GSP Tiger

I hate to see Proterra scaling back its investment. It is necessary to invest in sustainability, not something short-term.

It sounds like the the at-grade crossing will be replaced with an bridge overpassing the railroad. Such work will require elevating North Blackstock Road, Fairforest Road, Hayne Street, and Fairforest Clevedale Road a couple hundred feet. The alternative is construct the bridge west using Old Blackstock Road overpassing the railroad. This provides an additional crossing without having to stop for a passing train, and improves safety. The drawback is several residences being affected.

I noticed major changes for Potomac Corners, the large commercial center at Augusta Road and Potomac Avenue. An Ingle's supermarket once anchored the site 30 years ago, but closed because of unsatisfactory performance. It has since catered to Helig-Myers and Badcock furniture chains. Plans call for a national retailer to occupy 78,000 square feet of new space. One wonders if a supermarket can thrive here again, as Augusta Road has lacked one for 14 years, or if a department store chain may take notice.

Before Thanksgiving Day, The Sports Authority began pricing regular merchandise 70% off. Any drastic cuts that prolong for long periods of time are indicators that a store is closing. (This happened at its Laurens Road location.) Add the strong competition with Dick's Sporting Goods and Academy Sports and Outdoors and loud speculation of Bass Pro Shops coming in, the end of The Sports Authority could be progressing.

The former Bi-Lo on Roper Mountain Road is a great location for a supermarket or a sporting goods store (i.e. Sports Authority). There are not any other supermarkets for 2.5 to 3 miles. Access to the site needs improvement. I wonder if Ingle's plans to add a few more stores on Greenville's east side. Rumors of a focus on additional locations have circulated for months after Robert P. Ingle passed away four months ago. Ikea would not fit at Magnolia Park or the former Bi-Lo on Roper Mountain Road. I do not think upstate South Carolina is ready for one for a decade.

I think US 29 Alternate was used for Business 85. The complete route stretched from Lyman to Kings Mountain, North Carolina. When Interstate 85 was commissioned, the alternate route was decommissioned. The stretch from Lyman to I-85 (Exit 68) was redesignated as SC-129. The route remains 2 lanes with room on the sides of what was to become a 4 lane divided highway.

vistatiger, if any part of the Montgomery Ward structure isto be demolished for Bass Pro Shop, it should be Sports Authority. That is the last remaining part of the original Greenville mall, and it shows its age. Most Bass Pro Shops are two levels, so going vertical gives a location more square footage. The recent roadwork around the Montgomery Ward/Sports Authority structure is to create space to accomodate Bass Pro Shop according to credible contacts associated with the construction.

Bass Pro Shops has refurbished vacant anchor spaces for their locations. Examples include Myrtle Beach's Colonial Mall and Savannah, Georgia's Savannah Mall. The same can be done in Greenville.

Anywhere Bass Pro Shops opens a store, it brings in a following. It has been looking at sites in the Greenville area for years. It is great to see Bass Pro Shops still has interest in Magnolia Park. A recent issue of The Greenville Journal reported the company is actively checking sites. Bass Pro Shops locating in the Montgomery Ward/Sports Authority structure will take awhile. Sports Authority will need to construct a new structure closer to Costco as rumored or relocate elsewhere sooner to make room if Bass Pro Shops confirms its new store at the site. It trails in competition to Dick's Sporting Goods and Academy Sports and Outdoors.

The Taylors and Pebble Creek areas can support their own store out somewhere on Wade Hampton. Cherrydale has enough clout to pull from Furman and Travelers Rest.

No. Woodruff Industrial Lane exists only on the southern side of Woodruff Road. The unnamed road on the northern side is the primary access of the Shops at Plazagreen.

Yes, something like that is a very telling sign something is on its way.

Reading The Greenville News a day or so ago, I noticied in the classifieds section that Trader Joe's East has applied for the sell and consumption of alcoholic beverage off the premises for a site on Woodruff Industrial Lane. If Trader Joe's East is the operating company for Trader Joe's stores in the eastern United States, it may be possible to see one adjacent to Academy Sports & Outdoors in the near future.

You all have lost me.

Dunkin Donut's franchisee's difficulties is leading to several upstate South Carolina locations closing. Krispy Kreme should take this opportunity to aggressively grow through adding locations. No one will drive to North Pleasanburg for a donught when a competitor offers similar quality in additional accessible outlets.

