The State of Downtown Retail

[goodbye]

Jillian's was planned for the same space now occupied by Mast General Store.

I was thinking the number of closures is higher than 5.

[gs3]

Jillian's was planned for the same space now occupied by Mast General Store.

I was thinking the number of closures is higher than 5.

Well then we got the good end of the stick on that one by getting Mast.

[goodbye]

What are the retail and restaurant offerings still available on Coffee Street? I can think of:

• Coffee Underground
  
• Coffee Street Bakery
  
• Charlie's Steakhouse
  
• Corner Pocket
  
• Trio - corner of Main and Coffee
  
• Ristorante Bergamo - corner of Main and Coffee
  

Any others?

[gs3]

What are the retail and restaurant offerings still available on Coffee Street? I can think of:

• Coffee Underground
  
• Coffee Street Bakery
  
• Charlie's Steakhouse
  
• Corner Pocket
  
• Trio - corner of Main and Coffee
  
• Ristorante Bergamo - corner of Main and Coffee
  

Any others?

And the best one of all time: Addy's

[goodbye]

Oops!!!

How did I miss that great place?! Thanks, gsupstate!

[adrockc2]

What are the retail and restaurant offerings still available on Coffee Street? I can think of:

• Coffee Underground
  
• Coffee Street Bakery
  
• Charlie's Steakhouse
  
• Corner Pocket
  
• Trio - corner of Main and Coffee
  
• Ristorante Bergamo - corner of Main and Coffee
  

Any others?

Never on Sunday

[goodbye]

Great! I couldn't remember if they were on Coffee or Washington. Thanks!

[GvilleSC]

...but if you want downtown Greenville to be really successful, all you need is one of these: http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/.../701120331/1004

"in limited areas". It won't be downtown, but I see ways to bring Pleasantburg back!

-----------

PS- Y'all sure do paint a grim picture of downtown. One that I've yet to experience.

Edited January 12, 2007 by GvilleSC

[Greenville]

Greenville really needs a nightlife district, and I wish they would start with a street that goes off of Main. It would still be close to Main and the central artery through the city, but wouldn't be mixed with the laid-back downtown some city leaders obviously desire. Greenville isn't boring by any means, but it could do a lot more for those who don't want to simply eat downtown and walk up and down Main all the time.

[GvilleSC]

Greenville really needs a nightlife district, and I wish they would start with a street that goes off of Main. It would still be close to Main and the central artery through the city, but wouldn't be mixed with the laid-back downtown some city leaders obviously desire. Greenville isn't boring by any means, but it could do a lot more for those who don't want to simply eat downtown and walk up and down Main all the time.

I agree. Any ideas on the street? Stone might be too far removed, but it's one that has a lot of potential.

[linkerjpatrick]

Stone Ave. currently has the Handlebar, Horizon Records and the adjoining Bohemian Cafe. I could deal with a lot more things like that on Stone Ave. Stone Ave. could really use a good sprucing up in some places and their is nothing saying you cram everything on main street. Also speaking of Stone and the North Main area I wish they had more "soda shops" like you find near that Park on North Main in the neighborhoods.

[RestedTraveler]

O-Cha has sent out a plea via MySpace Bulletin:

As you may know...7 locally owned independent businesses have closed their doors in the immediate downtown area of Greenville in the past 2 months. Please help support us so that we can keep our doors open...O-CHA needs all the support you can give to not shut down in the near future. We love all of our regular customers and don't want to lose the relationship we have built with so many great ppl in this city. Help keep independent business alive!!!!

Sounds dire for them as well. I'm going to go in for a bubble tea tomorrow. If you like this place as much as I do, please do the same.

Please Note: I am in no way advertising for O-Cha, but I don't want to see them suffer the same fate as these other stores which have recently closed.

[linkerjpatrick]

Ok, I've said this before in different posts but the whole concept of a "tea bar" in downtown Greenville is weird and a long shot. The fact they are having to literally beg people to visit their and buy their product is just sad. If their business is bad it's because 1.) People don't want to buy their product or 2.) A lot of people would be caught dead in a "tea bar". I'm not saying this just for myself but know a lot of people in the Greenville area who just find this too odd. When it comes to going out and buying tea in the upstate more people will make a special trip to Spartanburg for "Beacon Tea". I personally don't want to be sucking up pieces of tapioca in my tea.

I wouldn't be surprised to to see O Cha leave downtown. Not because anything downtown is doing but it's just too odd a fit for Greenville right now. Now that they a having to beg people to come in makes me not want to go even more.

Now, if we find out Charlie's Steak House is closing because of rent or downtown laws we will have a problem.

[charlie swords]

...but if you want downtown Greenville to be really successful, all you need is one of these: http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/.../701120331/1004

i wouldn't mind seeing a nice tattoo parlor somewhere downtown. Contrary to belief there are nice clean shops, Empire in Asheville is one and they have very good qualified artists but it will never happen and all the shops opening up around here right now are crap, i have not seen any good work coming out of them...i will stick to driving to Asheville, a 1 hour drive is worth it to get quality work

Speaking of which they had a segment on Fox news about this the other night....

[gs3]

You guys will get a chuckle out of this one.....an Anger Bar. I'm sure it would be way too weird for Greenville.....or maybe not.

http://www.adcult.com/ads/the-anger-bar-no...w-niche-market/

IMHO, tea bars, oxygen bars, etc, etc are pretty standard fare in most cities now and Greenville has the urban sophistication to support these things.

[lbs5015]

I think Downtown needs a quality Camera shop, you know the good lenses, cameras, and accessories, that you can't really get at the big box stores. They could even have photography lessons etc. Something alittle more sophisticated then the Ritz/Wolf camera stores. although it would be cool to see one of those stores downtown also.

