CONSTRUCTION THREAD: Verdae

[johnpro318]

16 minutes ago, JCT said:

Hales Jewelers "will move from its current location on Haywood Road, where it’s been since 1982, to Verdae, a planned community in Greenville."

https://www.nationaljeweler.com/independents/retail-profiles/9283-hale-s-jewelers-set-to-open-new-flagship

The article doesn't mention the exact location. Is this next to the new Sumerel building? 

 

I'm pretty sure that looks like what they are building next to the Children's Medical Center near Old Sulfur Springs Road.

[JCT]

1 hour ago, johnpro318 said:

I'm pretty sure that looks like what they are building next to the Children's Medical Center near Old Sulfur Springs Road.

That makes sense. Thanks. 

[vistatiger]

Odd location for a retailer. Guess they wanted to be a little closer to Jared and the other new jeweler coming to Magnolia Park.  Were they downtown before the mall was built? 

Edited October 12, 2020 by vistatiger

[apaladin]

7 hours ago, vistatiger said:

Odd location for a retailer. Guess they wanted to be a little closer to Jared and the other new jeweler coming to Magnolia Park.  Were they downtown before the mall was built? 

All the jewelry stores were downtown back in the day. 

[Exile]

Hales had a downtown store for decades, with their iconic sidewalk clock. I bought the watch I still wear there in '87.

I think that the Haywood Road store was a relocation from McAlister, I guess after the big fire that Mall had in '81 or '82. When they closed the downtown store, they moved the clock out to Haywood. I'm pretty sure the downtown store was closed by 1990, since I bought my wife's engagement and wedding ring at Haywood in 1990. I would certainly have gone downtown rather than Haywood to make that purchase.

Edited October 13, 2020 by Exile

[gman430]

edit.

Edited October 13, 2020 by gman430

[gman]

This is another sign that Haywood Rd. is a bad location for retailers. Soon, there will be many empty store fronts, and then you have the mall itself. Sad to see. As for Hales, they are a destination jeweler. Mr. Lee is well known in the industry as being one of the best jewelers in the business. Their customers will travel anywhere in Greenville to deal with them. Plus, they have customers from all over the nation. 

[johnpro318]

1 hour ago, gman said:

This is another sign that Haywood Rd. is a bad location for retailers. Soon, there will be many empty store fronts, and then you have the mall itself. Sad to see. As for Hales, they are a destination jeweler. Mr. Lee is well known in the industry as being one of the best jewelers in the business. Their customers will travel anywhere in Greenville to deal with them. Plus, they have customers from all over the nation. 

Haywood needs to increase it's office and residential components and the retail will return.

[vistatiger]

You guys make it sound like Haywood has dried up like the old Columbia Mall and Two Notch area in Columbia. Greenville's only and the upstate's best mall is still there with four department stores.  Still lots of retail around it and new apartments have been added around it recently as well.  As much as I love Downtown there is just nothing down there except for one or two small stores that I want to shop in that often.

Edited October 14, 2020 by vistatiger

[SVL]

Hale’s Jewelers looks back on its history while planning new flagship store in Greenville

Love reading stories like this.

[Exile]

14 hours ago, SVL said:

Hale’s Jewelers looks back on its history while planning new flagship store in Greenville

Love reading stories like this.

"Lee said they also have plans to move the Hale’s Clock, a local landmark that has stood on Haywood Road for more than a century..."

Maybe I'm too picky, but to me this is a pretty big editorial miss.

[GvilleSC]

14 minutes ago, Exile said:

"Lee said they also have plans to move the Hale’s Clock, a local landmark that has stood on Haywood Road for more than a century..."

Maybe I'm too picky, but to me this is a pretty big editorial miss.

I think it's fair to expect more. This isn't a one-off mistake. Their work has taken a step back over the years. It's a shame to see. 

[gman430]

If you build it, they will come. They will all come.

And this isn’t even everything that is getting built right now in Verdae: 

 

Edited November 2, 2020 by gman430

[apaladin]

Thought for a minute that was a tower crane. Was fixin to get excited. 

[JCT]

This empty property at the corner of Woodruff and Rocky Slope has been available for a long time, but yesterday I noticed new survey flags, ribbons, and paint.  Does anyone know what is going on here?

 

[gman]

Good decision for Smith & James. I don't understand why any small business wants to remain in Greenridge. It's a mess. "Smith & James to relocate Greenville store." https://upstatebusinessjournal.com/business-news/smith-james-to-relocate-greenville-store/

[GvilleSC]

4 minutes ago, gman said:

Good decision for Smith & James. I don't understand why any small business wants to remain in Greenridge. It's a mess. "Smith & James to relocate Greenville store." https://upstatebusinessjournal.com/business-news/smith-james-to-relocate-greenville-store/

I'm not sure how I feel about these free standing stores. I get the appeal of being on a larger road, but the village portion of Verdae could really use the retail. Smith and James could have been a great shot in the arm, and I feel that they, like Hales, have enough of a following and name recognition to have made the village area work. Meh. 

[Cityplanner]

Weird for both stores.  I'd think that Haywood or Woodruff Roads or downtown would have been better for both of them.  Maybe even Augusta Road, actually.

Sorry, I am not driving to Verdae just to go to either, but I'd shop there if they were located in a place where I was already headed.

