Five Points

[Ronak]

There's nowhere in Columbia that I have a problem finding a parking place. Sometimes I might have to walk a block and a half, but duh it's a city.

Too many people are used to the suburban idea of parking, where there's a lot in front of every building. I lived in Atlanta for a few years, and parking was much worse by comparison. I'd be lucky to find a spot within 3-4 blocks of where I was headed.

[Spartan]

Metered parking is a great parking management tool, so don't expect taht do go anywhere. The concept of having time-limited spaces is just as suburban as having a lot in front of each business. The issue is not the meters, but the perceived "inconvenience" of coins. Most cities are moving towards meters that take cards at a central 'station' for each block. Some cities even have technology that allows you to pay via your cellphone. If you want more time on the meter, just call a number and add more minutes as needed.

So all they said was that a series of periphery parking lots was the solution? Did they propose where these parking lots should go? I would love to see them find some space.

You know, Five Points was making some serious headway as an urban center a few years ago. Now we have the Future Five plan being watered down or ignored entirely, suburban parking proposals, drive-through drugstores, and as far as I can tell there are no proposals to actually make things better. It seems as though neighbors WANT Five Points to become as drab as Two Notch Rd.

[BrasilnSC]

Most city meters take prepaid cards now, but the pay by cell phone would be an excellent tool.

Five Points has really come to a stand still after FPS was shot down. Yes, the economy has something to do with it, but I feel like that project alone would have spurred other developments.

Things I've seen and heard recently:

- Most businesses in the old Firm building (next to Food Lion) have moved out as well as Bob Andrews auto repair.

- China Garden has delayed their plans to tear down that POS building.

- New bar next to Dr. Rocco's called "The Library" (old Cockpit/Goodtimes)...boo.

- (Edit) Pulliam-Morris Interior (Edit) has renovated and moved in next to Salty's on Harden. They occupy the back of the building while the front is for lease.

- Liberty Tax has a new location further up Harden (closer to Gervais next to Time Warner). The old location remains open and will hopefully close after tax season.

Edited April 16, 2009 by BrasilnSC

[krazeeboi]

I wish that whole strip mall containing Food Lion could be razed and rebuilt properly. And the Hardee's.

[Ronak]

- New bar next to Dr. Rocco's called "The Library" (old Cockpit/Goodtimes)...boo.

Interesting...there used to be a bar near Georgia Tech called The Library. I think it closed down a few years ago.

[Captain Worley]

I wish that whole strip mall containing Food Lion could be razed and rebuilt properly. And the Hardee's.

It worked really well when it was a Sears. It was nice having a major department store within walking distance of a bunch of specialty shops.

[CorgiMatt]

Hiller Hardware will probably be leaving Five Points to make way for a new bank. On aesthetics alone I say good riddance.

http://www.thestate.com/breaking/story/758063.html

[krazeeboi]

It's sad that Five Points is losing local institutions like this. And if recent history is any indicator, the building will be demolished and the lot will stay vacant for a few years before something is proposed, shot down, revamped, shot down again, etc.

[waccamatt]

It's sad that Five Points is losing local institutions like this. And if recent history is any indicator, the building will be demolished and the lot will stay vacant for a few years before something is proposed, shot down, revamped, shot down again, etc.

Hiller Hardware is no great loss; they still operate like it's 1945 - I'm surprised they've been around this long.

[growingup15]

Hiller Hardware will probably be leaving Five Points to make way for a new bank. On aesthetics alone I say good riddance.

http://www.thestate.com/breaking/story/758063.html

a bank will probly look good in that spot maybe refurbish the building and make it a few stories taller.

[Captain Worley]

Hiller Hardware is no great loss; they still operate like it's 1945 - I'm surprised they've been around this long.

I'm gonna disagree with you. It is nice to find a hardware store that operates like 1945. The people there actually know and understand hardware and can give useful advice. The most I can get out of a Lowe's drone is what aisle something is on, and they're really not even good at that. I'm really sad to see another small hardware store go

[vicupstate]

I'm gonna disagree with you. It is nice to find a hardware store that operates like 1945. The people there actually know and understand hardware and can give useful advice. The most I can get out of a Lowe's drone is what aisle something is on, and they're really not even good at that. I'm really sad to see another small hardware store go

Well said. I completely agree. A unique, local and urban icon of 5 Points will be replaced by a run of the mill suburban style bank branch. It's go great with the Wlagrens.

