Star Chemical

Type of Business: Chemical Sales

Years of Operation: 1940s – 1990s

Location: 134 Pendleton Street NW (formerly 920 Pendleton St)

Family: Rudnick (Herbert)

Herbert Rudnick founded Star Chemical, a company that sold chemical supplies to customers throughout South Carolina. He graduated from The Citadel and was WWII Army Medic. After his father passed away in 1943 & after returning from the Service, he initially worked with his brother Harold to run his father’s Furniture store. However he subsequently went out on his own, building his own business. And after his mother passed away in 1965, he located this business in the home on Pendleton Street that he had grown up in. He was very active in civic affairs including as a Board member of the Jaycees and a member of the Rotary Club, American Legion & the Masons. His time with the Jaycees led him to champion services for the mentally retarded and resulted in his serving on the South Carolina Mental Retardation Commission from 1971-1985, including as Chairman from 1983-1985. He was awarded the Order of the Palmetto (the highest State wide award for community service) for this work by Governor Richard Riley in 1985.