To dispel some confusion, you should know that a Medigap policy is not the same as a Medicare Advantage Plan. The latter helps you receive Medicare benefits, while the former supplements the benefits you obtain through your Original Medicare plan. As you begin to explore Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans, keep the following important information in mind:
As you begin to explore Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans, keep the following important information in mind:
- To qualify for a Medigap policy, you must first have Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B.
- Payments on your Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan will be made to the private insurance company that you choose, like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. These payments are made every month and are paid in addition to the monthly payment you make for Medicare Part B.
- If you are the holder of a Medicare Advantage Plan, it is illegal for an insurance company to sell you a senior Medicare Supplement Policy. If you plan on switching back to an Original Medicare plan, you may be able to purchase a Medigap policy.
- If you have health problems as you age, your standardized Medigap policy is guaranteed to be renewable. So long as you pay your monthly premium, your insurance provider cannot cancel your policy.
- Medigap policies only cover one person. If you have a spouse or family member that would like coverage, they must purchase a separate policy.
- You may only buy a Senior Medicare Supplement Plan from an insurance agent that is licensed to sell them in your state. Senior Medicare Insurance Services has been licensed to sell Medigap policies in South Carolina for years. We have helped countless seniors get the Medicare coverage they need and continue to do so to this day.
- In the past, Medigap policies were able to cover costs related to prescription drugs. As of January 1st, 2006, prescription drug coverage is not available on Medicare Supplement Plans. The best way to get coverage for your prescription drugs is to join a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, often called Part D. Contact our office today to learn more about paying premiums on Medigap and Medicare plans.
For many people, the best time to buy senior Medicare Supplement Plan Insurance in Rock Hill is during the 7 months Medigap Open Enrollment Period. This period starts the day you turn 65 years old, so long as you hold Medical Insurance (Medicare Part B). Generally, during the enrollment period, you get more policy choices and better pricing. Once the enrollment period is over, you may not be able to purchase a Medigap policy. Contact Senior Medicare Insurance Services today to determine if you qualify for a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan.
Senior Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance in Rock Hill, SC
A Medicare Advantage Plan is a kind of Medicare health coverage designed to provide seniors with all their Part A and Part B Medicare benefits. Many Medicare Advantage Plans will often include coverage of the following:
- Preferred Provider Organizations
- Special Needs Plans
- Private Fee-for-Service
- Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans
- Health Maintenance Organizations
In addition, most Medicare Advantage Plans give seniors coverage for their prescription drug needs. When you enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan through Senior Medicare Insurance Services, your Medicare benefits are covered through your plan and will not be paid for by traditional Medicare.
How Medicare Advantage Plans Work
Sometimes called "MA Plans" or "Part C," Medicare Advantage Plans are considered an "all in one" solution to Original Medicare. Senior Medicare Advantage Plans are only offered by private companies that are approved, like Senior Medicare Insurance Services. Seniors who enroll in a Medicare Advantage Plan are still on Medicare. However, these individuals enjoy bundled plans that give seniors the benefits of hospital insurance (Medicare Part A), medical insurance (Medicare Part B), and sometimes drug coverage (Part D).
Medicare Advantage Plans are very popular because they cover all Medicare services and make life a little easier for seniors who have trouble understanding the nuances of Medicare.
When you contact Senior Medicare Insurance Services to choose your Medicare Advantage Plan, ask your agent about Medicare prescription drug coverage. Unless you already have drug coverage (Part D), you should seriously consider Part D coverage to help reduce costs associated with prescription drugs. You may also want to consider a Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan to help fill gaps in coverage that Original Medicare will not cover.
Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance Rules
Medicare works by paying a set amount of money to the companies that offer senior Medicare Advantage Plan insurance in Rock Hill. That money is used to pay for the care services that you need. Because Medicare Advantage Plans are different, you should expect out-of-pocket costs to vary depending on the plan you choose.
Different plans have different rules for how you receive services, such as:
If you must go to facilities, suppliers, or doctors that belong to your Advantage Plan for non-urgent and non-emergency care.-
Whether you must get a referral to see a specialized doctor
Companies that offer Medicare Advantage Plans must follow strict rules, which are set by Medicare and can change every year.
Paying for Your Senior Medicare Advantage Plan Insurance
How much you pay for your Medicare Advantage Plan varies and depends on a few different factors. In most cases, if you need a kind of medical service, you will need to rely on the doctors and providers in your plan's service area and network to pay the lowest amounts. In some cases, if you choose to use a service outside of your plan's network of coverage, you may have to pay out-of-pocket.
