Columbia/Greenville Entertainment Districts

[waccamatt]

So what exactly are the defined borders of downtown Greenville?

If I had to draw a map it would roughly be McPherson Park to the Reedy River and N. Academy Street to S. Church, except over to around the Bilo Center where 385 comes into downtown.

Downtown Greenville area

[GvilleSC]

If I had to draw a map it would roughly be McPherson Park to the Reedy River and N. Academy Street to S. Church, except over to around the Bilo Center where 385 comes into downtown.

Downtown Greenville area

That leaves out Prospect Hill and the main post office

[waccamatt]

That leaves out Prospect Hill and the main post office

I think that's on East Washington and that is in the area I mentioned.

[goodbye]

If I had to draw a map it would roughly be McPherson Park to the Reedy River and N. Academy Street to S. Church, except over to around the Bilo Center where 385 comes into downtown.

Downtown Greenville area

Again, spoken by someone not at all in the know. The CBD of Greenville is, as should be expected, in downtown. The CBD extends well beyond the Reedy River, passed the new ballpark in the West End. BTW, the West End is part of downtown, as is the North End. The main Post Office, in downtown as well is on West Washington Street, a couple blocks beyond Academy Street. The Hampton-Pinkney historic neighborhood, the Pettigru historic district, and even the Greenville Zoo and Cleveland Park should be included in the overall designation of "downtown."

[digital_sandlapper]

i'm suprised that Columbia's 3rd nightlife district hasn't been mentioned: West Columbia. although not as nice, active or staying open as late as Five Points or The Vista, it still has plenty of activity, and New Brookland Tavern serves as a nice anchor for it. and it's in walking distance (relatively, i do it all the time from downtown/USC.)

Right you are! The West Vista is a wonderful blend of sports bar/pub, a live music venue with an underground feel, a couple of cool coffeehouses/cafes, an independent bookstore and a few other funky boutiques, antiques, a very nice restaurant or two, and even a sophisticated lounge/conversation bar. It renders a trip over the river to the Vista or 5 Points completely unneccessary.

[waccamatt]

Again, spoken by someone not at all in the know. The CBD of Greenville is, as should be expected, in downtown. The CBD extends well beyond the Reedy River, passed the new ballpark in the West End. BTW, the West End is part of downtown, as is the North End. The main Post Office, in downtown as well is on West Washington Street, a couple blocks beyond Academy Street. The Hampton-Pinkney historic neighborhood, the Pettigru historic district, and even the Greenville Zoo and Cleveland Park should be included in the overall designation of "downtown."

I have spent alot of time in Greenville and there is no way most people consider Cleveland Park to be downtown. West end, maybe, but Cleveland Park? Hardly.

[krazeeboi]

From my ventures into downtown Greenville, I would consider the West End to be in downtown. Not really sure about Cleveland Park though.

[Spartan]

I would consider Cleveland Park to be downtown, but that is about as far as I would go. It occurs to me that people living in the far flung suburbs like Five Forks and Simpsonville, etc. might consider anything that is in the City to be essentially downtown, simply because it is a close reference point that most people would understand.

[distortedlogic]

You have to admit that's a bit of a stretch, since you listed almost half the square miles of Greenville proper.

I admitted that GMH being in DT is a bit of a stretch, and I would not draw it all the way up N Main to Rutherford as some might, but that is about it. N.Main up to Earle St is definately in DT, as is the West End, Gville HS, West End Field, etc. I have also often heard Cleveland Park and the Zoo considered DT, but I do not know if I would say that. But regardless, this is not anywhere near half the square miles of Gville proper. I know Gville's city limits are small, but not THAT small. I think that your response perfectly illustrates the misconceptions about Gvilles size, and the size of it's DT that I was speaking of in my last post.

[GamecockEngineer]

You could go on and on debating what's in your city's CBD and what's not. You can disect every little pocket of nightlife and such, deviding your city into as many seperate "districts" as you want. I think we should all be a little more open to "outsiders" interputations of our cities.

And for the record, Greenville's a great place, but I don't know it like I know Columbia, because I've never lived there. When I go to Greenville and go out, I almost always end up going to Main (or w/in a block of it) for dinner and/or drinks. Main St. is a great, very well done mix of Buisness, Retail, Leisure, and Nightlife--and it is to me what DT Greenville is.

As far as Columbia, I agree with several of the previous posts as far as there being Main, Vista, 5 Points, Vista West. One could even go as far as saying there's somewhat of a retail district on Devine. But I think that overall, most see and know Columbia as Main being the CBD, 5 Points being the college nightlife district, and the Vista being more of a young/working professional nightlife district.

[BrasilnSC]

^ Devine St does have it's fair share of bars, restaurants, and retail.

You could even say that S. Main St is it's own little entertainment district with Nickelodeon Theatre, Immaculate Consumption, Myo's, Tio's, Hunter-Gatherer, Cool Beans, Moe's, and Stuffy's plus whatever business will be housed at Adesso once it's completed.

[CorgiMatt]

^ Devine St does have it's fair share of bars, restaurants, and retail.

You could even say that S. Main St it's own little entertainment district with Nickelodeon Theatre, Immaculate Consumption, Myo's, Tio's, Hunter-Gatherer, Cool Beans, Moe's, and Stuffy's plus whatever business will be house at Adesso once it's completed.

That's very true since the State House grounds create a two-block interruption on Main Street from Gervais to Pendleton. It makes for a totally different mind-set on the south side.