And people actually LIKE that idea??

[CorgiMatt]

On aesthetics alone I still say good riddance, even though the news this morning said it would be a one-story bank branch.

Edited April 22, 2009 by CorgiMatt

[krazeeboi]

I rather liked the rustic look of Hiller Hardware; it gives off an organic, authentic feel. It will be sad to see the Five Points location essentially become suburbanized like the Vista location.

[CorgiMatt]

Oh, the existing building has great potential for charm, but he's never going to fix it up. I guess wind ripped his awnings to shreds, and they're still there, faded now as well as ripped. In the paper this morning he blames the streetscaping partly for his current problems, but look at the appearance of his building compared to the streetscaping now. The reason I stopped shopping at the Lady Street location was that he let huge weeds grow up along the foundation between the sidewalk and building. He doesn't care.

[krazeeboi]

Now as far as general upkeep, there's no excuse for that. If that's how things were, then I would rather see something else replace the building. But a bank branch? Bleh. I wonder if it was the same bank that was going to have a branch on the old Kenny's site.

[BrasilnSC]

It's nice to have a hardware store downtown, although the place is quite messy and I agree about the awnings. Their move was inevitable, but I don't want to see the building torn down, it's got great potential and fits well in 5 pts. And another bank branch, especially a one story branch, is the last thing 5 pts needs. Whatever happened to Future Five and making this an URBAN district. Another move in the wrong direction.

[CorgiMatt]

A one-story building can sit on the site in an urban position, but at least two floors are always preferable to one in a city business district.

[waccamatt]

I never said I wanted to see a bank there or the building torn down, but they could stand to get with the times more - if they did they'd probably have plenty of business.

[Spartan]

Five Points is a self-contained urban environment. Its possible to get pretty much everything you need there without leaving for suburbia, and hardware stores are usually the hardest things to recruit in an urban setting like that. Hiller's loss may not bother some of you, but its a major loss nonetheless.

[waccamatt]

Five Points is a self-contained urban environment. Its possible to get pretty much everything you need there without leaving for suburbia, and hardware stores are usually the hardest things to recruit in an urban setting like that. Hiller's loss may not bother some of you, but its a major loss nonetheless.

All I'm trying to say is that it's Hiller's fault that they couldn't make it there. Sometimes it isn't the fact that there is competition from chains or no population base in the neighborhood, it's that the business does not keep up with the times and as far as I'm concerned, that's why I stopped shopping there.

[Captain Worley]

Five Points is a self-contained urban environment. Its possible to get pretty much everything you need there without leaving for suburbia, and hardware stores are usually the hardest things to recruit in an urban setting like that. Hiller's loss may not bother some of you, but its a major loss nonetheless.

I know. I'd been there a couple of times since they shut down the ACE in Parkland Plaza. I'm really gonna miss it. Everyone there knew their stuff and it really was like going back in time.

As for the aesthetics, function should always trump form. Generally, the best hardware stores are kinda shabby looking.

Soooo...who else is left in the hardware biz downtown?

[Ronak]

All I'm trying to say is that it's Hiller's fault that they couldn't make it there. Sometimes it isn't the fact that there is competition from chains or no population base in the neighborhood, it's that the business does not keep up with the times and as far as I'm concerned, that's why I stopped shopping there.

I disagree. When I lived downtown, I shopped at Hiller all the time, and they were pretty much what I expected from a mom and pop hardware store. I'm not going to fault them for not having the supply chain management associated with larger chains. The primary reason I shopped there was convenience. They were right down the road, and very rarely didn't have what I needed.

What is interesting though, is that the store is actually still profitable in Five points, he just believes that the combination of the proceeds from the sale and the new location will be MORE profitable. I have to agree with Spartan on the fact that Five Points is a self-contained urban environment, and I think the move to Cayce, where they will face much more direct competition from Lowes, will cripple them.

[Spartan]

Soooo...who else is left in the hardware biz downtown?

Good question. In fact, where is the closest hardware store to downtown after Hiller leaves?

[Ronak]

Good question. In fact, where is the closest hardware store to downtown after Hiller leaves?

Not including industrial supply type places, I'd guess either the Lowe's or Mann Tool in West Columbia....although it may be faster to get to the True Value on Broad River via 126.