We encourage you to contact our office today to learn more about Medicare Advantage Plans, how they work, what your options are, and how often you will have to pay out-of-pocket, if at all.
The Senior Medicare Insurance Services Commitment
Since our company was founded, we have led the insurance industry by providing our clients with the most valuable, helpful insurance solutions available. We are fully committed to our current and prospective clients by:
Choosing to focus on personalized, one-on-one service. When you work with our team, know that we will always design your health insurance plan with your best interests in mind.-
Listening to your specific needs. -
Responding to all inquiries and questions promptly and with a friendly attitude. -
Providing you with the best customer service in the senior health insurance industry, whether you have questions or are ready to move forward with a Medicare plan.
Our mission is to help give seniors the best Medicare assistance available so that they may understand the Medicare process and make an informed health coverage decision. We have the knowledge, skills, and experience to assist anyone interested in Medicare. Our personal goal is to become a lifetime resource for our clients and give them greater confidence in choosing their insurance plans.
Latest News in Rock Hill, SC
Rock Hill School District sues city over funding deal
WSOCTV.com News Staffhttps://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/rock-hill-school-district-sues-city-over-funding-deal/ZTKVDOQ5WRB25JPVYJSO6GAIM4/
ROCK HILL, S.C. — The Rock Hill School District is suing the city, claiming Rock Hill did not follow through on a deal signed back in 2020.It involves what’s called a Tax Incremental Financing plan, or TIF. The school district said it has partnered with city council and the city on TIFs historically.The school district says in 2019, it gave $85 million to help develop the Knowl...
ROCK HILL, S.C. — The Rock Hill School District is suing the city, claiming Rock Hill did not follow through on a deal signed back in 2020.
It involves what’s called a Tax Incremental Financing plan, or TIF. The school district said it has partnered with city council and the city on TIFs historically.
The school district says in 2019, it gave $85 million to help develop the Knowledge Park area.
District officials allege the city has not met certain terms from that deal.
ALSO READ: Neighbors at Rock Hill complex say they’ve paid rent but still owe thousands
“As of today, the City of Rock Hill has failed to report their spending of the school district’s money in a requested independent audit, the zoning issue is still not resolved, there is no opportunity for students to learn in a dedicated space in Knowledge Park and the City of Rock Hill has fraudulently overcharged the district for utilities for the sum of $23 million dollars,” the news release reads.
The City of Rock Hill addressed the lawsuit in a statement, saying it had fulfilled the obligations outlined in the deal. It said the school district’s lawsuit is “without merit” and called the district’s strategy an “aggressive, confrontational tactic to bully the City.”
Read the full statement from the City of Rock Hill below:
“The City of Rock Hill and the Rock Hill School District No 3 have enjoyed a long history of cooperation and mutual assistance to benefit their common taxpayers and serve the children of Rock Hill. Our children are our primary mission and should be the focus of every decision we make. The leadership of the School District has clearly lost its focus with regard to this mission.
“This dispute stems from agreements related to the critical textile corridor revitalization project, which has been a resounding success for the citizens of Rock Hill. The City has met all obligations required under this agreement with the School District – an agreement that has already resulted in the City providing over $6,000,000 in costs savings for the School District since 2020 .
“We are disappointed with the current dispute and have made every reasonable effort to work with the School District – as we have always done in the past. Regrettably, the School District has chosen this aggressive, confrontational tactic to bully the City and extract terms more favorable for the School District than the terms provided in the parties’ written and executed agreement.
“The School District’s complaint against the City is without merit and the City will address the legal merits in that forum.
“The City does not believe in addressing, through a public back-and-forth, its differences with another party.”
(WATCH BELOW: ‘I feel disrespected’: Families scrambling after Rock Hill event venue closes)
‘I feel disrespected’: Families scrambling after Rock Hill event venue closes
Rock Hill School District files lawsuit against City of Rock Hill
CN2 Newshttps://www.cn2.com/rock-hill-school-district-files-lawsuit-against-city-of-rock-hill/
ROCK HILL, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) – The Rock Hill School District announced it is suing the City of Rock Hill after school board official says the city did not follow through in its obligations from a 2020 agreement.The official release is below. The City of Rock Hill told CN2 News it plans to share a statement at Monday’s council meeting.“Rock Hill School District filed a lawsuit this morning against the City of Rock Hill asking the courts to assist the school district in enforcing the 2020 Third Agreement to th...
