The State of Downtown Retail

[Greenville]

I accurately predicted the demise of West End Chicken and Waffles after a tragic evening in that place. I'm calling it now and predicting the demise of Qwikees.

I sure hope you are correct about Qwikees. I have never been inside, but I have driven by a time or two and agree that it looks crappy. We definitely need a small market/convenience store downtown, but as several of you have said Qwikees isn't it. Perhaps a well-run CVS will be more of what we need. I would love for them to stay open 24 hours - or at least extended hours.

Qwikees sounds like the kind of trashy operation you would expect to see in West Greenville (pre-revitalization). I wonder if Cracker Jack's on Pendleton Street is perhaps even better.

Edited October 12, 2009 by Greenville

[gs3]

I wonder if Cracker Jack's on Pendleton Street is perhaps even better.

I can just see it. Cracker Jack's opens a branch on Main next to Qwikees. Piggly Wiggly opens on Main. Waffle House ditches the Stone Avenue location and opens on Main. Maurice's Bar-B-Q branches to the Upstate and opens on Main. The new hotel scheduled for Washington Square is a Motel 6. Wouldn't that just be the best Main Street ever! Really, what more would we want?

[Greenville]

I can just see it. Cracker Jack's opens a branch on Main next to Qwikees. Piggly Wiggly opens on Main. Waffle House ditches the Stone Avenue location and opens on Main. Maurice's Bar-B-Q branches to the Upstate and opens on Main. The new hotel scheduled for Washington Square is a Motel 6. Wouldn't that just be the best Main Street ever! Really, what more would we want?

Motel 6 as part of Washington Square!

I have a few ideas:

-Bait shop on Main (next to Qwikees, of course). Hey, maybe they could be connected from inside!

-Diamonds (strip club formerly off US 123 near the two Clock restaurants) to re-open as part of Washington Square

-Tear down Greenville News building and build an urban Walmart

-McDonald's at Main at McBee, complete with a nice parking lot between it and the street

Plus, let's not forget that we already have Dixie's Tavern a block away!

[gs3]

Motel 6 as part of Washington Square!

I have a few ideas:

-Bait shop on Main (next to Qwikees, of course). Hey, maybe they could be connected from inside!

-Diamonds (strip club formerly off US 123 near the two Clock restaurants) to re-open as part of Washington Square

-Tear down Greenville News building and build an urban Walmart

-McDonald's at Main at McBee, complete with a nice parking lot between it and the street

Plus, let's not forget that we already have Dixie's Tavern a block away!

I really like your vision for downtown! Will you run for mayor?

Whatdaya think about Dixies Tavern opening up INSIDE Wal-Mart? You know, where they have the little food area in the front? Dixies could take that spot. Both could be open 24-7. Seems like a marriage made in heaven to me.

[Lib]

Don't forget about the "WE BUY GOLD" place that's now at the corner of Main & McBee. Seems right in line with your plans!

[gman430]

Don't forget about the "WE BUY GOLD" place that's now at the corner of Main & McBee. Seems right in line with your plans!

Don't forget that they sell vintage guitars too. Maybe i'll get lucky and a place will open between this and Qwikees that sells fireworks and does your taxes.

[GvilleSC]

You all are a riot! I'm thankful we only have Quickees (for a limited time it seems) when thinking about what all we COULD have... Keep Greenville classy.

[gs3]

Don't forget about the "WE BUY GOLD" place that's now at the corner of Main & McBee. Seems right in line with your plans!

Does that include teeth?

[Greenville]

Does that include teeth?

Yes, if you need to disassemble your "grill" they can help.

[Lib]

They've been sanding down the cement in front of Qwikee's for some reason, and there are inset letters in the concrete that spell BOB'S. Anybody know when those were put there, or what kind of shop Bob had?

[Greenville]

They've been sanding down the cement in front of Qwikee's for some reason, and there are inset letters in the concrete that spell BOB'S. Anybody know when those were put there, or what kind of shop Bob had?

It's a short Americanized nickname for Babu Bhatt, the owner of Qwikees. The city decided that Qwikees represents all that is great about Main Street, and wanted to honor it with this small tribute on the sidewalk.

[GvilleSC]

Do we want to take bets on the day of Qwickees demise? Actually, I'm pretty sure that was the day it opened. Let's rephrase: do we want to take bets on predicting their last business day?

[gs3]

It's a short Americanized nickname for Babu Bhatt, the owner of Qwikees. The city decided that Qwikees represents all that is great about Main Street, and wanted to honor it with this small tribute on the sidewalk.

LOL. I guess that's good though. I thought BOB was the super sized format of Qwikees......you know, like Super Wal-Mart.........you have Qwikees and then you have Qwikee Bobs....they step the beer selection up from Old Milwaukee to Busch, they expand the cig selection by adding cloves, they expand the hair color selection with 10 additional un-natural shades of blond, and they have a special booty call directory for quicker hook-ups.

Edited October 14, 2009 by gsupstate

[Greenville]

LOL. I guess that's good though. I thought BOB was the super sized format of Qwikees......you know, like Super Wal-Mart.........you have Qwikees and then you have Qwikee Bobs....they step the beer selection up from Old Milwaukee to Busch, they expand the cig selection by adding cloves, they expand the hair color selection with 10 additional un-natural shades of blond, and they have a special booty call directory for quicker hook-ups.

LMAO!

