Greenville's Long-Gone Stores

[csedwards72]

A discussion of dying Greenville Mall and dead Bell Tower Mall in another thread got me thinking: whatever happened to some of Greenville's long-lost stores and malls? In particular, I'd be curious to hear recollections of the following:

* Ivey's: I always liked shopping at the one at McAlister Square, as it was (at the time) a nicer store than Belk's. What was the downtown Ivey's like? When did it close?

* Meyers-Arnold: The one downtown was where the Mast General Store is, and the McAlister Square one was bought by Upton's, but I don't recall much about this.

* Edwards: This was long-gone even before Bell Tower Mall closed, but what was it? Probably a K-mart style anchor that flopped?

* Towers Four: This seemed to be the place to be for movies at Bell Tower Mall; it seemed to last longer than the mall did.

* Heyward-Mahon: I liked shopping at this nice clothing chain, which had stores downtown and at McAlister Square and Haywood Mall.

Any others of interest?

[gvlcondos]

"The Woods" at Haywood Mall was really cool back in the day...late 80's early 90's.

[RestedTraveler]

"The Woods" at Haywood Mall was really cool back in the day...late 80's early 90's.

What was it?

[Greenville]

I am too young to remember going to any of those places listed in the original post. I do remember The Woods, though. It was a clothing store in Haywood Mall with an outdoorsy appeal. I remember the clothes being sort of like what one would find at Eddie Bauer (or what I remember Eddie Bauer clothes being like 10 years ago, anyway).

The Woods was rustic inside, with wood floors, shelves, etc. They had some nice stuff, and they always seemed to do good business from what I recall. Anyone know when they left the mall and the reason why? I have a hard time believing that they didn't do enough business, but perhaps its popularity ran its course.

[StevenRocks]

The Woods had a store in Greensboro as well. I think maybe the intensified competition for that outdorsey-type customer did them in.

[csedwards72]

The Woods had a store in Greensboro as well. I think maybe the intensified competition for that outdorsey-type customer did them in.

Who owned the Woods? I remember it well; it was on the lower level of Haywood between Rich's and Sears. I liked their clothes; seemed like a combination of Eddie Bauer clothes and the physical setup of the Mast General Store.

[Chickenwing]

I liked the Woods. It kind of reminded me of A&F before they became a trendy teen clothing store.

[tr2greenville]

I liked the Woods. It kind of reminded me of A&F before they became a trendy teen clothing store.

Interesting you ask about that. The Woods went under new ownership, which tried to change the Woods' identity. When they started selling $500 cashmere Ralph Lauren sweaters, you knew Greenville wasn't going to support it.

[monsoon]

* Edwards: This was long-gone even before Bell Tower Mall closed, but what was it? Probably a K-mart style anchor that flopped?

Edwards was indeed a Kmart like store. I never went into the one in Greenville, but there was one in Myrtle Beach. I don't remember when it went bust, but I would guess it was some time in the 70s. Others like in in SC were Sky City, Roses, Zayers, Grants, and maybe a few more that I don't remember now.

[csedwards72]

Edwards was indeed a Kmart like store. I never went into the one in Greenville, but there was one in Myrtle Beach. I don't remember when it went bust, but I would guess it was some time in the 70s. Others like in in SC were Sky City, Roses, Zayers, Grants, and maybe a few more that I don't remember now.

No wonder that mall flopped- with 2 discount stores and 2 grocery stores as anchors. (Who would build a mall like that now?)

Is Roses still around? I remember the ones in NC in the '90s; I thought they were OK.

[StevenRocks]

No wonder that mall flopped- with 2 discount stores and 2 grocery stores as anchors. (Who would build a mall like that now?)

Is Roses still around? I remember the ones in NC in the '90s; I thought they were OK.

Old malls used to lease "Noah's Ark" style, with at least two of everything. it was pretty common until the '70s

Also, Roses is owned by Variety Wholesalers of Raleigh now, parent of Maxway and Super 10. Sufficed to say, it's not really as nice as it was.

