Five Points

[digital_sandlapper]

...so much "keeping Five Points Funky".

You can say that again! Oh well . . .

[krazeeboi]

We should be thankful that this project is as good as it is, IMO.

You have a point. I think it will be better designed than the Wachovia at least--speaking of which, something needs to be developed on that adjacent surface lot.

[krazeeboi]

Rocky Branch Creek is being restored to its original location in MLK park after having been moved under the baseball field at the park near Five Points three decades ago. This should help with the frequent flooding problem in Five Points after rainstorms.

[waccamatt]

It would be nice if all of the creeks in town could be restored to their natural state - they add so much to a neighborhood.

[waverider]

Rocky Branch Creek is being restored to its original location in MLK park after having been moved under the baseball field at the park near Five Points three decades ago. This should help with the frequent flooding problem in Five Points after rainstorms.

I'm pretty excited about this restoration. My coworkers and I have taken lunch to the park before, and I think this will add some beauty and peace to those midday breaks. However, I've only seen the part of the work closest to Lee/Pavillion, I wonder how it looks closer to the baseball field.

[Spartan]

The city is acquiring land for more parking in Five Points off of Devine Street. The article reads as though the parking is already there, it will just be made public. I have no objections to that... though I still prefer the Five Points South option.

The State

[emerging.me]

Apple Store buzz for Five Points. Hmmm... I'll be pleasantly surprised if this comes to pass:

http://www.thestate.com/136/story/908805.h...nk=omni_popular

[krazeeboi]

To have an Apple store and a restaurant new to Columbia to come to that site would be near-redeeming qualities for the overall development.

[Spartan]

I'll be surprised if they choose Five Points in that location. Maybe some other spot in Five Points though.

[SCxpBrussel]

The Five Points location wouldn't have been my first guess for Apple's choice in Columbia. I'd be so thrilled to have an Apple Store in Columbia I'd drive to the middle of nowhere to go to it. This is great news! I hope it's not like so many other "great news" projects in Columbia that never come to fruition.

[krazeeboi]

If the developers weren't chasing Apple as a potential new tenant for the retail space they're building, it's doubtful anything concerning Apple would be happening at all, at least at this present time.

[waccamatt]

Apple would be a nice addition to Five Points even though it is a chain. With USC and the Apple-type neighborhoods surrounding Five Points, I think it's a great location, though I wouldn't have put it in that new building.

[GamecockEngineer]

I'd love for an Apple store to open in Columbia, but Five Points should not be the place. Apple would do wonders for Main Street. I wouldn't mind seeing it in the Vista.

While it's already too late, I would just like to see non-chain stores in Five Points. I really liked the "Keep Five Points Funky" Campaign, but I guess Starbucks was the start to the fall, followed by Walgreens, et. al. I'm sure there's others that have come and gone (like Rising High), but I think the local stores, restaurants, and bars made Five Points what it is.

[krazeeboi]

Being that Apple appeals a lot to the college crowd, I can see why Five Points would be an option. Personally, I think it's great that Five Points is being considered instead of Columbiana. Main Street doesn't really have the traffic to sustain an Apple store right now, although it would be an excellent catalyst to further Main's revival but something tells me that Apple isn't too concerned with being a pioneer, LOL.

[GvilleSC]

Being that Apple appeals a lot to the college crowd, I can see why Five Points would be an option. Personally, I think it's great that Five Points is being considered instead of Columbiana. Main Street doesn't really have the traffic to sustain an Apple store right now, although it would be an excellent catalyst to further Main's revival but something tells me that Apple isn't too concerned with being a pioneer, LOL.

Doesn't the USC campus have a college Apple store?

[krazeeboi]

Doesn't the USC campus have a college Apple store?

The AppleHub station in Russell House sells Macs, iPods, and accessories but not iPhones.

[GvilleSC]

The AppleHub station in Russell House sells Macs, iPods, and accessories but not iPhones.

So, the main population is already served. I can't see why an Apple store would open anywhere downtown...