They will also add a wine section, which will include Ripple and Boone's Farm. White Zinfandel will be the most popular variety, of course.

P.S. In case anyone didn't know, Babu Bhatt was the Pakistani restaurant owner in an episode of "Seinfeld." He had a bunch of horrible concepts for his restaurant, and never seemed to understand what the public wanted. He ultimately went out of business - just like Qwikees will.

[btoy]

LOL. I guess that's good though. I thought BOB was the super sized format of Qwikees......you know, like Super Wal-Mart.........you have Qwikees and then you have Qwikee Bobs....they step the beer selection up from Old Milwaukee to Busch, they expand the cig selection by adding cloves, they expand the hair color selection with 10 additional un-natural shades of blond, and they have a special booty call directory for quicker hook-ups.

The FDA recently outlawed Clove Cigarettes.

[mallguy]

-Tear down Greenville News building and build an urban Walmart

The Greenville News building is an ugly asphalt bunker that is a big gap in the pedestrian-oriented businesses and the like up and down Main; I'd be glad to see it go.

There is an urban Wal-Mart in White Plains, NY, a block north of the Ritz-Carlton residences and a block away from the Neiman Marcus/Nordstrom-anchored mall. Nothing wrong with it, and it generates a lot of pedestrian traffic. (Admittedly, not the classiest place, but it's fine.)

One photo is at .https://www.icsc.org/srch/sct/sct0906/stores_shrink.php#

Edited October 15, 2009 by mallguy

[gman430]

LOL. I guess that's good though. I thought BOB was the super sized format of Qwikees......you know, like Super Wal-Mart.........you have Qwikees and then you have Qwikee Bobs....they step the beer selection up from Old Milwaukee to Busch, they expand the cig selection by adding cloves, they expand the hair color selection with 10 additional un-natural shades of blond, and they have a special booty call directory for quicker hook-ups.

It's Bob Ellis seeking revenge for his failed Pinnacle project. He's going to open a place downtown that is a super-sized version of Qwikees.

Edited October 15, 2009 by citylife

[gs3]

P.S. In case anyone didn't know, Babu Bhatt was the Pakistani restaurant owner in an episode of "Seinfeld." He had a bunch of horrible concepts for his restaurant, and never seemed to understand what the public wanted. He ultimately went out of business - just like Qwikees will.

I had forgotten that. You just made me laugh! When I first read your post, I read it quickly and had Ahpu, or whatever his name is, at the conveniece store on the Simpsons, on my mind.

[gs3]

The FDA recently outlawed Clove Cigarettes.

Didn't they make peoples lungs bleed? I always remember this girl from my high school when I think of cloves.....she was the spitting image of Janeane Garofalo's character in Romy & Michelle. She would go sit in her car and smoke them with the windows up, between periods, thinking she wouldn't get caught. The cloud in her car was a bit of a giveaway.

[Greenville]

Didn't they make peoples lungs bleed? I always remember this girl from my high school when I think of cloves.....she was the spitting image of Janeane Garofalo's character in Romy & Michelle. She would go sit in her car and smoke them with the windows up, between periods, thinking she wouldn't get caught. The cloud in her car was a bit of a giveaway.

So most of the month, then?

[apaladin]

They've been sanding down the cement in front of Qwikee's for some reason, and there are inset letters in the concrete that spell BOB'S. Anybody know when those were put there, or what kind of shop Bob had?

I suspect it was for Bob's Mens Shop which was downtown for years.

[gman430]

Well, at least signs for the jeweler and spa look better than Qwikees: http://www.greenvillesc.gov/city_governmen...hMainStreet.pdf and http://www.greenvillesc.gov/city_governmen...hMainStreet.pdf

[Greenville]

Well, at least signs for the jeweler and spa look better than Qwikees: http://www.greenvillesc.gov/city_governmen...hMainStreet.pdf and http://www.greenvillesc.gov/city_governmen...hMainStreet.pdf

I have seen patients' bed pans that look better than the Qwikees sign.

As for these two, I don't think either is that great. Blair Jewelers is tolerable, although I think it's random that the also have vintage guitars. But Sunrise Spa is awful. I would be surprised St. Clair Signs came up with that concept. I have seen their work, and they do really good work. This sign looks like something you would expect to see in a dying strip mall in a bad area of town.

[goodbye]

For several years I have been saying that Greenville needs a high quality handmade sign company, like Hannaman Sign Crafters in Carlisle, PA. Mr. Hannaman's beautiful signs can be seen literally everywhere in the southcentral region of Pennsylvania. The City of Greenville has done a legendary job transforming downtown into an urban masterpiece, yet many of the businesses habitating the city lack an equivalent level of quality when it comes to their public image (visual appeal). Signs say a great deal about a business, even if they are misleading. In my opinion, if a company is willing to invest in a high quality public image, the probable result will ultimately be better business success overall.

[gs3]

I have seen patients' bed pans that look better than the Qwikees sign.

As for these two, I don't think either is that great. Blair Jewelers is tolerable, although I think it's random that the also have vintage guitars. But Sunrise Spa is awful. I would be surprised St. Clair Signs came up with that concept. I have seen their work, and they do really good work. This sign looks like something you would expect to see in a dying strip mall in a bad area of town.

^

Did Sunrise Spa really use the Jimmy Dean sausage webpage as inspiration for their new sign?

http://www.jimmydean.com/