Sparkle City Eateries

[drexel]

That's exciting news! How was the festival overall, and how many restaurants participated? I didn't see a write up on it in the HJ...

I also attended...I believe there were about 14 restaurants. Nu-Way, Justins, Limeleaf, Sonny's, and II Samuels were among those at the event. It was very nice with good music, art, and a family-friendly crowd. The paper did have pictures and a write up on Sunday.

[Sparkleman]

I also attended...I believe there were about 14 restaurants. Nu-Way, Justins, Limeleaf, Sonny's, and II Samuels were among those at the event. It was very nice with good music, art, and a family-friendly crowd. The paper did have pictures and a write up on Sunday.

The festival was a pretty good time. It was not as large a crowd as last year, but that was a good thing as Ezell St. was not nearly as crowded. Plus the weather was outstanding. I thought the food from II Samuels was really good. Its too bad they are not closer to downtown, but its also good that they are where they are with the new YMCA coming as well as the new community college.

Is the La Paz that has opened here part of the chain that includes the one in Asheville? If so than that place will be the bomb for Boiling Springs. http://www.lapaz.com/ What are the chances we could get a really good mexican place downtown?

[hub-city]

I don't think this La Paz is the same as the others, but I still enjoyed the food.

[Sparkleman]

I heard that Broadway Bagles is closing today. That coupled with the Duncan Donut closing at Hillcrest means the only healthy option left is Panera Bread.

[Spartan]

What do you mean?

[Sparkleman]

I mean that even though the "pros" so the recession is ending, small businesses are still going under. If you want to grab some breakfast on the east side before heading to work it is now either Panera Bread or Bojangles. I guess you could also include Hardees, but in my opinion, thats worse and less healthy than Bojangles. Broadway Bagles was a pretty cool place and had been around a while. I didn't go there much, but when I did it was good.

Now that they are gone and Terry's may/may not be leaving to go downtown, Gerhards will be alone in that shopping center. It will be interesting to see if he has a devoted enough crowd to stay in business.

[Spartan]

Gerhardts needs to move downtown along with Marble Slab. That shopping center needs to die so it can be redeveloped into something bigger and better.

[FlopShotter]

Broadway Bagels is not closing, just changed ownership, effective today. Terry's has closed, and they say they are not moving downtown, contrary to the rumors on here.

The Marble Slab on the east side has been closed for quite some time, and is not the one reopening (the west side one is reopening).

I certainly hope Gerhard's doesn't move downtown - no need - they do a great business where they are, and they have a fantastic setup which would be hard to duplicate in another building. Broadway Bagels and Bangkok Cafe as well. Just need to fill in a couple of the slots to make it thrive. I'd like to see the movie theater either become an art movie house with a wine bar (kind of like what you can do at the Tryon Theatre), or just be redeveloped. The old Teeter building needs to come down, also.

[roads-scholar]

Broadway Bagels is not closing, just changed ownership, effective today. Terry's has closed, and they say they are not moving downtown, contrary to the rumors on here.

The Marble Slab on the east side has been closed for quite some time, and is not the one reopening (the west side one is reopening).

I certainly hope Gerhard's doesn't move downtown - no need - they do a great business where they are, and they have a fantastic setup which would be hard to duplicate in another building. Broadway Bagels and Bangkok Cafe as well. Just need to fill in a couple of the slots to make it thrive. I'd like to see the movie theater either become an art movie house with a wine bar (kind of like what you can do at the Tryon Theatre), or just be redeveloped. The old Teeter building needs to come down, also.

Agree - this center is in a good location and is still attractive. What it needs is a strong anchor. Other than Gerhards, Blockbuster, Bangkok, and Minuteman Press this center hasn't had a consistent stable of tenants since Harris Teeter pulled out years ago.

Shopping centers typically have a difficult time finding an entity to utilize the footprint of a supermarket. It has been done before and even has been done in Spartanburg (most recently the Salvation Army in the old Winn-Dixie location on John B. White). I think Johnson Development still owns this center. If anyone can revitalize it they can. However, the commercial real estate market is very soft right now.

