The State of Downtown Retail

[swu_BA_student]

Thank God. Glad to see it gone.

Wow, little rough guys. While it would be nicer if they had designed the place better, I'm only glad to see businesses that knowingly are a public nuisance go under. If the owners are reading this I wish the best to you, your family and any employees who may have lost their jobs in this rough economy and thank you for participating in the backbone of our economic system, the small business.

Edited February 15, 2010 by swu_BA_student

[gs3]

Wow, little rough guys. While it would be nicer if they had designed the place better, I'm only glad to see businesses that knowingly are a public nuisance go under. If the owners are reading this I wish the best to you, your family and any employees who may have lost their jobs in this rough economy and thank you for participating in the backbone of our economic system, the small business.

IMO, this place was a nuisance. The couple of people who worked there hung out on the street all day smoking, one always wearing saggy pants showing their crack.....the store smelled bad, looked bad, attracted a rough crowd of people (friends of the owner I'm assuming). I don't want to see anyone lose their job and rarely, if ever, do I want to see a business fail.....in this case however, glad to see it gone.

Edited February 15, 2010 by gsupstate

[swu_BA_student]

To add some more food for thought, wouldn't we have rather seen this place grow to the point of having enough capital to create the type of business that would add to downtown. I live down here and more places that offer some of what Quikies had are sorely needed. Could you see them hiring a design firm to improve the interior or worked with Next or the Clemson MBA students to get a better business plan together. I would love to have a big city style convenience/deli store. A place where I could get a buttered hard roll and a coffee on the way to work in the morning. Maybe a movie rental kiosk, (I'm into Blu-Rays and none of the machines have them yet.) All I'm saying is I really want more businesses that cater to the people who call downtown home not just the visiters.

[swu_BA_student]

IMO, this place was a nuisance. The couple of people who worked there hung out on the street all day smoking, one always wearing saggy pants showing their crack.....the store smelled bad, looked bad, attracted a rough crowd of people (friends of the owner I'm assuming). I don't want to see anyone lose their job and rarely, if ever, do I want to see a business fail.....in this case however, glad to see it gone.

So people who you prejudge by the way they look are a nuisance because you have to look at them? Why do you have more right to the city then they do, maybe they find your attitude to be offensive. Also, I drive up and down Main st on the way to work every day and they did not hang out on the street smoking all day although to be fair I have seen them taking smoke breaks outside before for sure. And with that I'll stop before I get .

[gs3]

So people who you prejudge by the way they look are a nuisance because you have to look at them? Why do you have more right to the city then they do, maybe they find your attitude to be offensive. Also, I drive up and down Main st on the way to work every day and they did not hang out on the street smoking all day although to be fair I have seen them taking smoke breaks outside before for sure. And with that I'll stop before I get .

No pre-juding on my part. When it first opened I went in and tried to buy something.....a worker on their cell phone ignoring customers, the "f-bomb" being dropped every other word by the workers, a generally trashy place. That isn't prejudging, just fact. If I prejudged them, then so did most of Greenville as they went out of business. Maybe if they had cleaned up their act and tried to be a respectable business they would still be around.

Edited February 15, 2010 by gsupstate

[GVLbikeNboard]

lol, the store never smelled bad while I was in there and there was never a "rough" crowd. What defines "rough" to you anyways? Someone who can't afford the clothes you can? Someone who skates? Someone who smokes often? Wears baggy pants? Has piercings on their face? Tattoos maybe? If you talked to some of these "rough" looking people you would probably find that they're pretty normal. . And no, I'm not a friend of the owner.

That being said, there was one employee who was not too talkative and seemed pretty bored with his job, but I let that slide because of the convenience factor of being able to grab a drink and snack while downtown. I wish they could have at least stayed open until CVS comes, and you know they would end up closing then anyways. Now, once again, there's nowhere like it downtown...