[Spartan]

^ Thats a good point. I don't know that I would consider it its ownd 'district' or not. But its definitely key for USC students. Don't forget Sandy's!

[BrasilnSC]

I don't consider S. Main an entertainment district, but it has it's own little vibe being within the USC campus. With a residential highrise (Cornell Arms) on that block and other projects going on, pedestrian traffic is sure to pick up once Adesso, the Horizon Block, and the new honors dorm (which will take a bit longer) are complete.

Others not mentioned, the Holiday Inn, Firehouse Subs, and Internet Cafe next to Stuffy's.

[GamecockEngineer]

I don't consider S. Main an entertainment district, but it has it's own little vibe being within the USC campus. With a residential highrise (Cornell Arms) on that block and other projects going on, pedestrian traffic is sure to pick up once Adesso, the Horizon Block, and the new honors dorm (which will take a bit longer) are complete.

Others not mentioned, the Holiday Inn, Firehouse Subs, and Internet Cafe next to Stuffy's.

Columbia has an internet cafe now? Thats carzy.

[waccamatt]

Columbia has an internet cafe now? Thats carzy.

Rising High has had an internet access area for years, too. There are also a number of free Wifi areas in the Vista, Main Street and Five Points.

[Charles Pearson]

Rising High has had an internet access area for years, too. There are also a number of free Wifi areas in the Vista, Main Street and Five Points.

...great to hear about the WIFI areas in Columbia...I'm not sure if Holmes Avenue (where I stay with relatives when visiting city of Columbia), just off Main and near Columbia College, is considered Main Street area... I am not yet a fan of internet cafes. Seems people don't talk & meet over coffee in them anymore; instead, people sit alone, pull out their fancy slick powerbooks or laptops & chat online...

[GamecockEngineer]

Rising High has had an internet access area for years, too. There are also a number of free Wifi areas in the Vista, Main Street and Five Points.

I was in Spain in May and there were internet cafes everywhere. I don't mean coffee houses with WiFi and such, just computers and internect access. You paid by the quater hr and got access to computers and the internet. Does the one on S. Main have computers, or do you need a laptop?

[Charles Pearson]

I was in Spain in May and there were internet cafes everywhere. I don't mean coffee houses with WiFi and such, just computers and internect access. You paid by the quater hr and got access to computers and the internet. Does the one on S. Main have computers, or do you need a laptop?

....internet cafes can be very costly, or so I hear. a friend of mine from denmark who lives here, sent me emails while he was in europe recently to attend a graduation, and said he did it quickly 'cause of the cost. then again, he's frugal, always on a budget...being he's only part-time at his job as an english teacher for immigrants...

[GamecockEngineer]

....internet cafes can be very costly, or so I hear. a friend of mine from denmark who lives here, sent me emails while he was in europe recently to attend a graduation, and said he did it quickly 'cause of the cost. then again, he's frugal, always on a budget...being he's only part-time at his job as an english teacher for immigrants...

Yea. In Barcelona they ranged from 1-2 euros for an hour. In the smaller town of Gerona, they were 1-2 euros per half hour. In the one really small town on the Spainish/French Border, it was something crazy like 4 euros per half hour.

[waccamatt]

I was in Spain in May and there were internet cafes everywhere. I don't mean coffee houses with WiFi and such, just computers and internect access. You paid by the quater hr and got access to computers and the internet. Does the one on S. Main have computers, or do you need a laptop?

I don't know about South Main; I think Rising High has PC's, but I haven't been in there in awhile. If I want to surf outside I take my laptop to the Vista.

[Istvan]

^ Devine St does have it's fair share of bars, restaurants, and retail.

You could even say that S. Main St is it's own little entertainment district with Nickelodeon Theatre, Immaculate Consumption, Myo's, Tio's, Hunter-Gatherer, Cool Beans, Moe's, and Stuffy's plus whatever business will be housed at Adesso once it's completed.

i'd been thinking about mentioning Devine Street...i'd forgotten how many coffee houses/retailors/restaurants and even a pub or two are on it...i'd always sort of thought of Publick House as being the edge of Five Points, but now i might also think of it as the start of Devine.

i live near "South Main" and i think i'd consider it a district along with the old Sherlock Holmes...maybe with The Whig now open at 1200 Main, the Sherlock Holmes reopening sometime on Main, the Nick moving in the next few years, Jammin Java, and Rio (if they ever get the alcohol license back) then Main Street in Columbia is also, loosely, a nightlife district (at least one that's forming up.) i always thought of the old Sherlock Holmes as being separate from The Vista.

so yeah, Columbia's Main Street might not be as nice and polished as Greenville's (and probably never will be, which isn't a bad thing either) but it's also a point of interest.

now if only a few clubs could open up and stay open on Gervais going down to Harden, and the old Elbow Room reopen, that would be a nice long, long corridor of cool stuff.

[goodbye]

...great to hear about the WIFI areas in Columbia...I'm not sure if Holmes Avenue (where I stay with relatives when visiting city of Columbia), just off Main and near Columbia College, is considered Main Street area... I am not yet a fan of internet cafes. Seems people don't talk & meet over coffee in them anymore; instead, people sit alone, pull out their fancy slick powerbooks or laptops & chat online...

Virtually all of the CBD in downtown Greenville has WiFi.

BTW, there are many other entertainment districts in Greenville no one have mentioned yet. Obviously, most of us members are huge fans of downtown.

[Spartan]

If you're a USC student, most of campus is a wireless zone. Not much use for the general public, but that may stop businesses along S Main from adding a WiFi zone.