ROCK HILL, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) – The Rock Hill School District announced it is suing the City of Rock Hill after school board official says the city did not follow through in its obligations from a 2020 agreement.
The official release is below. The City of Rock Hill told CN2 News it plans to share a statement at Monday’s council meeting.
“Rock Hill School District filed a lawsuit this morning against the City of Rock Hill asking the courts to assist the school district in enforcing the 2020 Third Agreement to the Intergovernmental Agreement also known as the “Downtown TIF”.
Rock Hill Schools is represented by Desa Ballard, Attorney with Ballard & Watson in West Columbia, SC.
“The school district can be a partner in economic development when it benefits our students, but our only mission is to educate our students; the District’s goal is not being the financial mechanism for the City’s development projects. We are disappointed in the lack of follow-through from the City of Rock Hill, and are forced to take this step in order to protect the educational future of our students,” said Helena Miller Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
Rock Hill Schools has historically partnered with the City of Rock Hill and County Council in several Tax Incremental Financing Plans or TIFs, and the Downtown TIF in question was a consolidation of many of these past agreements.
The school district forfeited $85 million dollars of tax income from the Knowledge Park area over a thirty-year time period in exchange for a series of agreed-upon terms such as educational space in Knowledge Park for student education and experiences, help with zoning on a property that the District hopes to sell, and renegotiation of utility rates among others. As of today, the City of Rock Hill has failed to report their spending of the school district’s money in a requested independent audit, the zoning issue is still not resolved, there is no opportunity for students to learn in a dedicated space in Knowledge Park and the City of Rock Hill has fraudulently overcharged the district for utilities for the sum of $23 million dollars.
“We entered this agreement in good faith, and it is heartbreaking to see our students being taken advantage of. We have tried to work with city officials to resolve this over the past two years, and this is our last option to make sure our students are given what the agreement states they should be afforded,” Miller said.
A fan favorite food truck will close, and a new Rock Hill restaurant will take its place
Mari Pressleyhttps://www.charlotteobserver.com/charlottefive/c5-around-town/c5-development/article280595484.html
The team behind Rock Hill-based food truck Cibi! Cibi! will launch its first brick-and-mortar location, Elk Ave Tavern, in early 2024.The Cibi! Cibi! food truck, run by owners Anthony Legatie and Hunter Newton, is well known for its variety of street foods including smash burgers, cheesesteaks and fried chicken.But when doors open at Elk Ave Tavern, you can expect the atmosphere to be somewhat of a “casual neighborhood spot for loca...
The team behind Rock Hill-based food truck Cibi! Cibi! will launch its first brick-and-mortar location, Elk Ave Tavern, in early 2024.
The Cibi! Cibi! food truck, run by owners Anthony Legatie and Hunter Newton, is well known for its variety of street foods including smash burgers, cheesesteaks and fried chicken.
But when doors open at Elk Ave Tavern, you can expect the atmosphere to be somewhat of a “casual neighborhood spot for locals.” Look for a menu consisting of modern comfort foods, with beer, wine and cocktails – all “at a fair price,” Elk Ave Tavern wrote via Instagram.
While Newton said, “there will inevitably be some overlap” with previous menu items from Cibi! Cibi! over the years, as its menu goes, Elk Ave Tavern will be a “completely separate concept from Cibi! Cibi!”
“While we’re still working on the specifics of the menu, we’re shooting for simple and approachable yet elevated pub style fare, changing seasonally, drawing from the classics and incorporating a wide variety of cooking techniques. Nonetheless, we definitely plan to have a banging burger,” Newton told CharlotteFive.
Named after its address at 125 Elk Ave., across from City Hall, the Elk Ave Tavern space was previously occupied by Rock Hill staple Kinch’s restaurant over 18 years, and more recently, Sweet Tea Café.
Elk Ave Tavern does not have a specific opening date yet. Its team is working with the City of Rock Hill on permitting for interior construction, including the addition of a 15-foot bar, while it’s also working with the Rock Hill’s Historic Board on permits for a covered patio on the Black Street side of the building.
“Our contractor is ready to begin construction on the interior as soon as we have the required permits, so we’re hoping to open our doors sometime winter of 2024, but we all know how these things go,” Newton said.
After its last day at Slow Play Brewing on Nov. 4, the team will continue to run the truck, as well as expand its local online ordering hours through DoorDash to keep its staff on payroll. Twisted Eats Food Truck, run by Kounter chef and owner Rob Masone, will take its place at the brewery.