[gs3]

lol, the store never smelled bad while I was in there and there was never a "rough" crowd. What defines "rough" to you anyways? Someone who can't afford the clothes you can? Someone who skates? Someone who smokes often? Wears baggy pants? Has piercings on their face? Tattoos maybe? If you talked to some of these "rough" looking people you would probably find that they're pretty normal. .[img http://www.saveaplanet.org/cdn/img/public/style_emoticons/default/dontknow.gif And no, I'm not a friend of the owner.

That being said, there was one employee who was not too talkative and seemed pretty bored with his job, but I let that slide because of the convenience factor of being able to grab a drink and snack while downtown. I wish they could have at least stayed open until CVS comes, and you know they would end up closing then anyways. Now, once again, there's nowhere like it downtown...

Piercings, baggy pants, tattoos, who cares....people can be who and what they want to be....you seem to be judging me! I probably see and talk to a more diverse group of people in a week than many do in their whole life.

We are talking about a business.

There is a way to run a business and a way to not run a business. This store succeeded at how "not" to run a business. Add all the parts together, and the store was generally a trashy place. You guys on here defending this store....maybe you should have shopped there more and it would still be open...in all its trashy glory.

[Lib]

Could you see them hiring a design firm to improve the interior or worked with Next or the Clemson MBA students to get a better business plan together.

Absolutely not.

Whoever owned and ran that store did not care about their business enough to improve it and make it successful. I can also say glad I'm it's not on Main Street anymore.

In spite of poor customer service, etc, the bottom line is they didn't care. It was obvious in every thing they did and did not do.

Greenville needs business owners that actually care about their customers and about making Downtown a better place.

Edited February 15, 2010 by Lib

[Greenville]

To add some more food for thought, wouldn't we have rather seen this place grow to the point of having enough capital to create the type of business that would add to downtown.

Come on now. Did you honestly visit Qwikees (or even walk/drive by) and get the impression that they were the type of owners who wanted to put profits back into the business to improve it? If so, the blue paint, cheap sign, and dirty environment beg to differ.

[GvilleSC]

I think there is a need for the employees to look professional. I never experienced a professional attitude at this retail location. It's unfortunate, but as a result did not add positively to downtown...

[gman430]

I'm personally glad to see this place gone. It did nothing to add positively to the downtown environment. Something like this belongs on the run down area of Poinsett Highway not downtown. The place looked like an old gas station convenience store. Even the name was horrible. You wouldn't believe the number of pervert jokes I heard regarding it. Downtown is a selling point not just for newcomers but also economic development. I doubt people like the Proterra folks visiting our downtown would be too thrilled seeing Main Street lined with cash checking shops, tattoo parlors, gas station type convenience stores, etc.

Edited February 16, 2010 by citylife

[swu_BA_student]

I'm personally glad to see this place gone. It did nothing to add positively to the downtown environment. Something like this belongs on the run down area of Poinsett Highway not downtown. The place looked like an old gas station convenience store. Even the name was horrible. You wouldn't believe the number of pervert jokes I heard regarding it. Downtown is a selling point not just for newcomers but also economic development. I doubt people like the Proterra folks visiting our downtown would be too thrilled seeing Main Street lined with cash checking shops, tattoo parlors, gas station type convenience stores, etc.

Yeah, I have admit I really don't like the gold buying place on that same block. They look kind of like a pawn shop to me.

[GVLbikeNboard]

Yeah, I have admit I really don't like the gold buying place on that same block. They look kind of like a pawn shop to me.

No denying that they have some pretty awesome vintage guitars in there! I wish it was just a guitar shop.

And I'm not defending Qwikees, or saying it was in any way "nice". I'm just defending the idea of the place. There was not much thought behind it, but a place like that needs to be downtown (and I understand that we all know that, we want better, blah blah...i agree!). Maybe (psh), and hopefully sooner rather than later, the development across the street with CVS will get under way. I saw Qwikees as more of an "in between" store until we have something better, but it is more appealing than an empty store, or muddy, fenced-in lot with concrete posts and metal all over the place. Then again, I'm probably the only one who thinks so. Oh well, it's gone. Now we wait...