[Spartan]

The problem is that Converse Plaza is 20+ years old. That's ancient in terms of strip-commercial centers. This center was built for a different, smaller market. Even with a major renovation, I think it will be hard to get an anchor tenant that is worthwhile. This center needs to have something relatively upscale given its proximity to the eastside market, and an upscale or even mid range company is not going to consider this site because of it's condition. Also, that Harris Teeter store was very small for a supermarket, but I think that it will be hard to go anything there given its awkward size and location with somewhat poor visibility. The movie theater is a better site to rehab or redevelop though.

[Spartan]

As I was attending "A Taste of Spartanburg" this past Saturday (which by the way is a great event and showcase of Sparkle city dining options), I saw and heard several things.

1) The backside of Sonny's has a sign over the top announcing a burger joint called Krocs is coming soon. From what I can gather Sonny is not involved with this.

2) The restaurant going in over at the brewery is going to be a tapas restaurant.

3) Apparently Terry's Tap Room is still coming to downtown from what I heard and they may be changing their name to "Main Street Pub".

Whether all this is correct or not remains to be seen, but just the fact that there is some buzz and rumors floating around town is a good thing. A lot of folks I talked with are really fired up about the brewery and the pub opening beside it.

According to the HJ, this new restaurant will be called Croc's Sports & Wings. Sonny's has partnered with Greenville-based Croc's Sports & Spirits on Pelham Rd to get this thing going. I've never heard of them, so if anyone has any experience with this restaurant, please share!

They are looking to open later this year. I'm really excited that downtown Spartanburg will have a CHOICE of sports bars.

As a side note, I don't like that they changed the name to "Wings" rather than "Spirits." I'm not sure if that's meant to compete with Wild Wing or if its meant to take the word "spirits" out of the title.

HJ Article

[travey]

The problem is that Converse Plaza is 20+ years old. That's ancient in terms of strip-commercial centers. This center was built for a different, smaller market. Even with a major renovation, I think it will be hard to get an anchor tenant that is worthwhile. This center needs to have something relatively upscale given its proximity to the eastside market, and an upscale or even mid range company is not going to consider this site because of it's condition. Also, that Harris Teeter store was very small for a supermarket, but I think that it will be hard to go anything there given its awkward size and location with somewhat poor visibility. The movie theater is a better site to rehab or redevelop though.

an idea: How about an indoors mini-golf.. on one side and a market of local vendors on the other side of the store....

Grocery golf..

[Sparkleman]

I don't think this La Paz is the same as the others, but I still enjoyed the food.

Its not the same but I plan to try it anyway. I called and they get their liquor license on the 18th.

[roads-scholar]

Its not the same but I plan to try it anyway. I called and they get their liquor license on the 18th.

Where is LaPaz? I'd like to try it.

[hub-city]

La Paz is on Hyw. 9 in Boiling Springs. It is in the old Beef O' Grady's location near Copper River.

[clemsonfn]

Outwest Steakhouse (on Reidville Rd., next to the Saturn dealership) has been for sale for some time now, and it appears they've found a buyer for the property. There is a sign up claiming The Clock is coming soon.

[Spartan]

That's good. Spartanburg doesn't have enough greasy fast food.

[roads-scholar]

That's good. Spartanburg doesn't have enough greasy fast food.

The Clock chain of restaurants in the upstate might be regarded as "greasy fast food" but they're well-run, clean, have excellent local management and service, Beacon-like serving sizes, and low prices. I'm delighted the Clock will open in this location.

Edited September 21, 2009 by roads-scholar

[Jael]

That's good. Spartanburg doesn't have enough greasy fast food.

You guys are such snobs. I haven't been there in a while since I don't go into the office any more, but the one on Butler Road in Mauldin has (or used to have) good veggies at lunch. They were a better meat-and-three than Wade's.

[Spartan]

Roads-scholar has a good point in that it is an Upstate owned chain.

The Clock is ok, but if I'm going to eat that type of food then I just assume go to the Beacon. Maybe they've changed recently, but I've never regarded it as a Wade's-caliber meat and three.

I'm not saying its a bad restaurant. I just wish Spartanburg had more locally owned restaurants that aren't low-cost and thus low quality.

[Sparkleman]

Roads-scholar has a good point in that it is an Upstate owned chain.

