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The State of Downtown Retail

GvilleSC

By GvilleSC
in Greenville

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gs3 Metropolitan Area

gs3

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I think that a European village designed to pull in Christmas tourism has some very major obstacles to overcome beyond just the initial, aesthetic, Bush Gardens Cheese factor. First of all, most do not travel to a new location for Christmas, they either stay where they are, or visit family, period. The second hurdle is how most folks associate winter climate with the terms European Christmas Village and it was 80 degrees the other days folks. We are going to have a hard enough time keeping the dang ice rink from turning to mush. 99.5% of the year, this Alpine European Village is going to feel more like it belongs in 6 flags than downtown. I doubt even Las Vegas could pull off such a thing with unlimited resources. It just comes across as weird.

Completely agree with you about the Go Center for tourism! :thumbsup:

Not suggesting Busch Gardens cheese nor an Alpine Village (which is what Helen, GA is). I'm suggesting playing up our "city village" European/International feel. Walking down Main yesterday with the snow machine, the types of architecture, the dormant trees, the shops, the sounds of German and Scandinavian visitors.....I had exactly the same feel as I have on my trips to Munich, Vienna or Prague. I sure didn't feel like I was in South Carolina. :lol: Stop, look and listen closely.....Greenville has the bones that create a European feel already in place.....why not play it up?

Is this Greenville's Christmas decorated trolley and the trees on Main with the four and five story buildings, or is this in Switzerland. What could be cool is a comparison thread. One photo of a European small city scene beside a photo of the same Greenville city scene. The similarities are shocking.

ThePresentTrain.jpg

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gman430
gman430

1. IMO…this forum needs some negativity once in a while. All of the positivity all of the time with making Greenville look like the perfect Utopia is honestly boring and makes me feel like I need to b

vicupstate
vicupstate

The Teal clad building at N. Main and E. North will soon get a new façade. It will go before DRB next month.  They informally reviewed it today.  Top two floors will have windows for a change.   

GVLer
GVLer

Seriously?? First of all, what is the City supposed to do to ensure a business succeeds? Some are thriving and some do not make it....that is called capitalism. If downtown was dirty, crime ridden, or

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charlie swords Whistle-Stop

charlie swords

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this is probably the wrong thread for this but oh well.....

the new Brown Street Club sign is up, its throw back to the old theater marquee signs, at least as much is possible within the city permitting restrictions. I havent been by to see it yet but everyone says it looks great, i've been waiting for this to go up as its one of my favorite projects i've worked on lately. I will be going by later to check it out and i'll get a picture with my phone (if it will take a decent one).

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gs3 Metropolitan Area

gs3

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this is probably the worng thread for this but oh well.....

the new Brown Street Club sign is up, its throw back to the old theater marquee signs, at least as much is possible within the city permitting restrictions. I havent been by to see it yet but everyone says it looks great, i've been waiting for this to go up as its one of my favorite projects i've worked on lately. I will be going by later to check it out and i'll get a picture with my phone (if it will take a decent one).

The sign is fantastic! You guys did an incredible job! :thumbsup::thumbsup: Saw it this weekend (in daylight).....looking forward to seeing it lit at night.

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GvilleSC Megalopolis

GvilleSC

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The Brown Street Club sign looks great!

I like the idea of the International Village. You'd have to be careful to avoid the cheesy look and feel, but I think it could really work. I'd love to see it up the Reedy River from Riverplace. Maybe behind the First Citizen's building? Seems far enough away to be reachable, yet still allow for a good bit of infill and spin off development.

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gs3 Metropolitan Area

gs3

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I tried to talk to them (Jittery Joes) about a franchise a few months ago. I guess I was too late.

I was under the impression that the new stores currently being planned were company owned. I did notice on their website under the franchise link, it states no new franchises are being accepted at the moment. :dontknow:

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breed Hamlet

breed

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FRESH IDEA ALERT!!!!

What if......they expanded on this idea (either individual store owners or the city) and every single storefront put a snow machine in their second floor window next year? Snow would be drifting down among the beautiful Main Street trees the entire length.

I think it may be a better idea to do something like that now... when it's freakishly cold (meaning the snow would stick around)... and it's not during the holiday season.... giving people a reason to come downtown during the slower retail months of January and February. It's rare that we ever get a real snow... this would be a huge draw.

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gs3 Metropolitan Area

gs3

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I think it may be a better idea to do something like that now... when it's freakishly cold (meaning the snow would stick around)... and it's not during the holiday season.... giving people a reason to come downtown during the slower retail months of January and February. It's rare that we ever get a real snow... this would be a huge draw.

:thumbsup:

Excellent.

Snow Day, Snow Week, Snow Weekend. Downtown retail merchants should get creative.

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GE Turbine Man Whistle-Stop

GE Turbine Man

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There's always Caribou, but be prepared ... they require a minimum ownership of 10 franchises and substantial capital. :thumbsup:

I'm not really looking to open several, just one. and with the influx of Jittery Joes, we may just be passing our saturation point of coffee shops downtown. I thought McBee Station would be a good place for one after it takes off a little.

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gs3 Metropolitan Area

gs3

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I thought McBee Station would be a good place for one after it takes off a little.

I agree. There is a small, one level retail space on the corner, right next to the Publix entrance. Seems it would be the prefect spot for a coffee shop. Shocked one hasn't moved in yet.

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RestedTraveler Metropolis

RestedTraveler

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With an ice rink maybe it will come. Does anyone know if the City Hall plaza stuff should be done by this time next year (allowing a possible ice rink to be open)?

I don't believe so, sorry...we'll have to wait until 2009/2010.

I'm not really looking to open several, just one. and with the influx of Jittery Joes, we may just be passing our saturation point of coffee shops downtown. I thought McBee Station would be a good place for one after it takes off a little.

I had briefly considered the idea of Caribou, myself...but my pockets aren't deep enough. We really could use a Caribou here, but with such requirements in place, I doubt we'll ever get one, er, uh, ten. I agree with you, too...with Jittery Joes and Brick House and all of the others that have recently opened, we're nearing our saturation point. We could use another one on North Main near the Hyatt. Aside from Coffee Underground, there's nothing else up that way.

I agree. There is a small, one level retail space on the corner, right next to the Publix entrance. Seems it would be the prefect spot for a coffee shop. Shocked one hasn't moved in yet.

Don't tell Champ Covington about it or he'll open another Port City Java there.

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gs3 Metropolitan Area

gs3

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Thats exactly the place I was thinking since there is no built in Coffee shop in the Publix! Would likely get all the publix traffic, as well as the appartments and Staples...

You could also check out Peets. They are actively looking at the East Coast / Southeast US as new regions for expansion, though not sure if they franchise....they may all be company owned. Never hurts to ask.

http://www.peets.com/Default.asp?rdir=1&

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RestedTraveler Metropolis

RestedTraveler

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Heck, for that matter, it'd be nice to have Barnie's here again. The Starbucks in the Haywood Mall was once Barnie's, but it was part of a group of 50 or so franchises that were sold to Starbucks a couple of years ago.

http://www.barniescoffee.com/ecomm/coffee_franchise.jsp

Fortunately, Publix still sells their coffee.

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