“Though we’ve enjoyed it immensely,” Newton said, the food truck has been “limiting in a number of ways especially in the way of creativity and what can be practically executed consistently with a high standard for quality.”
“We can’t wait to see you in this space and hope to be serving you for many years to come,” a post on the Elk Ave Tavern Instagram said.
Location: 125 Elk Ave., Rock Hill SC, 29730
Cuisine: American, modern comfort food
Instagram: @elkavetavern
Freelancer Mari Pressley was an intern on the Charlotte Observer’s Service Desk and CharlotteFive. She studies mass communication with a concentration in journalism, while minoring in writing and photography. Her previous experience includes interning for Credit Karma’s Editorial team and serving as Managing Editor at Winthrop University’s school newspaper, The Johnsonian.
Cellphones banned from use in school in Rock Hill this year
Tina Terryhttps://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/cell-phones-banned-use-school-rock-hill-this-year/PVFFVHIFMJBHJKPJIKEITTPB34/
ROCK HILL, S.C. — Rock Hill students who head back to school on Monday will no longer be able to use cellphones during school hours.Leaders made the change saying the phones have become a distraction from learning, but some parents and students told Channel 9′s Tina Terry this will create more problems and could even be dangerous.The policy says kids can have cellphones, but they just can’t pull them out and use them. One parent told Terry that kids need their phones for emergencies, so she thinks the policy i...
ROCK HILL, S.C. — Rock Hill students who head back to school on Monday will no longer be able to use cellphones during school hours.
Leaders made the change saying the phones have become a distraction from learning, but some parents and students told Channel 9′s Tina Terry this will create more problems and could even be dangerous.
The policy says kids can have cellphones, but they just can’t pull them out and use them. One parent told Terry that kids need their phones for emergencies, so she thinks the policy is a bad idea.
ALSO READ: Rock Hill teachers receive classroom makeovers before school year begins
“Sometimes kids have bad days,” Rosie Jones said. “They’re not doing too well in school issues.”
Jones said she’s always a phone call or text away when it comes to her three children. But she said Rock Hill Schools is taking away her kids’ ability to communicate with her in an emergency.
“He might go in the bathroom and call me and say ‘mom I’m having issues,’” she said.
The district recently implemented a policy saying students have to turn phones off and put them away -- out of sight -- during school hours.
“We have an environment that is free of distractions, and the cellphones have become very big distractions on our campuses,” said Keith Wilks, the assistant superintendent of support services.
ALSO READ: Channel 9 takes part in Rock Hill School reading day
“It’s a modern-day tool now, and for you to try and take it out of school, it’s going to cause a whole lot of conflict,” Jones said.
But some parents agree with district leaders, saying the change will enhance learning.
“I think it’s a distraction,” said parent Ruth Harris. “I think that there are negative things happening on social media, and not having them out during the school day is a good idea.”
Channel 9 reached out to several local school districts to find out what their policies are on student cellphone use.
In Rowan County, the district leaves it up to the school to make the policy. There is none for Rowan-Salisbury Schools as a whole.
In Iredell County, the district says students attending Iredell-Statesville Schools must turn their phones off during instructional times unless authorized. Read more here.
In Union County, students can use their phones in class with limitations. Read more here.
In Mecklenburg County, students cannot use their phones in class. Read more here.
In Lancaster County, there is no specific policy on cellphones. The district leaves that up to the school’s discretion.
To view Rock Hill Schools’ complete policy and associated consequences, click here.
(WATCH BELOW: Rock Hill’s steps to fill teacher vacancies pays off)
Rock Hill staple Kounter opening high-end cocktail lounge, ‘fun and funky’ speakeasy
Ben Simonhttps://www.postandcourier.com/rock-hill/rock-hill-staple-kounter-opening-high-end-cocktail-lounge-fun-and-funky-speakeasy/article_659838d2-3ac2-11ee-b93e-6bedaa7c6fdf.html
ROCK HILL — Rob Masone has cooked around the world — in Afghanistan, Las Vegas and most recently, in Rock Hill, where he owns Kounter, a popular downtown restaurant that he calls his “baby.”But none got Masone pumped up like this next project.“I mean,” he said, “I don’t know that I’ve been excited about something like this in a long time.”On Aug. 15, Masone announced his newest concepts: Kounter Longue, a cocktail lounge, and Elsie’s, a speakeasy named aft...
