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The State of Downtown Retail


GvilleSC

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This truly is disturbing trend, but retail is a very difficult business to get into. You almost have to have the perfect niche in any store that you open, then you add the high rent of downtown, and its tough to keep your head above water. The only store that I really travel downtown to shop at is the mast, and even that I'm starting to branch out and hit Half Moon and Appalachian for my gear as well.

Unfortunately, downtown right now is tilted way over to a dining destination and not shopping. I think it really does need to be both in order to sustain itself for longer periods of time.

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Fun though it may be to browse, have any of y'all ever actually bought anything at the Map Shop?

Yes, a number of things. My most favorite is a neck tie with blueprints of all of the old dead-and-gone ballparks of the past. I've gotten a children's atlas there that my daughter loves. I've gotten flags, maps, etc., too. That reminds me...I need to get a new flag for my house.

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I see these closings as an opportunity. If landlords are asking mall-type rents, and if Greenville has sufficient pedestrian traffic downtown (any stats on this?), then maybe it's time that downtown can finally attract regular stores again for the first time since they fled in the early '80s.

If downtown's stores were in suburbia, how many of us would shop at them? They are largely boutique stores with niche audiences.

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Some interesting tidbits about the Map Shop.

The owners are very Mac-Centric. They once asked me about a hosting service for their web site because they said they were looking for a hosting service that was run off Mac servers.

The actually run two businesses out of that location. The other one is called, Agency Services and I think I big part of it is doing custom desktop publishing services. I once worked for an organization who used them to produce some posters and signs. Most of the projects are still map related however.

They also operate a Kiosk at the Open Book.

If Travelers Rest does this big remodeling downtown it would neat if the Map Shop could relocated or have a place there because of all the tourist traffic that goes by there, i.e. those going on hiking, camping, trips, etc.

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If Travelers Rest does this big remodeling downtown it would neat if the Map Shop could relocated or have a place there because of all the tourist traffic that goes by there, i.e. those going on hiking, camping, trips, etc.

Absolutely! :thumbsup: Great idea!

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My favorite store for Jolly Rogers flags! I always start my travels with a trip to the Map store and would sure miss them if they close. It would be a big loss for downtown. :cry:

Indeed. It's one thing to lose another store, but to lose an icon such as the Map Shop hurts much more and should be a real wake up call to citizens and the city alike.

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Yes.

  1. What is the City currently doing to strengthen and enhance the retail experience downtown?
  2. What are the short term and long term goals for downtown as a destination? (including all industries)
  3. How much effort is currently being exercised to implement these goals?
  4. How is the City selling downtown as the BEST place to move a business to?
I've got other questions, but these are the main ones right now.
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Ok, before this gets any further has anyone actually said or confirmed the Map Shop is closing or moving from downtown? Sometimes rumors like this can hurt business. Some of the above post have all but said this was a fact when it's not. It's a speculation.

Sorry, I guess the speculation is my fault. Rest assured it was merely that.

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Yes.
  1. What is the City currently doing to strengthen and enhance the retail experience downtown?
  2. What are the short term and long term goals for downtown as a destination? (including all industries)
  3. How much effort is currently being exercised to implement these goals?
  4. How is the City selling downtown as the BEST place to move a business to?
I've got other questions, but these are the main ones right now.

Thanks, I'm saving these to a text file on my laptop. I'm sure I may only get to ask one or two but I will try to pick the ones that fits with the Q&A. If I can I will also take notes based on the other questions asked there.

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It will not be the Map Shop closing if a store is even closing at all. This is all just rumor and most likely not true, because if it was you would hear something about it through the media. The Map Shop is one of downtown Greenville's most successful companies.

Edited by g-man430
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