Chances are that name will likely not be used. When selecting a name, it needs to be marketable and fit in with the region. Your options will be limited to people, occupations, or animals. A list of selected names with reasoning: Cougars: The large cat genre is common throughout the region. Charlotte Bobcats, Carolina Panthers, Clemson Tigers, Western Carolina Catamounts, Pee Dee Pride Loggerheads: The loggerhead turtle is the state reptile. Acceptable variation is the Terapins. Dragons: Furman's medieval fantasial mascot the paladin challenges me to thik of mystical beasts. How popular would a dragon be, especially if they are green and bring much fighting characteristics we admire? (Yours truly is an actual dragon.)

Ruby Tuesday's closing sucks. I know they were actively planning a freestanding location past Old Airport Road to replace its location. Its lease was up, and they chose not to renew. Plans for the new location are still underway. I do not see Panera Bread generating more business even with increased visibility at a mall enterance. Haywood Mall needs a void for a full service sitdown restaurant filled. Applebee's does not count.

Woodruff Road losing one of its interstate interchanges has been a given. Its Interstate 85 interchange is indeed the one to close. Too bad it was not closed in the first place in the early 1980s when 385 was extended tp 276, then onward to Clinton. Building a connector road will be pointless. Plans are underway to widen Salters Road to four lanes from Verdae to Millenium, and onward to Mauldin. Building a new 85 interchange for Woodruff Road is pointless. Itself and Roper Mountain Road provide two quality access points to 385 which connect to 85. Convert both interchanges to SPUIS.

It is great to see professional ice hockey and the ECHL return to Greenville and the Bi-Lo Center. I look forward to the team's new identity and tradition to pick up where the Grrrowl left off.

A development of Target, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, and Walgreen's was reported as a rumor in the 6 November 2009 issue of Greenville Journal. Walgreen's may be going up at the site borded by SC 81, SC 153, and McNeely Road where the strip center was recently demolished. Taget and Bed, Bath, and Beyond will go up on the larger parcel borded by SC 81 and McNeely Road. It is also rumored this site may host a new Ingle's supermarket. I doubt this location had anything to do with Target's Pelham Road area location plans. Both locations are significantly apart to affect one another.

Speaking of roads, it is helpful to implement several projects: 1. Widen SC 81 to four lanes plus turn lane from SC 153 to Old Anderson Road North (Greenville County). 2. Relocate McNeely Road to intersect with Old Anderson Road in front or behind the site into a four way signalized intersection. My initial guess was Ingle's planning a store on the northwest corner, the wooded corner, across from Rite Aid and Bi-Lo. If you check out aerial shots of the site, that makes it difficult for a very large store. Locating in a development with Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond would not be shocking, but I have nothing new on that front to report.

Expanding beyond the city into the county, Powdersville may be getting a new shopping complex consisting of Target, Bed, Bath & Beyond, and Walgreen's on the southeast corner of 153 and 81. Both a strip center has been demolished, and another huge tract of land is being cleared. If the rumors are correct, Walgreen's will go up at the interesction of 153 and 81, and Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond will go up in the new complex.

CSWG have been known to service A&P (including Pathmark, Waldbaum's, the Food Emporium, Superfresh), Ahold (inlcuing Top's, Giant/Stop & Shop), and Safeway. They closed the Chattanooga, TN distribution center, once part of Bi-Lo, in early 2008. Birmingham, AL facilities, once part of Bruno's, are still operating upon my last check. Food Lion acquiring CSWG's Mauldin facilities could help better serve locations in upper South Carolina, Columbia, and western North Carolina. Charlotte stores could be serviced by Salisbury, NC, and the Charleston and coastal SC stores can be serviced by Elloree. Whether Food Lion has intentions to acquire the Mauldin facility from CSWG is unknwon. Food Lion has a facility in Tennessee, and that could service the Chattanooga, TN market.

Vaughan's at East North, dating back to the A&P Sav-a-Center, opened in the late 1970s. Bi-Lo acquired the Sav-a-Center and opened in early 1995. It is part of a string of three stores along East North Street including North Hills and Hudson Road. I will agree that store needs significant improvements, or a replacement.

Bloom on West Sugar Creek Road is the only location in Mecklenburg County currently with a pharmacy. Several Food Lion locations in Carrabus County have them. Food Lion has been very slow developing their pharmacy business. Acquiring Bi-Lo, with most locations having pharmacies, will help them advance their efforts in the Charlotte trade area. This may spur additional pharmacies to be added in current Food Lion and Bloom locations.