[HomerJay]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the sign on Qwikees says they're closed for remodeling. They say they're going to reopen and include other services such as DVD rentals and cigar sales.

[gs3]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the sign on Qwikees says they're closed for remodeling. They say they're going to reopen and include other services such as DVD rentals and cigar sales.

Now I know these people have no clue about business....they might want to read up on the state of DVD rentals nationally....Movie Gallery bankruptcy and Blockbuster hardly able to stay in business.....it's called "streaming" and maybe they should clue in. Who knows....maybe they plan to rent porn flicks....it sort of goes with the seedy atmosphere of the store.

[swu_BA_student]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the sign on Qwikees says they're closed for remodeling. They say they're going to reopen and include other services such as DVD rentals and cigar sales.

Huh? look at that. Guess we were a little quick to judge after all. Remodeling sounds like putting money back into the business to me. By the way, the movie rental kiosk business is booming. I'm betting thats what they are putting in as I sent the owner of a few Red Box franchises down to ask them if they were interested in putting one in. Take a look at the stock of their parent company, Coinstar, if you don't believe me.

[Greenville]

Now I know these people have no clue about business....they might want to read up on the state of DVD rentals nationally....Movie Gallery bankruptcy and Blockbuster hardly able to stay in business.....it's called "streaming" and maybe they should clue in. Who knows....maybe they plan to rent porn flicks....it sort of goes with the seedy atmosphere of the store.

LOL!

My first thoughts were porn movies and the cheap $1 cigars that come individually wrapped in the plastic bags. I hope they complete the trifecta with a condom machine in the men's bathroom!

Edited February 17, 2010 by Greenville

[GVLbikeNboard]

Huh? look at that. Guess we were a little quick to judge after all. Remodeling sounds like putting money back into the business to me. By the way, the movie rental kiosk business is booming. I'm betting thats what they are putting in as I sent the owner of a few Red Box franchises down to ask them if they were interested in putting one in. Take a look at the stock of their parent company, Coinstar, if you don't believe me.

Definitely, last time I was in bi-lo there was a line for the DVD rental kiosk.

[gs3]

LOL! :lol:My first thoughts were porn movies and the cheap $1 cigars that come individually wrapped in the plastic bags. I hope they complete the trifecta with a condom machine in the men's bathroom!

Throw in a good selection of press on nails as well as strawberry, lemon and peach scented hanging air freshners for the car. We'll then have a really cool store!

Edited February 17, 2010 by gsupstate

[gman430]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the sign on Qwikees says they're closed for remodeling. They say they're going to reopen and include other services such as DVD rentals and cigar sales.

Shucks. Well they WERE closed. If they call adding DVD rentals and cigar sales a renovation then they clearly are misunderstood. Why the city has allowed this joke to stay open this long is beyond me. Hopefully the CVS across the street when it opens will shut them down for good.

[Lib]

Apparently Qwickee's is under new ownership.

So it may have a chance to live up to its potential. I just hope they don't keep the name!!!

[gman430]

Purple International Bistro and Sushi is the name of the establishment going into the former Port City Java space in the FieldHouse at WestEnd building: http://www.greenvill...hMainStreet.pdf

Edited February 17, 2010 by citylife

[gs3]

Purple International Bistro and Sushi is the name of the establishment going into the former Port City Java space in the FieldHouse at WestEnd building:http://www.greenvill...hMainStreet.pdf

Wow. I was a good six months ahead of you on that one G-man. http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php?/topic/20419-the-west-end/page__st__840

[Greenville]

Throw in a good selection of press on nails as well as strawberry, lemon and peach scented hanging air freshners for the car. We'll then have a really cool store!

Yeah!

Don't forget the wide selection of foam cozies for beer cans, with designs such as NASCAR driver numbers, camouflage, and of course the silhouette of a nude woman (to match the mud flaps on their truck).

[gs3]

Don't forget the wide selection of foam cozies for beer cans, with designs such as NASCAR driver numbers, camouflage, and of course the silhouette of a nude woman (to match the mud flaps on their truck).

Along with the "Git r done" window stickers.