Blending the legacy of Summerville’s tea barn with their own family’s stories and traditions Chip and Holly Hussey have created a welcoming retreat filled with heartfelt touches that embody true Summerville hospitality.
By Perrin Conrad, Photographed by Cristi Marshall
There are many phrases that may come to mind upon arrival at Chip and Holly Hussey’s home in Summerville’s historic Tea Farm, but “old barn” is not one of them—unless you already know its story. The stately brick exterior and leaded glass window in the front door prepare guests for the traditional, kind hospitality found inside. But early in the mornings during the late 1800s, the bell that hung above what is now that same front door would ring out, signaling the employees of Dr. Charles Shepard’s Pinehurst Tea Plantation to come to work. It would ring again in the afternoon to indicate quitting time. The structure was once where the harvested tea was stored. The tea barn continued to serve as the hub of operations at the tea farm until Dr. Shepard’s death in 1915.
It then sat lifeless and empty on West Walker Avenue for decades. In the 1960s, Jim and Cookie Bragg saw its potential. Hearing the echoes of industrial commotion from days gone by, the Braggs decided the historic tea plantation treasure would make good bones for a home. They had it moved to its current location on Sebring, where they transformed it into the heart of life for multiple generations. Not only did they add a brick façade to the wooden building, but they also built additions on either side of the house—one for a spacious master suite and the other for a great room. Exposed wooden beams run across the ceiling, and the floor is brick, giving it the feel of an upscale, vintage hunting lodge, but with all the luxury of a city home. A rustically grand fireplace at one end, which now has one of Chip’s hunting trophies hanging above, completes the mood. One special mark the Bragg family left behind in this room is the custom-etched glass window in the back door, which features images of the Allegheny Mountains and rhododendrons of Jim Bragg’s home state, plus a train to signify his career in the railroad industry.
The original heart pine floors remain, and stains from the tea barrels adorn the boards here and there throughout the original downstairs rooms. While they are likely soaked all the way through and could not be erased even with sanding, the Husseys enjoy seeing the character they bring to the house and being reminded of its history.
When the Bragg family finally sold the house, it was the right time for the Husseys, who were ready to come home to Summerville. Over the course of several decades, Chip’s career in the cement industry had taken them to Columbia twice, Rock Hill twice, Summerville again, Charlotte, Tulsa, and finally Roswell, Georgia, where Chip served as U.S. vice president of sales for Argos until his retirement.
But after losing their daughter Caroline six years ago, the Husseys felt one more move was necessary—back home to the Lowcountry—to be near their son Richard. Chip and Holly met as teenagers at Summerville High School, so their roots and family here were just the comfort they wanted. Holly came to town in 2019 intending to shop for a home in Charleston, but the night before, she scrolled through pictures of what she and longtime residents had always known as “the old tea barn” on Sebring. She had pondered it a time or two since it had been on the market, so she called her realtor and asked to look at it first thing in the morning before heading to Charleston.
She never made it to Charleston that day. She knew right away this was the house for them. Chip never saw the inside of the house until after the closing, but after decades of marriage and ten houses plus three vacation homes, he knew he could trust his wife to pick out a winner. He was right.
“Out of our ten homes, she’s picked out nine of them. And we’ve done well with those nine,” Chip says. He tells a story about having to pick out a home by himself once in an unexpected situation that provided little time to shop. He jokes that the one he picked out was “a total flop.”
While it’s bigger than what they need for two people, “We fill it up,” assures Holly, with guests. They sometimes host family holidays or events for the Flowertown Garden Club. Old friends come to stay, so the five bedrooms come in handy. “We use our house, and we enjoy it. We share it with lots of people,” says Holly. The only significant improvement they have made since moving in is the renovation of the bathrooms. Updated with white tile or black-and-white basketweave marble plus modern fixtures, the bathrooms give the house a fresh, modern appeal.
She has always sized a house up by picturing their furniture in it. Once described by a friend as being like “a warm hug,” the house reflects the tastes and collections that have been accumulated by Chip and Holly over the course of 41 years. Holly does all of her own decorating, and she has a knack for creating an elegant, traditional environment that is simultaneously welcoming and comforting. It made the perfect backdrop for their son Richard’s wedding reception, where they hosted roughly 80 people as well. Some items are inherited or hand-me-downs, while others were purchased here and there along the way. Holly’s favorite piece is a bow-front chest in the foyer, which Chip purchased for her early in their marriage.
“Everything in this house has a story,” says Holly, and she can back that up by showing you a sticker on the back of most items that identifies where that item came from and the year or occasion.
The indelible time stamps of the tea barrels on the floors, the structural hallmarks of the Bragg family, and the blanket of the Husseys’ updates and décor make for a home that is uniquely Summerville and special. Holly has given the house a look that is simultaneously elegant and inviting, like a place to linger for a while and enjoy the Husseys’ great company. One of her good friends describes the home as “a warm hug.” It feels like just that. AM
