Born in 1903 in Laurens, South Carolina, Robert “Bubber” Caine moved to Greenville in the 1920s where he attended Furman University. After graduation, he began selling real estate in Greenville and Hendersonville. In 1930, Bubber became a partner in the firm of Zimmerman, Chandler and Caine. Mr. Sam Zimmerman was the grandfather of George Zimmerman, who is now Senior VP of the Commercial division.

In 1933 during the heart of the Great Depression, Bubber set out on his own establishing Caine Realty and Mortgage Company. He specialized in commercial brokerage and leasing, including some residential brokerage and development, orchestrating several long-term leases of downtown businesses including F.W. Woolworth, J.C. Penny Company, Ivey’s Department Store and S.H. Kress.

While he got his start selling timeshares in Hendersonville, Bubber was a visionary, pioneering concepts widely copied by others across South Carolina. Prior to World War II he developed the one of the state’s first strip shopping center, the Tuten Mart, located on Cleveland Street across from Sirrine Stadium. While serving as Lt. Commander aboard the USS Yorktown during World War II, he observed several commercial strip developments in San Deigo. When he returned to Greenville, he was determined to construct a similar development. In 1949 Lewis Plaza was completed. The shopping center with apartments behind proved to be an innovation long before its time – the state’s first mixed-use development.

Also in 1949, Bubber, with Fred Symmes, developed Calhoun Towers. The 14-story building was the tallest in the state for many years. Caine Company moved its offices from South Main to the ground floor of Calhoun Towers where the company operated until 1973.

Frank Halter, son-in-law of Bubber Caine and a University of Georgia graduate, joined the firm in 1953, initially managing Calhoun Towers. In 1956 he went into the residential side of the business with Romayne Barnes. Frank became president of the company in 1968. During the 1960s, he became active in commercial development and the firm developed the first enclosed shopping mall in South Carolina,   McAlister Square in Greenville. They also developed Myrtle Square in Myrtle Beach, Dutch Square in Columbia.

In 1972, property on Williams Street was acquired and ground was broken for the current office. Brad Halter, grandson of Bubber Caine, joined the company in 1978, working in residential sales, commercial sales, and new home construction. He has been in management since 1986. His other grandson, Caine Halter, joined the company in 1983 and went on to lead the commercial division until 2007. Caine was committed to the family business and to the community, lending his time and expertise to numerous organizations, including the Greenville YMCA and the Community Foundation.

The firm continued to grow over the years, and in 1994 Caine Company acquired Grier & Company in Spartanburg. As two well-established, locally owned real estate firms committed to professionalism and superior service, the joining of the companies resulted in a regional power with 101 Realtors serving Greenville and Spartanburg.

In 1997, Caine Company affiliated with Coldwell Banker in order to harness the power of a nationally-recognized name that also maintained a similar business philosophy and high ethical standards. In the same year, Coldwell Banker Caine purchased with Century Associates and Jack Newton, Realtors, the local Coldwell Banker affiliates in Greenville and Spartanburg. 

In 2002, Caine joined forces with The Furman Co. - Residential LLC - a former division of The Furman Co. which was established in 1888.  In 2002 Coldwell Banker Caine’s commercial group relocated from the Williams Street office to its current location on Broad Street. The most recent company growth occurred in 2007 by melding CB Hugh Durham & Associates into the Coldwell Banker Caine family. Now the firm covers the I-85 corridor from Georgia to the North Carolina lines with 240 associates.

While much has changed over the last 75 years, Coldwell Banker Caine has remained true to its founding ideal – service beyond the contract. By maintaining the highest ethical standards, a commitment to the community and remembering to always put people first, our company has enjoyed good times and weathered the most trying times, all the while growing and remaining one of the most respected and successful firms in the region.

As we celebrate the past 75 years and look forward to an equally prosperous future, we encourage you to remember and continue to practice the ideals on which Bubber Caine founded the company -  always put people first, give of yourselves, and support the community that has been so generous to us all.