The West End

[goodbye]

I agree. The developers and builders have done a fantastic job on this place.

Here is another project proposal in the West End. This one is posted in the window of an available building across South Main Street from Rio Grill. It appears to be an elevation rendering depicting a potential future renovation of the same building:

For more information about this photo, click here.

[GvilleSC]

I concur, the new pub looks AMAZING! Well done! (and, nice picture!)

As for the proposed other building's renovations, I'm 'ok' with a lot of things on it, but what I'm assuming is an elevator tower, is NOT one of them. I almost lost my breakfast looking at it. Good news, however, is that this image has been in that window for some time now. Hopefully, it won't happen...

Also, is the pinning of this thread a recent development? I like it.

Edited July 26, 2010 by GvilleSC

[Greenville]

The new pub looks amazing! Wow!

[GvilleSC]

I've been struck by this many times, but always forget to mention it. I'm a HUGE fan of Saffron's appearance, with their extensive outdoor seating and tons and tons of yellow umbrellas crammed together. It makes a statement on Augusta Street, and offers a lot to the vibrancy. Now... if we could just get a few more gaps physically filled in...

[vicupstate]

Does anyone know anything about the property at 155 Augusta. That parcel has a small 1 story building. There is a sign on the building for G16architects (G16architects.com).

The property changed hands about 15 months ago.

Edited March 29, 2011 by vicupstate

[gman430]

Does anyone know anything about the property at 155 Augusta. That parcel has a small 1 story building. There is a sign on the building for G16architects (G16architects.com).

The property changed hands about 15 months ago.

Building permit filed for site on March 11th. Estimated value of project is $35,000. Contractor is DL Carter Company of Mauldin. Owners are John and Todd Collins of Greenville. Doesn't sound like much to me. Maybe just a small renovation or something.

[vicupstate]

Yeah, doesn't sound like much. A 35k job requires an architect?

Thanks for the info Citylife.

[vicupstate]

A restaurant chain with three locations and a loyal

following in Charlotte has picked downtown

Greenville for its fourth store.

The owners of Mac’s Speed Shop hope to bring the

brand to 930 South Main Street near Fluor Field by

the fall, said David Jewell, one of the chain’s

owners.

They plan 120 seats inside the now-vacant, yellow-

brick building at 930 South Main Street and another

50 outside, he said.

The site is across Main Street from the Liberty

Taproom & Grill and next to the Carolina Triathlon

sporting gear shop and the Zen Greenville event

space.

Plans call for a major overhaul of the old building,

complete with new windows, doors, awnings,

canopy, flag poles and an addition on the rear.

There will also be a horseshoe pit and reserved

parking for motorcycles along Main Street.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do in there,” said Jewell,

who also owns an ad agency in Charlotte.

Mac’s Speed Shop specializes in barbecue and other

Southern favorites such as macaroni and cheese,

green bean casserole and banana pudding. It

carries 250 beers and hosts bands regularly, Jewell

said.

It’s “really good food in a very clean, fun

atmosphere,” he said.

The restaurant employs a biker them, and its tag line

is “Beer, Bikes and Barbecue.”

Still, Jewell said, “It’s as much a family restaurant as

it is anything else.”

Jewell said he and his partners have eyed Greenville

from “day one.”

“I think we found the right building and the right

location and a market that’s pretty ripe for our

offering,” he said.

More dining headed to West End

The sidewalk couldn't accomodate 50 patrons, so I don't have a problem with the outdoor patio myself.

[krazeeboi]

Despite a few misgivings about the design of the restaurant on the part of some, it will definitely be a place worth checking out as Mac's has really good food. I didn't experience it until after I had left Charlotte because I thought it was a biker bar (which isn't my scene, LOL), but the place attracts all sorts of people. The hushpuppies in particular are awesome.

[gman]

Great. What we need downtown is a loud biker hangout. I hope this place doesn't keep people from hanging out in what has turned out to be a great area of town. I hope the local churches find a way to keep this restaurant out of the West End.

Edited March 29, 2011 by gman

[gs3]

Great. What we need downtown is a loud biker hangout. I hope this place doesn't keep people from hanging out in what has turned out to be a great area of town. I hope the local churches find a way to keep this restaurant out of the West End.

I was a bit concerned about that as well, but actually the ones in Charlotte are more "banking execs on a Ducati", than "country come to town on a Harley". Lets hope this one will attract a better bike crowd as well. We do have a good population of BMW and Ducati bike types, thanks to the nearby mountains.

[HomerJay]

Great. What we need downtown is a loud biker hangout. I hope this place doesn't keep people from hanging out in what has turned out to be a great area of town. I hope the local churches find a way to keep this restaurant out of the West End.

I'd be shocked if a real biker bar moved into the west end. Not only are the rents high, but I can't see hard core outlaw bikers being drawn to that neighborhood. That being said, Greenville needs a little grit. Downtown is great, but it's pretty upscale and clean. That's generally good, of course, but I think real cities should have a bit of a rough edge to them. I'm more concerned about chain restaurants, although I'm okay with local/regional chains like this one. I'll start mobilizing the churches when an Applebees or McDonalds wants to move in. Talk about evil..

