The State of Downtown Retail

[gman]

4 hours ago, gman430 said:

Current empty spaces on Main Street: 

Former Jersey Mikes

Two spaces next to Comedy Zone

Former iMac store

Former Gallery 42

Former Fifth Third bank 

Former Luna Rosa

Two spaces at Camperdown 

Former Cook’s Station 

Former Husk 

Two spaces at Homewood Suites

 

13 empty spaces total on Main Street so it’s holding steady. Definitely not getting any worse. I didn’t include the Army/Navy store or Twigs as there are no for lease signs up at those locations. 

 

 

Wow. That is a short list for the number of retail spaces downtown. It reinforces the fact that our downtown and the entire Upstate is thriving. 

[gman430]

There’s a construction dumpster now in front of the former iMac/iStore space. 

The Packaging School for the former Twigs space. 

Interior work underway for the former MHK architecture space. 

Edited January 20 by gman430

[PuppiesandKittens]

4 hours ago, gman said:

Wow. That is a short list for the number of retail spaces downtown. It reinforces the fact that our downtown and the entire Upstate is thriving. 

Agreed.  By comparison to Haywood Mall in particular, downtown is doing very well (with both new stores coming in and new construction).  

[gman430]

11 minutes ago, PuppiesandKittens said:

Agreed.  By comparison to Haywood Mall in particular, downtown is doing very well (with both new stores coming in and new construction).  

There’s only seven empty spaces in Haywood Mall including the old Sears, Plum that is moving, and the temporary Christmas stores that are closing. That’s less than Magnolia Park which has eight empty spaces. The food court is 100% full also. Shops at Greenridge has three empty spaces.

Edited January 20 by gman430

[PuppiesandKittens]

28 minutes ago, gman430 said:

There’s only seven empty spaces in Haywood Mall including the old Sears, Plum that is moving, and the temporary Christmas stores that are closing. That’s less than Magnolia Park which has eight empty spaces. The food court is 100% full also. Shops at Greenridge has three empty spaces.

So the airport is awful, awful, awful with even the slightest thing that’s not perfect, and downtown is bad news, but Haywood is doing great?

1. Empty anchor

2. Scattered vacancies

3. Numerous low-budget “filler” stores, occupying space that the mall can’t find national chains to fill (unlike 15-30 years ago)

4. Degraded exterior appearance 

Downtown stores have higher price points on average than Haywood has; downtown has lots of new construction going on; and hotel room rates are significantly higher downtown than around Haywood.  To me, those points all show that downtown is a place in demand, while Haywood is less so.

Edited January 20 by PuppiesandKittens

[gman430]

For former Addy’s space:

https://www.postandcourier.com/greenville/food/greenvilles-former-addys-restaurant-space-to-become-country-themed-bar/article_11e71308-98e6-11ed-a5c4-4fcdcb625d93.html

[gman430]

Madewell to open in about a month. 

Edited January 23 by gman430

[gman430]

Looks like there are thirty empty retail/restaurant spaces in downtown if you include Main Street and two blocks off Main Street in any direction. While that sounds like a lot, nine of those empty spaces are at Camperdown. Don’t include that development and the number of vacant spaces drops significantly. 

[vicupstate]

[NewlyUpstate]

New ownership for Reys with plans to revise the concept a bit

[gman430]

Anybody know what is going on with Blaze Pizza? It says they’re open on their website and on Google but they’re clearly not. The signage is still up and all of the stuff is still inside. There is a sign on the door but I couldn’t read what it said driving by. 

Edited February 3 by gman430

[vicupstate]

Madewell Clothing to open on at 125 N. Main

[gman430]

Whatever happened to the renovations planned for City Tavern and Carolina Ale House? 

[gman430]

Bellwether to open in March.

[gman430]

Madewell is now open: 

https://stores.madewell.com/us/sc/greenville/125-n-main-st

[PuppiesandKittens]

Downtown was packed today, with the good weather.  Madewell was packed.  Basically everything was packed.  The blocks of North Main between ONE and the Hyatt really look nice, with nice store after nice store.

[NewlyUpstate]

Sushi 21 (Simpsonville) is opening their second location in McBee station in mid-March. I've never been, but have heard plenty of good things.

Edited February 22 by NewlyUpstate

[gman430]

Papi’s Tacos to open second location next to Jack Brown’s on Augusta in the West End. This will be an additional location. Their Riverplace location will remain open. 

[vicupstate]

17 E. Coffee St Bar & Grill

[gman430]

Looks like Blaze Pizza has reopened. 

Former Fifth Third Bank next to CVS possibly leased. 

Building permit issued for Papi’s Tacos. 

[Horatio Nelson]

2 hours ago, gman430 said:

Looks like Blaze Pizza has reopened. 

Yep, I ate there yesterday.

[gman430]

Paw Paws USA to return downtown and open in April in the old MHK architecture space on Main Street. 
 

 

Edited March 7 by gman430

[Horatio Nelson]

10 hours ago, gman430 said:

Paw Paws USA to return downtown and open in April in the old MHK architecture space on Main Street. 
 

 

Their old space was in Next Manufacturing, I was always thought it was weird that a retailer was in a space like that (door requires a code). 

[gman430]

Smoke on the Water to close by March 2024. 

[GVLer]

25 minutes ago, gman430 said:

Smoke on the Water to close by March 2024. 

Just saw that. Big News. Prominent location. https://upstatebusinessjournal.com/business-news/1-augusta-redevelopment-plans/