Rudnick’s Barn

Type of Business: Furniture store

Years of Operation: 1965 - 1996

Location: 224 Park Ave SW (currently Betsy’s Round the Corner)

Family: Rudnick (Harold & Irene)

Harold Rudnick (1925-1997) moved his furniture store from Laurens St to Park Avenue in the 1965 and renamed it Rudnick's Barn. He continued to run this business until his health began to fail in 1996. His wife Irene Krugman Rudnick (1923-2019) helped in the store and initially ran her law practice and out of this location – before moving it to Pendleton Street where she partnered with her son Morris in the firm Rudnick & Rudnick. Irene went on to become a leader and pioneer in local and state-wide affairs. She was elected as the Superintendent of Education for Aiken County and helped found USC Aiken. And in 1972 she became the first Jewish woman to be elected to the South Carolina State Legislature where she served off & on from 1972-1986. During that time, Rudnick’s Barn was the place where her constituents would go to get her help with issues they were facing.