Greenville's Mall Situation

[perrykat]

With talks of the Greenville Mall coming down next year, that would leave Haywood Mall as the only mall in Greenville. Do you think we will ever get another mall? The area can certainly support it - the problem is Haywood is centrally located, and that is the killer. I think we could get another mall and Haywood would still do well. Maybe something around Simpsonville? That's where Greenville area's population is growing the most. Oh well, keeping my fingers crossed.....

[gs3]

Lets hope we don't get another mall.

Another Greenridge yes, or something like Birksdale Village in Charlotte (with living above the shops)! So much more character with these type of developments. From the plans, looks like Verdae will eventually have some of this.

[csedwards72]

I don't see G'ville getting another regional mall anytime soon because the market is too small and there aren't any department store anchors left.

One rule of thumb for malls I've seen is that 250,000 people can support one mall. Thus Greenville could support 1 2/3 regional malls. Haywood is so dominant though that if I were a developer I'd want 250,000 people far away from Haywood for a new mall (just like Charlotte's northern suburbs can now support Northlake, since there are tons of people living nearby and that mall is really far away from SouthPark), but I don't see that happening.

Also, the only department store that I can see considering Greenville and that is currently not in the market is Parisian, and having been burned once, I'd think that the chain would think twice before opening a Greenville store anywhere but Haywood.

I think that Greenville will get maybe another Shops at Greenridge-type thing, perhaps with a department store and some big-box anchors, like the Shoppes at Eastchase in Alabama (http://www.theshoppesateastchase.com)- maybe with a small Belk's.

I also think that given Greenville's situation, a savvy developer should take some vacant lots downtown near North Main Street and built an IMAX movie theater, a Borders or Barnes & Noble, a Jillian's and a department store; that would really fill a retail/entertainment void and would attract tons of families with kids.

[GSP Tiger]

Another shopping complex in the Greenville region would be great. The Golden Strip, Furman, and Taylors/Greer areas may be able to support something within five years.

Personally, I would like to see an open air multi-level shopping complex. Think of it as a mall without a roof with three or four anchors, 70-80 specialty shops, two or three eateries, a four to five level parking deck, and a midrise hotel. I think this would fare well near Furman (60 acres for sale at Poinsett Highway @ Old Buncombe Road). If Greer, I would suggest a 12 to 14 screen multiplex as an add on,

[RestedTraveler]

I've thought about this quite a bit over the past year. There's even a thread somewhere from the past which poses this same question, if I'm not mistaken.

At one time, I thought a smaller mall would be something that Northern Greenville County could support; however, I'm with gsupstate now. I'd rather not see another mall. I'd prefer to see another lifestyle center along the lines of Birkdale Village over by Lake Norman in Charlotte.

[btoy]

I also think that given Greenville's situation, a savvy developer should take some vacant lots downtown near North Main Street and built an IMAX movie theater, a Borders or Barnes & Noble, a Jillian's and a department store; that would really fill a retail/entertainment void and would attract tons of families with kids.

Dave & Busters was unable to improve the performance of Jillian's since they purhcased them so they are all being converted to Dave & Busters, Jillians is no more.

[Spartan]

A new mall would also not be constructed because those are not 'in style' anymore. The lastest commercial fad is the Greenridge-style "power center" or whatever they're calling them. Sometimes its more of a semi-new urbanist thing like the Village at Sandhill in Columbia- but if you think about it, they are still just malls.

The fastest growing part of Greenville is south of I-85 and east of 385 into Spartanburg County. I would not be suprised to see some sort of large shopping center in that area some day. Maybe in the Five Forks area at Woodruff and 296? It would probably recieve a lot of opposition though.

Is the 250,000 per mall issue for a regional mall (1 million+ sqft)?

[Greenville]

I don't want another traditional mall either. Haywood is a great mall and serves the region well. And as others have already stated, Greenridge offers what a mall does, it's just packaged a little differently. I think Greenridge-style developments are attractive, and will hopefully stand the test of time.

So in the next 5 years, I would like to see the following in terms of retail:

1. A lifestyle center on the Greenville mall site (after razing the mall, obviously). Bass Pro Shops would be a good anchor, because they seem to be big and popular with shoppers.

2. More national retailers downtown. We definitely could use an IMAX theater, a national book retailer, and a Dave & Buster's downtown, as csedwards stated. I would also like to begin to get stores like Banana Republic, J. Crew, Ann Taylor, etc. downtown. We need those things to take our downtown to the next level. I think it is possible without hurting the local establishments too much, especially with more people moving downtown (since many of these people have money to spend).

3. More retail near Cherrydale. I think a Target would do well there, as well as something like Costco.

Thoughts?

[RestedTraveler]

Plenty of retail has already been developed down around Simpsonville (at the corner of Harrison Bridge Road and Fairview Road, in particular).

The Five Forks area out on Woodruff has built up qiute a bit too, but I agree with Spartan that there'd be plenty of opposition to any major retail development out there.

3. More retail near Cherrydale. I think a Target would do well there, as well as something like Costco.

There had been a blurb in the TBA section of the Greenville Journal a few weeks ago about a rumored Target across Pleasantburg Drive from Cherrydale. I drove by there this past weekend and I noticed that SEVERAL old homes that had been there have been removed. Additionally, vacant property has been clear-cut and it looks like site infrastructure work is underway.

There's a large tract of land across from Publix on Poinsett Highway (HWY 276) between Cherrydale and Furman that I believe would be a good location for a small lifestyle center as discussed previously.

Also, I agree with Greenville. I'd like to see a few more very carefully courted/selected national retailers downtown. I don't want to see it become another King Street in Charleston though. The unique shops are what make Greenville. However, I can't help but feel that a few well selected and carefully placed national chains such as Restoration Hardware, Kinko's, Staples/Office Depot/Office Max, etc. would help bolster downtown. Also, an IMAX Theatre downtown would be great, too!

[Greenville]

Isn't there going to be a Staples next to the new Publix at Church and McBee? I assume it will be one of the smaller urban Staples, and not a full one like we see in the 'burbs.

[RestedTraveler]

Isn't there going to be a Staples next to the new Publix at Church and McBee? I assume it will be one of the smaller urban Staples, and not a full one like we see in the 'burbs.

Yes - this is what I've read as well. It probably will be a smaller footprint store, but one would imagine they'd have a full-service copy center.

[NYTransplant]

The fastest growing part of Greenville is south of I-85 and east of 385 into Spartanburg County. I would not be suprised to see some sort of large shopping center in that area some day. Maybe in the Five Forks area at Woodruff and 296? It would probably recieve a lot of opposition though.

I agree there would be lots of opposition. I'm happy to see that most of the new development in the area is residential. There are some smaller retail spaces going in north/west of Five Forks on Woodruff. Besides, I'm not sure there are any parcels left that are large enough for a mall unless you go south/east of 296. As you get out there, you are getting further away from the traffic and other retail. At least for now.