[gman430]

I'd be shocked if a real biker bar moved into the west end. Not only are the rents high, but I can't see hard core outlaw bikers being drawn to that neighborhood. That being said, Greenville needs a little grit. Downtown is great, but it's pretty upscale and clean. That's generally good, of course, but I think real cities should have a bit of a rough edge to them. I'm more concerned about chain restaurants, although I'm okay with local/regional chains like this one. I'll start mobilizing the churches when an Applebees or McDonalds wants to move in. Talk about evil..

I see what you're saying about a little grit but i'd rather it stay out in the suburbs where it currently exists then making its way downtown. The city has spent so much time and money on making downtown what it is today that the last thing I would want to see is grit developing. Not sure about Applebee's or McDonald's, but I wouldn't mind seeing Chick-Fil-A return to the downtown scene. Love their food.

[vicupstate]

I've never been to this place in Charlotte, but I get the distinct feeling that the whole 'Biker' motif is just a gimmick. While the bike enthusist crowd may check the place out, most people will go there (or not) strictly for the food.

This will be wholesale renovation, so it isn't going to have any 'grit' naturally.

Regardless, the design is the only thing being debated as appropriate, the motif, atmosphere or ambience is not. Which is as it should be.

[Danmire]

I like the idea of this place. It adds another flavor to downtown. This is sort of in the "Warehouse District" as envisaged by the downtown master plan. So I think it fits. It's another great offering building up around the baseball stadium which starts to create some critical mass on this end of downtown which I think will encourage more development.

[vicupstate]

Building permit filed for site on March 11th. Estimated value of project is $35,000. Contractor is DL Carter Company of Mauldin. Owners are John and Todd Collins of Greenville. Doesn't sound like much to me. Maybe just a small renovation or something.

This building is looking much better. Apparently it is going to be a Funnel Cake store. There is a 'Coming Soon' sign and it starts with 'Funnel' in the name.

[GvilleSC]

This building is looking much better. Apparently it is going to be a Funnel Cake store. There is a 'Coming Soon' sign and it starts with 'Funnel' in the name.

That's interesting. Are there precedents that carnival food can sustain rent? Or will this be some higher end spin on an old favorite?

[Birdbrain]

This building is looking much better. Apparently it is going to be a Funnel Cake store. There is a 'Coming Soon' sign and it starts with 'Funnel' in the name.

Shame on me - the word "Funnel" elicited hazy memories of seriously disturbed beer-drinking methodologies. Let's hope neither that nor the hilariously noted "Carnival Food" are the actual offerings.

[benjamesriddle]

Where is this mystery "funnel" shop going to be opening in the West End?

[gs3]

The new place is called "Funnelicious". It will serve funnel cake, but also will have a broad fair/ballpark/carnival type menu. Aparently the place will have a really large, street front patio/deck. Considering that half of all people attending a game at Fluor, park their cars at County Square, they will all walk by this place. It should do well, especially during baseball season. Looks like they are investing a good deal of money and also paying close attention to detail.

[vicupstate]

The water fountain and sprayer for runners is an interesting side item.

If you eat any of that carnival food, you're going to need to lose some weight.

Glad to hear of the green space addition as asphalt seems to cover the lot currently. The building itself, which is pretty small, does look much better already.

This should do well in the warm months, particularly during a game, but the winter will be much more challenging for them, IMO.

This does seem pretty unique, I wish them the best.

[gs3]

Retail just continues to push deeper and deeper into West End, starting to create a bridge between city center and Augusta Street. With the redo of Church Street, shouldn't be too many years until downtown, West End and Augusta Street are one very long, contiguous, gentrified retail / restaurant zone.

Hats off to the owner of Funnelicious....they did a fantastic job with a sense of whimsy and fun.

[Greenville]

I am impressed that we are seeing development pushing so deep into the West End. It might not be too long until Scott Towers is ripe for redevelopment into trendy apartments and condos.

[go_vertical]

In regards to Mac's, this place is far from a hardcore biker spot. If I were to try and describe it I would say it is a clean, well-kept family oriented restaurant/bar whose patrons are also cycle enthusiasts. Sure, you might get the occasional shady characters, but that is not the norm. I have been to the South Blvd. location a few times and always enjoy it. Heck, I've struck up good conversation with friendly people every time I've been there. We all know that doesn't happen everywhere. Another positive about this place is that they support local and regional brews in their selection.

If anything this place may attract hardcore, rough-around-the-edges bikers that aren't familiar with the brand when it first opens, but once they realize that it is more family oriented they'll go back to their old hangouts or just behave themselves.

[GvilleSC]

Does anyone know how the SLAM is doing? The only time I've seen it was early this summer, soon after it started. It seemed fairly well attended then. I LOVE the idea of it, so I hope they're doing great and will return next year!

On a related note, hopefully next year, it finds a new home due to construction on the replacement of the green monster building. Fingers crossed!