Another type store that might do well downtown(ok maybe it wouldn't do well but I'd shop at it) is like an old timey mom and pop hardware store.

A Brookstone type store would work for me too! something i could go into while the wife was shoping in the artsy krinkety stores.

[Greenville]

Ok, I've said this before in different posts but the whole concept of a "tea bar" in downtown Greenville is weird and a long shot. The fact they are having to literally beg people to visit their and buy their product is just sad. If their business is bad it's because 1.) People don't want to buy their product or 2.) A lot of people would be caught dead in a "tea bar". I'm not saying this just for myself but know a lot of people in the Greenville area who just find this too odd. When it comes to going out and buying tea in the upstate more people will make a special trip to Spartanburg for "Beacon Tea". I personally don't want to be sucking up pieces of tapioca in my tea.

I wouldn't be surprised to to see O Cha leave downtown. Not because anything downtown is doing but it's just too odd a fit for Greenville right now. Now that they a having to beg people to come in makes me not want to go even more.

Now, if we find out Charlie's Steak House is closing because of rent or downtown laws we will have a problem.

I respectfully disagree. I think that Greenville has plenty of people who enjoy and appreciate the concept of a tea bar. In fact, I know a fair amount of people who like O-Cha and their teas. Perhaps many people went out of curiosity and did not become "regulars," or maybe the upstairs location there is not the best one. Regardless, I am not convinced that a tea bar is too "foreign" for Greenville people. Not all of us even like the sweet iced tea you find at many restaurants.

[GvilleSC]

I respectfully disagree. I think that Greenville has plenty of people who enjoy and appreciate the concept of a tea bar. In fact, I know a fair amount of people who like O-Cha and their teas. Perhaps many people went out of curiosity and did not become "regulars," or maybe the upstairs location there is not the best one. Regardless, I am not convinced that a tea bar is too "foreign" for Greenville people. Not all of us even like the sweet iced tea you find at many restaurants.

I agree with Greenville. I think it could be more successful on the street level. The upstairs location probably isn't the best for such a specialty place.

[linkerjpatrick]

I'm personally not a big fan of "sweet tea" as I used to be. My dad is a diabetic and often when we go out to eat with him or eat at his house we adopt his diet. A diabetics diet is good for a lot of people and I personally think sweet tea and sugary carbonated beveragesis more of a health problem and vice than a lot of alcoholic beverages out there. I often order unsweetened tea these day and occasionally add one pack of sugar which is a lot better than what you would normally get (I have heard some sweet tea serving have as much as 8 packs of sugar.

I do think the second floor of O-Cha is somewhat of a hindrance as second floors on city store fronts are not the norm in this area. Second floors are traditionally a residence, meeting room (I've seen quite a few place where they have a masonic lodge on the second floor - mainly in the surround mill villages). I would be willing to try a "bubble tea" at least once someone would have to sneak it to my testing labs.

I don't like the way the describe their business on their web site. It makes the place sound like a scene in a bad 70's sci-fi movie.

Another thing about supporting local retail. I was at Coffee Underground and saw a brochure that was promoting local independant business people. I was going to inquire how I could be a part of that but the e-mail address on the web site advertised in the brochure bounced back to me.

[RestedTraveler]

I think Downtown needs a quality Camera shop, you know the good lenses, cameras, and accessories, that you can't really get at the big box stores. They could even have photography lessons etc. Something alittle more sophisticated then the Ritz/Wolf camera stores.

I've been thinking that for a while, too. I think one would do especially well near Falls Park/RiverPlace. Unfortunately, this isn't exactly the part of downtown that needs a shot in the arm right now, though.

I agree with Greenville. I think it could be more successful on the street level. The upstairs location probably isn't the best for such a specialty place.

I don't think people in Greenville aren't sophisticated enough for a Tea Bar. I think O-Cha's biggest problem is that people don't realize it is there. Perhaps O-Cha should look into having a Tea Cart stationed on the sidewalk near the door? Perhaps on Piazza Bergamo? I've thought this befoe, especially when faced with the task of folding down a stroller and carrying it upstairs. It'd be nice if they offered (even limited) refreshment on the street to augment their regular business and maybe even draw more attention to it.

[g-man430]

Have you guys noticed that the shops that are still open are the ones that advertise in newspapers like the Greenville Journal, but the ones who have closed up shop didn't. I've seen advertisements for Mast General Store, Lynn Strong, O.P. Taylors, etc. and those are all still open. Exception would be the Map Shop. When was the last time you saw an advertisement for Sunshine of Greenville?

[gs3]

I respectfully disagree. I think that Greenville has plenty of people who enjoy and appreciate the concept of a tea bar. In fact, I know a fair amount of people who like O-Cha and their teas. Perhaps many people went out of curiosity and did not become "regulars," or maybe the upstairs location there is not the best one. Regardless, I am not convinced that a tea bar is too "foreign" for Greenville people. Not all of us even like the sweet iced tea you find at many restaurants.

I rather like the upstairs location, as it's a great lounge atmosphere.....a good place to hangout and chat with people. O'Cha does have a very loyal following, it just needs a MORE of a loyal following.

[btoy]

It appears like the Barefoot Comfort Company is closing as well, I saw that their space is for lease.

[g-man430]

It appears like the Barefoot Comfort Company is closing as well, I saw that their space is for lease.

So, is it 1981 or are these stores just boycotting the city?

Edited January 15, 2007 by g-man430

[Mr. Downtown]

It appears like the Barefoot Comfort Company is closing as well, I saw that their space is for lease.

Barefoot moved next door to Jersey Mike's (about 3-4 weeks ago), where the Camperdown marketing office was before their midnight moveout. My guess is that Barefoot wanted a slightly smaller space, and the landlord let them swap leases because their former location is more marketable.