Hale's was at McAlister Square at least through the late 1980s, at the entrance next to Meyers-Arnold.  I forget what was in the space was after that.

Edited February 17, 2021 by Cityplanner

[vistatiger]

2 hours ago, Cityplanner said:

Weird for both stores.  I'd think that Haywood or Woodruff Roads or downtown would have been better for both of them.  Maybe even Augusta Road, actually.

Sorry, I am not driving to Verdae just to go to either, but I'd shop there if they were located in a place where I was already headed.

Hale's was at McAlister Square at least through the late 1980s, at the entrance next to Meyers-Arnold.  I forget what was in the space was after that.

Agree. Out of sight and out of mind is not good when you are a  retailer. Plenty of vacant spaces they could have gone in more high traffic retail areas. Haywood and Downtown could use a retail boost. Nothing much about Verdae impresses me. Just a bunch of mismatched freestanding development's built over time. Not a town center or village atmosphere at all IMO. What's next Walmart or Dollar General?

Edited February 18, 2021 by vistatiger

[cabelagent]

On 2/17/2021 at 7:03 PM, vistatiger said:

Agree. Out of sight and out of mind is not good when you are a  retailer. Plenty of vacant spaces they could have gone in more high traffic retail areas. Haywood and Downtown could use a retail boost. Nothing much about Verdae impresses me. Just a bunch of mismatched freestanding development's built over time. Not a town center or village atmosphere at all IMO. What's next Walmart or Dollar General?

Probably Advance Auto, CVS, Walgreens,...or a Greenville Car Wash  

[Exile]

On 2/17/2021 at 7:03 PM, vistatiger said:

Agree. Out of sight and out of mind is not good when you are a  retailer. Plenty of vacant spaces they could have gone in more high traffic retail areas. Haywood and Downtown could use a retail boost. Nothing much about Verdae impresses me. Just a bunch of mismatched freestanding development's built over time. Not a town center or village atmosphere at all IMO. What's next Walmart or Dollar General?

My wife worked in the jewelry business years ago in Georgia, and of course her employer asked where her engagement ring came from. When she said Hale's, she instantly had a certain credibility. What that said to me is that Hale's isn't any ordinary jeweler. They were then a destination, and I assume they are still today. I suspect they neither need nor want to be in a high-traffic area. Random browsers probably detract from the aesthetic they are trying to create. Or so it would seem to me.

It's been years (and years...) since I've been there, but wasn't there a interior door between Jack Runnion and Hales at their Haywood rock-building location? That would have served them well, given Jack Runnion's clientele. Looks like the location of Smith & James is the same strategy updated.

[johnpro318]

42 minutes ago, Exile said:

My wife worked in the jewelry business years ago in Georgia, and of course her employer asked where her engagement ring came from. When she said Hale's, she instantly had a certain credibility. What that said to me is that Hale's isn't any ordinary jeweler. They were then a destination, and I assume they are still today. I suspect they neither need nor want to be in a high-traffic area. Random browsers probably detract from the aesthetic they are trying to create. Or so it would seem to me.

It's been years (and years...) since I've been there, but wasn't there a interior door between Jack Runnion and Hales at their Haywood rock-building location? That would have served them well, given Jack Runnion's clientele. Looks like the location of Smith & James is the same strategy updated.

Yea the clientele for both of these stores will find these stores. It's probably a good fit with the image they and Verdae are trying to have.

[gman]

1 hour ago, johnpro318 said:

Yea the clientele for both of these stores will find these stores. It's probably a good fit with the image they and Verdae are trying to have.

Exactly. Hale's does not need to be in a congested high traffic area. They have second and third generation customers, from all over the world. Hale's is indeed a destination jewelry. I will add, there is no town center shopping area in the Upstate, certainly not on Woodruff Rd. 

[cabelagent]

30 minutes ago, gman said:

Exactly. Hale's does not need to be in a congested high traffic area. They have second and third generation customers, from all over the world. Hale's is indeed a destination jewelry. I will add, there is no town center shopping area in the Upstate, certainly not on Woodruff Rd. 

What is Magnolia Park??

Magnolia Park Town Center details

Magnolia Park Town Center shopping information - stores in mall (27), detailed hours of operations, directions with map and GPS coordinates. Location: Greenville, South Carolina, 1025 Woodruff Road, Greenville, South Carolina - SC 29607. Black Friday and holiday hours. Look at selection of great stores located in Midtown plaza and read reviews from customers and write your own review about your visit at the mall. Don't miss rate the mall. Phone: 561 282-5715.

[johnpro318]

55 minutes ago, cabelagent said:

What is Magnolia Park??

Magnolia Park Town Center details

Magnolia Park Town Center shopping information - stores in mall (27), detailed hours of operations, directions with map and GPS coordinates. Location: Greenville, South Carolina, 1025 Woodruff Road, Greenville, South Carolina - SC 29607. Black Friday and holiday hours. Look at selection of great stores located in Midtown plaza and read reviews from customers and write your own review about your visit at the mall. Don't miss rate the mall. Phone: 561 282-5715.

Just because it calls itself a town center, doesn't mean it is. Look up Avalon in Atlanta for an example. Thats what I was hoping Magnolia Park would be. But maybe the development in Mauldin will be more of a true town center.