[CorgiMatt]

Let's see. 127,000 - 26,000 = 101,000, + 628,000; central location, shiny new space - duh. Cute dig, though.

Edited August 22, 2009 by CorgiMatt

[waccamatt]

So, the main population is already served. I can't see why an Apple store would open anywhere downtown...

There are plenty of mid to upper class neighborhoods surrounding Five Points, not to mention there is already a significant amount of retail in Five Points.

[GvilleSC]

Let's see. 127,000 - 26,000 = 101,000, + 628,000; central location, shiny new space - duh. Cute dig, though.

Wow. A little sensitive are we?

Can we try and be honest for a moment, though? So we're entertaining the idea of Apple opening a store about a mile from a current location because Five Points has shopping, Columbia residents need iPhones, and CorgiMatt can do math? Sounds like a good business plan

[clt29301]

Wow. A little sensitive are we?

Can we try and be honest for a moment, though? So we're entertaining the idea of Apple opening a store about a mile from a current location because Five Points has shopping, Columbia residents need iPhones, and CorgiMatt can do math? Sounds like a good business plan

I don't see that anyone is sensitive and who knows if this is just a rumor, but I am not sure why an Apple store would not work in Five Points. There is a major research university blocks away (roughly 30k students....and a huge steady built in customer base), there is sufficient population in Metro Columbia and Richland's demographics would fit. Besides, Apple is also a destination store (try getting into the SouthPark store on a weekend) that would draw from the entire Midlands area.

[gman430]

I can and can't see this happening. I can because of its central location near a major university but can't because of the type of development the store would be located in. Apple usually only locates in high-end malls/mixed use developments or in downtown regions with numerous elite national retailers like Charleston.

[GvilleSC]

I don't see that anyone is sensitive and who knows if this is just a rumor, but I am not sure why an Apple store would not work in Five Points. There is a major research university blocks away (roughly 30k students....and a huge steady built in customer base), there is sufficient population in Metro Columbia and Richland's demographics would fit. Besides, Apple is also a destination store (try getting into the SouthPark store on a weekend) that would draw from the entire Midlands area.

Your argument cites the USC student population as a major customer base for an Apple store downtown. But can you please tell me why students would shop at an Apple store in Five Points (or anywhere else in the metro for that matter) when they have an Apple store ON CAMPUS? If Apple closed the store on the campus of USC, then yes, it makes a great location. BUT, if the Apple store on the USC campus stayed open, why would Apple open a location so close? A suburban store would make more sense. We're not talking about Starbucks here...

Edited August 23, 2009 by GvilleSC

[krazeeboi]

Your argument cites the USC student population as a major customer base for an Apple store downtown. But can you please tell me why students would shop at an Apple store in Five Points (or anywhere else in the metro for that matter) when they have an Apple store ON CAMPUS? If Apple closed the store on the campus of USC, then yes, it makes a great location. BUT, if the Apple store on the USC campus stayed open, why would Apple open a location so close? A suburban store would make more sense. We're not talking about Starbucks here...

I think a picture is worth a thousand words in this case.

Apple Hub on USC's campus:

A typical full-fledged Apple store:

Aside from limited inventory, the Apple Hub seems more geared towards product support than sales from what I've read. And from looking at Apple locations elsewhere, it doesn't seem as though the company puts a really high premium on locating in an area in close proximity to a university, although that would be a plus. If Apple does or doesn't come to Five Points, it will probably be because of the reasons citylife stated.

[Hybrid0NE]

Your argument cites the USC student population as a major customer base for an Apple store downtown. But can you please tell me why students would shop at an Apple store in Five Points (or anywhere else in the metro for that matter) when they have an Apple store ON CAMPUS?

Why would Apple have multiple stand-alone stores in various Atlanta (Perimeter, North Point, Mall of Georgia) area malls when Best Buy stores are located ACROSS the street and offer Apple Hubs like the Russell House location? Saturate the market, perhaps?..