[mcashlv]

A discussion of dying Greenville Mall and dead Bell Tower Mall in another thread got me thinking: whatever happened to some of Greenville's long-lost stores and malls? In particular, I'd be curious to hear recollections of the following:

* Ivey's: I always liked shopping at the one at McAlister Square, as it was (at the time) a nicer store than Belk's. What was the downtown Ivey's like? When did it close?

* Meyers-Arnold: The one downtown was where the Mast General Store is, and the McAlister Square one was bought by Upton's, but I don't recall much about this.

* Edwards: This was long-gone even before Bell Tower Mall closed, but what was it? Probably a K-mart style anchor that flopped?

* Towers Four: This seemed to be the place to be for movies at Bell Tower Mall; it seemed to last longer than the mall did.

* Heyward-Mahon: I liked shopping at this nice clothing chain, which had stores downtown and at McAlister Square and Haywood Mall.

Any others of interest?

Bob McGinniss Music! A great guitar store in the '60's. Used to see & listen to an old blind bluesman play downtown on the sidewalks in the late '50's early '60's. Had a guide dog. Could this possibly have been Rev. Gary Davis, who was said to have lived around Greenville?

[btoy]

Not in Greenville, but Bailes Collins is shutting down after 77 years.

[StevenRocks]

So does anyone remember anything else about Meyers-Arnold?

[charlie swords]

the one store i miss....Oh Calcutta at the old Greenville Mall. Where else can you go and buy a leather jacket, band t-shirts, back patches some chinese throwing stars and butterfly knife all in one store?

[CRIMEFIGHTER]

My mom took me and a friend to see Predator at the Towers 4. It was your good ole dingy theater. I tell you what - Arcades need to come back. We need a bar in downtown with old school games that take quarters and some skee-ball. Speaking of dead dept store chains: how about Sam Soloman's and Alexanders.

[erm1981]

Oh yeah....I remember playing in the arcades at tropical island when I was a teenager. I wish there was a good one downtown. frankies fun park is the only large arcade I can think of around here.

[charlie swords]

well there was going to be a Jillian's downtown but people through a fit about it.....

they need to bring back the dark dingy arcades like Aladdin's castle...

[CRIMEFIGHTER]

"they need to bring back the dark dingy arcades like Aladdin's castle..."

This is what I'm talking about. None of this brightly lit, kid friendly crap.

[Greenville]

Oh yeah....I remember playing in the arcades at tropical island when I was a teenager. I wish there was a good one downtown. frankies fun park is the only large arcade I can think of around here.

[gvlmom]

So does anyone remember anything else about Meyers-Arnold?

[crescentmoon]

So does anyone remember anything else about Meyers-Arnold?

[linkerjpatrick]

I remember that the 2nd floor of Meyers-Arnold had a small Vince Perone's (this was around 1975).

Other long-gone stores include:

Uptons (McAlister Square)

Nichols (at 291 & Stone Ave.)

Alexander's (catalog type store similar to Service Merchandise) on 291 near where Sonic is now.

Pottery store behind Mills Avenue Mill (can't remember the name).

[gs3]

I've heard Meyers-Arnold had a few branch stores in the day. Anderson? Asheville? Spartanburg?

[crescentmoon]

The two original anchor stores at McAlister Square were Ivey's and Myers Arnold. Both also had store downtown. Ivey's was in the building that now includes Atlanta Bread Comp. ( MA was in the current Mast General building -- I think.) Ivey's also had a small store at the Mall on Wade Hampton (now part of BJU.) Belk came to McAlister Square a few years later. Belk was already downtown and at Lewis Plaza.

I am apparently more than a few years older than you linkerjpatrick. While I have many of the same memories of Greenville's downtown department stores, I can say that I remember when downtown was the ONLY place to find a large department store in the county.