ROCK HILL — Rob Masone has cooked around the world — in Afghanistan, Las Vegas and most recently, in Rock Hill, where he owns Kounter, a popular downtown restaurant that he calls his “baby.”
But none got Masone pumped up like this next project.
“I mean,” he said, “I don’t know that I’ve been excited about something like this in a long time.”
On Aug. 15, Masone announced his newest concepts: Kounter Longue, a cocktail lounge, and Elsie’s, a speakeasy named after his grandmother.
Slated to open in spring of 2024, the two establishments will occupy the current Edward Jones office downtown, with the lounge on the first floor and speakeasy on the second floor.
They will be located across the hall from and serve as an expansion of his flagship Rock Hill restaurant, Kounter. Masone said it will offer an experience that doesn’t exist in the area.
“This will not be a standard bar,” Masone said. “I’m not opening a bar. That’s not what we’re doing. We’re doing a high-end cocktail lounge. Upstairs is going to be very swanky, very fun and funky.”
Honoring his family
But it’s more than that to Masone, a Rock Hill native.
It’s an ode to his family — his parents Hank and Alice, and his grandmother, Elsie. His parents were active in the Rock Hill community. His father served in the Marines and coached baseball. His mother worked for the Department of Health and Environmental Control, where she won childbirth educator of the year. Both attended the First Presbyterian Church on Main Street.
After his parents passed away two decades ago, Masone found himself with countless family binders of photos. They sat untouched in a warehouse for years. That is — until he realized that he wanted to use the new establishment as a way to honor his family.
Now, he will hang pictures of his family in the stairwell leading up to the speakeasy, Elsie’s, located on the second-floor. He called it a “very personal space” — a space where he hopes everyone can celebrate their family.
“I miss my mother every day,” he said. “It’s a way that I could see her every day. … It’s a way that I can share them with the public.”
Rock Hill SC news, crime, business & politics
A new dimension to downtown drinks
While Rock Hill has multiple breweries and bars in the downtown area, Masone saw the opportunity to develop an upscale cocktail lounge, with everything from homemade cocktails to smoking drinks to imported wines. It will also offer charcuterie and desserts.
The speakeasy upstairs, however, will have a different feel, Masone said. Visitors will have to buzz into the section, where they will find a more vintage look, with Chesterfield furniture, a house piano and “a fun, funky, old-school” speakeasy based on the prohibition era.
He hopes the new establishments will be a place that clients can grab a drink after Kounter closes at 9 or 10 p.m.. Or a place where they can sip cocktails while watching the Christmas parade. Or a place they can host business meetings.
“We’re going for the attorneys and the businessman and the entrepreneur and the small business folks and just the regular Joes that want to come in and experience a cool, funky entrance and go upstairs and be a part of something,” he said.
Most of all, Masone wants it to bring more people to downtown Rock Hill.
For decades, downtown Rock Hill was considered dark and desolate. At one point, an awning covered Main Street.
But in recent years, that has changed, as city leaders and business owners have sought to revitalize the area.
A downtown boom
Once a mill town, Rock Hill’s population has exploded due to its proximity to Charlotte and efforts to reinvigorate the town by, for example, investing in sports tourism. In 40 years, the population in Rock Hill has more than doubled to 75,000, making York County one of the fastest growing areas in the state.
The growth has coincided with multiple new businesses downtown, such as The Mercantile and Common Market. Even more are scheduled to open in coming months, such as Rock Hill Coffee and Rock Star Taco.
In 2020, Masone joined the downtown boom.
He has cooked all around the world. He has owned a restaurant in Fayetteville, N.C., competed in a food competition in Afghanistan and worked at casinos in Las Vegas. He currently owns open-air creperie and Cuban restaurants in Florida.
But Masone, who is a South Carolina Food Ambassador, wanted to return home. In 2020, he opened up Kounter.
The restaurant is located at the site of the former McCorey’s Five & Dime, where the Friendship Nine, a group of Black college students, were arrested after they sat at the segregated lunch counter. Kounter pays homage to the nine men through the original counter where they sat and an exhibit in the hallway that tells their history.
Now Masone sees Elsie’s as another way to help Rock Hill develop its downtown.
It’s not just about creating establishments that are important to him, he said. It’s about creating establishments that will attract people to Rock Hill, the place he grew up umpiring baseball games and went to church.
“Rock Hill has a need. Rock Hill is ready to grow,” he said. “We’re gonna kick the carton a little bit and help it grow.”
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