Mike and Nancy Czlonka of Pinecrest are accustomed to big-city amenities.  For 30 years, they made their home outside of Chicago, and when they began to consider retirement, they didn’t want to sacrifice everything they enjoyed in the nation’s third-largest city.  So when they moved to Greenville in 2022, they jumped into community life with both feet, and their energy has paid off in new friends, new jobs, and new hobbies.

 

Mike is a native of Hammond, Indiana, about a half-hour’s drive from Chicago.  With degrees from both Indiana University at Bloomington and Northwestern University, he spent his career in accounting and finance.

 

“I worked in public accounting with Arthur Andersen out of college before advancing into several CFO and senior corporate finance and consulting roles. This included working with the Chicago Sun Times newspaper, Follett Corporation, and Crate & Barrel.   I transitioned into similar consulting roles prior to retirement.”

 

Nancy is from Boston, Massachusetts.  She received her bachelor’s degree in communications from Boston College and spent most of her career in technology sales, working for companies such as Tripp Lite and Legrand North America.  She is currently a realtor with Coldwell Banker Caine.

 

“I come from an extended family of realtors; my aunt sold houses until she was 90 years old!  Like technology sales, real estate is a relationship business.  There is nothing more rewarding than helping people find a home that meets their lifestyle and budget and, if they are from another area, helping them feel at home in the community they chose.”

 

The Czlonkas have a friend of Nancy’s to thank for their meeting.

 

“My college roommate and her husband both worked with Mike,” Nancy says.  “When I moved to Chicago, she said, ‘I know a guy, and I think the two of you would make a great pair.’  Mike was dating another girl at the time, so I was not interested. It took a few years to introduce us, but once we went on our first blind date, we never looked back. We were engaged within a year and wed in Boston, where I was born and raised.”

 

Mike and Nancy are parents to a son, also named Mike, who captained his high school tennis team and played on three state championship teams.  He went on to play tennis for Villanova University in Pennsylvania while studying finance and business analytics.  He is currently a risk and financial advisory consultant for Deloitte.

 

“Like many people that graduated during COVID, Mike is currently working out of the house,” his mom says, “but soon he will be moving back to Chicago.  Since moving here with us, he has been playing a lot of golf!”

 

The Czlonkas have nothing but fond memories of their lives in Illinois.

 

“We lived in a town called Hinsdale, outside of Chicago,” they say.  “It was a perfect place to raise a family.  We met so many wonderful people and developed great friendships that we will always cherish.  Chicago is a manageable New York with a vibrant food and arts scene.  We also enjoyed all the professional sports teams and loved going to games, whether it was a Cubs, Bears or Bulls game.”

 

When Mike and Nancy began to think about retirement, Greenville was an easy choice.  Nancy had been traveling to the city for business for almost 20 years, and Mike had often visited a college roommate here.  They moved in 2022 and initially thought they would live downtown.

 

“Before buying a home, we rented an apartment downtown.  What we learned is that we wanted a master bedroom on the first floor, plus proximity to Legacy Park.  We ended up purchasing one of the last properties available in Pinecrest, but we still take advantage of downtown, being only 15 minutes away.   The festivals, restaurants, and the arts are amazing.  Really, it has everything a big city like Chicago offers packaged with Southern charm and a lot less traffic. We also love all the sunny days. In the Midwest, the sun rarely shines from November to April!”

 

The Czlonkas wasted no time in becoming active in the community.  Mike is active at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church.   Nancy volunteers with Meals on Wheels through Coldwell Banker Caine and is the Friends of Legacy Park representative for Pinecrest.  She also joined the Newcomers Club of Greater Greenville, discovering new friends and activities.

 

“The Newcomers Club has so many different activities that you can participate in, like Book Club, Gardening, Golf, and Dining Out.   In 2024, I will be a coordinator for the Wine, Distilleries & Breweries events.  The Newcomers Club is how I discovered hiking.  Mike and I have been enjoying hiking in Conestee Nature Preserve as well as Paris Mountain, as they are both nearby.  I also participated in Opportunity Greenville through the Chamber of Commerce.”

 

Nancy continues to enjoy cooking, adding a couple of distinctly Greenville ingredients to her arsenal of ingredients.

 

“I am making the same type of foods I always did, but with local ingredients.  I am a Duke’s Mayonnaise and Stecca Bread fan and buy locally made condiments.  We love supporting local farmers by going to the farmers markets.    Greenville’s many small businesses make this town so unique!”

 

Mike also has an interest in cooking… after a fashion.

 

“I am now working part-time at Cook’s Station. It reminded me of Crate & Barrel the minute I walked into the store. It’s a place where I can work on a part-time basis assisting and interacting with customers in a fun atmosphere.  The owners are great people, and I have also met many nice people from all over the country that have moved to Greenville.”

 

As foodies, The Czlonkas enjoy exploring local restaurants.

 

“Some of our favorites are the Pita House, Comal 864, Jones Oyster House, Fork and Plough, Topsoil, Jianna’s, and Camp.  We even found Keipi, a restaurant from the Republic of Georgia.  Of course, we love Chestnut’s and Stella’s.”

 

Another member of the Czlonka family enjoying Greenville is Coco, their two-year-old Cockapoo.

 

“She is loving it here!” Nancy says.  “When we first moved here, she enjoyed her walks around Reedy Falls.  Now you will see her every day talking a walk around Hollingsworth Park with an orange ball in her mouth.   She loves balls and never gets tired of playing with them.”

 

Among the things Mike and Nancy love about South Carolina is the warmth.

 

“The strength of the sun makes it feel warmer than it actually is,” they observe.

 

But the Czlonkas are also coming to grips with things that natives also deal with.

 

“We never thought we had allergies until we moved here,” they say, laughing.

 

But allergens will never keep this active couple indoors.  As we move into spring, Mike and Nancy have every intention of enjoying Greenville, inside and out.

 

“One of the attractions about moving here was the ability to enjoy the outdoors, whether it is walking or riding bikes on the Swamp Rabbit Trail.  We are looking forward to the new Verdae extension to be open.  Nancy is going to play pickleball here, and Mike will be playing more golf.  Now that we are all settled, we plan on just enjoying the outdoors!”