Resident Spotlight: Karren and Javier Torres
February 1st, 2020
This month we spoke with Karren and Javier and got to know more about their lives and why they love Grande Dunes!
WHERE ARE YOU ORIGINALLY FROM AND WHAT SCHOOLS DID YOU EACH ATTEND?
Karren was born and raised in Chattanooga, TN. She earned degrees in Computer Science and Accounting from DeVry Institute of Technology. Javier was born in Puerto Rico and raised in New Jersey. He attended William Patterson College in New Jersey where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.
HOW DID YOU TWO MEET AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TOGETHER OR MARRIED?
We met in Maryland over 15 years ago while attending a business meeting.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS SUCH AS CHILDREN, PETS, GRANDKIDS, ETC.?
We have two amazing children currently attending Kennesaw State University: a 22-year old daughter majoring in her last year of education and a 20-year-old son in his second year. We also have a rescue Chihuahua-mix named Lucky.
WHAT DO YOU EACH DO FOR A LIVING, OR IF YOU ARE RETIRED, IN YOUR PREVIOUS LIFE?
We own a facilities maintenance company in Maryland. We provide janitorial cleaning, landscaping, facility maintenance and janitorial supplies to our clients in the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia areas. We started the business over 13 years ago and have over 200 employees. Our prior employment included Javier working at Xerox Corporation as a sales technician, and Karren working at Oracle Corporation as a sales engineer.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE PAST TIMES AND HOBBIES INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A COUPLE?
Karren enjoys gardening, bowling and photography. Javier enjoys traveling and meeting people. We both love attending church, baseball and taking drives on a beautiful afternoon or evening.
WHAT’S ON YOUR COMBINED BUCKET LIST OF THINGS YOU’VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO?
Open a restaurant with live entertainment from local artists and feature savory Puerto Rican and Southern Cuisine dishes! We also would like to take a cross country trip by car and then by train through Canada.
WHAT IS ONE THING THAT MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT EACH OF YOU?
Javier once owned a disco for college students while in college. Karren comes from a gospel-singing family and loves writing poetry, photography and singing.
WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO MYRTLE BEACH AND HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU LIVED HERE?
Although we bought our property five years ago, we have officially lived here for the past 3 years. We were looking for a place with milder season changes, we were both drawn to the Southern Charm and the ideal proximity to Florida, Georgia and Virginia coastlines.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT LIVING IN GRANDE DUNES AND IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?
How friendly the people are, how aesthetically pleasing the neighborhood is maintained, and the many planned activities that are available to participate in.
WHAT WOULD YOU TELL FAMILY AND FRIENDS BACK HOME ABOUT THE OVERALL “LIFESTYLE” IN GRANDE DUNES AND WHAT ACTIVITIES HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED IN?
This is a place where you can absolutely take a deep breath and exhale! The climate is amazing, there is great food, wonderful people and lots to do. You never have to worry about a traffic jam on the “beltway”! We are involved in our Weekly Neighborhood Fellowship Group, we also have memberships at the YMCA, Members and Ocean Club.
