Mauldin: Growing Pains

By April Silvaggio  

MARCH 29, 2010 9:13 a.m. (0)

Blockbuster closed in Mauldin last week.

It was a tough hit for this suburban city, even though officials here said it had more to do with the fact the U.S.’s largest freestanding movie rental retailer is under assault nationwide by Netflix, rental kiosks, online and cable television video offerings than it did with the local economy.

Still, Blockbuster’s departure means empty commercial buildings now punctuating two of the four corners at Mauldin’s busiest and most central intersection where Butler Road meets U.S. Highway 276.    Vacant storefronts, which city officials say account for less than 20 percent of the total available, are an unwanted reminder that even the 4^th fastest growing city in the state hasn’t been immune to the economic downturn of the past year.

“Everyone has seen business revenues decline, some to the point of where they were forced to close,” said John Gardner, the city’s planner. “Where it has hurt the city is in the business license revenue stream. That’s an important source of money for the city, especially in the wake of all of the state budget cuts.”

City records show building permits decreased by 51 percent from fiscal year 2008 to fiscal year 2009. Business licenses during that same time were down 4 percent.

While the city has a few business license renewals in now, the bulk of those renew in April so they don't have figures for this year available yet.

In years gone by, businesses often had difficulty finding an open space, Gardner said. But at present, there are several spaces open in the shopping center anchored by Big Lots on West Butler Road, and at least one open space in the Publix shopping center across the street.

In addition to the Blockbuster building, there are two antiquated buildings on U.S. Highway 276 where Taco Bell and Pizza Inn used to be located. But the spaces that have taken the greatest hit during the economic slump have been the newest storefronts built farther out on East Butler Road towards Interstate 385.

Some businesses, like Dream Dinners, Lava Java, Super Suppers and Pawleys Steakhouse simply couldn’t weather the economic storm when families started belt-tightening and eliminating discretionary spending.

The reasons behind other business losses have been more complex, Gardner said.

Take Rite-Aid.

The store closing on the corner across from Blockbuster in 2009 was part of a major cost-cutting measure by the Rite Aid Corp. to offset losses. But locally, the pharmacy which originally opened as an Eckerd and morphed into a Rite Aid following a 2007 nationwide merger, also became victim to a competitor with a better location, Gardner said.

“Some fast-food establishments won’t even consider a site that isn’t in the peak morning rush hour travel direction for a right-in and a right-out,” Gardner said. “For pharmacies, their business is more geared toward the evening rush hour, and Walgreens across the street paid a premium for its site, buying out a KFC and a gas station.”

But the reasons behind the closings don’t matter much when city leaders are trying to recruit new business and encourage investment by current and prospective property owners. Too much empty space doesn’t look good.

And bringing in new business is an essential part of what leaders here must do if they are going to be able to follow a new 20-year comprehensive plan set to guide how the city develops amid forecasts for continued population growth and traffic congestion.

Instead of boasting a Main Street bordered by old buildings with character and a local street network, Mauldin, like many other towns that grew up in the years following World War II, spread out alongside a seven-lane, high volume highway.

Strip malls built on concrete slabs and roadside commercial development followed.

Through its new comprehensive plan, leaders like Gardner want to revitalize Mauldin by expanding on what he calls the few “bones” that exist here – city hall, an old schoolhouse that is being refurbished as a community center and a modern sports complex that would be the envy of any city.

Over the next two decades, plans are to create a true network of streets to take local traffic off main throughways to casual dining restaurants and specialty shops erected where sprawling parking lots and outdated strip malls now stand.

But first, property owners must be convinced, Gardner said. New investment could help spark their interest, he said.

Some of that is already beginning to happen.

Just up U.S. Highway 276 from the former Rite Aid building, one of Mauldin’s most historic buildings erected sometime before 1927 is getting a new occupant. The building, which formerly housed
Pockerknocker’s Reproduction Lighting, was originally a general store with a dance hall on the second floor. Over the years, the second story became an apartment.

Then late last year, when the owner of Pockerknocker’s decided to close for health reasons, the building got a new lease on life.

An event planner called All Occasion Celebrations has moved in and remodeled. The second story has been opened back up and refurbished.

“That is the kind of business we need to bring visibility to the area,” Gardner said. “It should help us recruit other retail.”

Apparently, it already is.

A new Family Dollar will soon be taking over the old Rite Aid building. Repairs began last week on the stucco façade that was damaged when the Rite Aid sign was removed.

On Butler Road alongside Mauldin High School, a Dollar General store is under construction. Xtreme Customs & Cycles just moved from nearby Simpsonville into the old Quincy’s restaurant building on the frontage road boarding U.S. 276 between Interstate 385 and Butler Road.

Residential construction is starting to pick up too, said Peter Nomikos, the city’s building director.

“I think we’re making some slow headway towards things picking back up,” Nomikos said. “Once you see residential picking back up, commercial usually follows.”

Comments

Add New

Leave a Comment
Comments are moderated and may not be posted immediately.
Name:
Email:	do not notifynotify
Title:
	Please input the anti-spam code that you can read in the image.

3.26 Copyright (C) 2008 Compojoom.com / Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."