The Clock is ok, but if I'm going to eat that type of food then I just assume go to the Beacon. Maybe they've changed recently, but I've never regarded it as a Wade's-caliber meat and three.

I'm not saying its a bad restaurant. I just wish Spartanburg had more locally owned restaurants that aren't low-cost and thus low quality.

Spartanburg does not have enough of the clientele needed to sustain the type of restaurants you mention above. i mean when its all said and done, Spartanburg has more working class folk than white collar type and they just want either a greasy spoon (Clock, Beacon, Spice, Holmes, BBQ, etc.), than the locally owned higher price type. Thats why only a finite number of upper scale restaurants can exist in Spartanburg at one time.

As for the Clock, its good if you are in Boiling Springs, Lyman, Duncan, etc. at lunch time, but I do not actively seek it out as I would rather hit Holmes for hot dogs, the Beacon or Spice for burgers and hash.

Oh and if I need the meat and three, its PK's on Union as I have mentioned here before.

[Spartan]

I don't consider the type of place I'm describing as "upscale" by any stretch of the imagination. If what you're saying is true then chains like Olive Garden, Applebee's etc, etc would not exist. We have places like Converse Deli, Lime Leaf, Sonny's Brick Oven Pizza, and the Italian/Pizza place in Dorman Center that are good local restaurants that are not "upscale." I see no reason why more places like those could not exist.

[Sparkleman]

I can guarantee you that the average working class Spartan has never been to Lime Leaf, Converse Deli, or Italian Pie. If they don't want Wades, they'll hit Ruby Tuesday, Golden Corral, or Applebees before the places above.They just haven't or if they have gone to say a Lime Leaf they must go on weeknights as I have never seen them there on the weekends. Spartanburg is just not set up to handle more than a finite number of these "mid scale" restaurants. If you open more, you will see one of the former ones boxed out and it will close.

As we have mentioned before, it really comes down to having more white collar jobs to support more mid to upper scale restaurants. Without an increase in jobs, the situation will stay the same. Granted you are going to get an increase in students in Spartanburg, but they will have little to no money unless being a college student has changed.

[Spartan]

I don't agree with that. There are two issues at play here.

First, prices at Ruby Tuesday are no different than most of the restaurants around town. There are plenty of local restaurants or regional restaurant chains that do perfectly well, and IMO Spartanburg could handle more. It's not a capacity/saturation of the market issue. Right now everything in town is all spread out. There's not a "restaurant row" so to speak. In other cities restaurants tend to cluster together, but for some reason this does not happen in Spartanburg, except for fast food near the interstates.

Second, the places that close, IMO, do so because of 1) bad location and/or 2) bad product. Some of the restaurants on Reidville Rd come to mind. The market that does exist in Spartanburg is unusually distributed around the city, so perhaps it makes the location choice difficult. People tend to stick to their side of town in Spartanburg, probably more so than most cities. I know I always did/do.

[Sparkleman]

Well I'll take another stab at this before the Carolina game tonight since its not kickoff yet. Thats whats great about these boards is that not everyone has to agree.

Now take my brother for instance. He is married with 2 kids, lives on the east side, and has a mid to upper income job and salary. Does he ever go downtown to eat? No he does not, because there is nowhere to park and all the restaurants are overpriced in his opinion. He doesn't want to park in a deck and he prefers Chick Fil A or Wades or Lees or the Spice. It doesn't matter that these places are priced similar to the ones downtown, thats just what he prefers. This is the same mindset of a lot of Spartans.

Second, places do close because of your reasons above but they also close because they are either not marketed well enough or attended well enough. Folks in Greenville will gamble on a new place in a heartbeat. Here that is not the case. Lime Leaf has been open for almost 3 years and I have been there 3 times even though I love the place. Why is this? Well I don't always think about it. Same with Myokos, the Noodle House, etc. However I do think about Wades and the Spice, and the Beacon, and Chick Fil A and attend them more often as well as a lot of other Spartans.

Anyway, the "SC" is a strange place for restaurants. I love the town but the eating scene leaves a lot to be desired unless you prefer grease, BBQ, or meat and 3 and it has always been like this. I hope it changes, but I am not holding my breath.

Gametime-Go Gamecocks!