Between the economy and the internet, retailing has done a 180° turn in the past few years. And many of the turns have been for worst. Michael Weiner, CEO of Excess Space Retail Services, Inc., predicts “next year [2012] will bring more than 5,000 store closings and that is not counting closings related to bankruptcies and liquidations.” Adding to this pessimism is Andy Grasier, co-president of a real estate and consulting firm, who says that “in 2012, I think you are going to see more small specialty stores closing; you will continue to see restaurant chains struggling and see old c-store formats [convenience store] starting to vacate as well.”
But some of the predictions also take a turn for the better. According to a report at Kiplinger.com, “retail sales will grow about 10% in 2012, slightly more than the 8% expected in 2011. October sales [in 2011] were up .06% over September, due in large part to a 3.7% jump in electronics sales, the largest monthly increase in two years.”
MarketWatch’s Fitch Ratings “expects overall credit stability for U.S. retailers in 2012, reflecting mid-single-digit sales growth and a 2% to 3% rise in same-store sales.”
So which side of the turn is Greenville on? Downtown Development Manager for the City of Greenville Mary Douglas Hirsch has very positive things to say for several reasons. “We have had more retailers interested in opening stores in 2011 and there has been a very sharp interest in Greenville-related items from tourists – visitors want something with Greenville on it from shot glasses to tee shirts with the Falls on them.” Greenville also has a “pull” that belies its size: an Apple Store at Haywood Mall which is only one of two stores in South Carolina. And Anthropologie, a clothing, accessories and home décor store will soon be one of the cornerstones of the new construction at the old Woolworth’s site downtown. Tracey Ramseur, development coordinator for the City Economic Development Department says that the new Anthropologie store was “the talk of a shopping center conference that I went to in Las Vegas. When I said where I was from, the other attendees knew Greenville from the buzz about it coming to our city!”
In an article from the Harvard Business Review, smart retailers are “cutting costs today, planting [revenue] growth seeds for tomorrow, and setting the stage for accelerated strategic agility well into the future.”
Deb Ayers of the 57-year-old Ayers Leather Shop on Main Street in Greenville can be defined as a “smart retailer” since she has done a lot of what the Harvard Review article thinks is important. After some “very tight years 2008-2010, we have refocused our inventory on some high-end goods that cannot be found except in our store. Big box stores cannot afford to carry the Italian briefcases that are truly ‘one of a kind’ and will last forever. This merchandise makes a statement about the owner and is truly an investment in a classic piece. Interesting, too, is what we have for visitors to want an item with Greenville on it! We have a lot tourists who are here for a meeting or their spouse is out shopping while they are attending a meeting and this is becoming a real niche for a lot of retailers. And I would also guess that at least six out 10 business travelers come back to Greenville for fun.” In addition to offering goods, Ayers also specializes in repair work for leather and other items – a specialization that is hard to find in our throwaway society.
Kelly Odom, president of the Augusta Road Business Association and part of the family-owned Pickwick pharmacy drugstore and soda fountain, has “seen growth in the past four years while also cutting costs. One real draw for our customers is that we brought the soda shop back for those who remember it and we are introducing it to their children and grandchildren. We have multigenerational customers who appreciate our delivery service and our involvement in the community for more than sixty years.” In addition to this, “we have a strong internet marketing presence; I had a customer who grew up in Greenville and now lives in Texas wanted a list of what items we had with Greenville on them so he could order some as gifts!”
Tom Angermeir of Go Fish has wonderful items from all over the world and unlike many of his retailing associates, says that “2010 was our best year. Of course that was because one customer had a multi-thousand dollar order! For 2011, we are trending like we want but we are not going to surpass 2010.” One concern he has is that “a lot of foot traffic does not get far down on South Main to find us. Tourists seem to stop at the Falls and do not realize they are missing some interesting shops just in the next block. And for dining customers a lot of the stores stay open till 8 or 9pm so there is something to do either before or after dinner.” In addition to the longer hours, he says many of the shops are having open houses and also touting that there is plenty of parking available.
Robin Bylenga saw a niche and is filling it. Located downtown, Pedal Chic is “the only woman-specific cycling and athletic boutique in the Southeast and the first in the country, offering an unparalleled selection for the female athlete, cyclist, urban commuter, and yogi, as well as lifestyle/comfort wear in an upscale, boutique environment. The shop is a full-service bicycle/athletic boutique.” She caters to women athletes who have an active lifestyle and also is on the bandwagon as Greenville becomes greener. “We are heavily investing in the urban commuter client, providing bicycles, accessories and apparel for that segment of the market. With Greenville fast becoming known for its bike paths and our commitment to the quality of life here, commuting by bicycle is an up and coming trend.”
Sherry Smid started off with a bang when she opened Trade Route in 2007 in the Shops at Greenridge. In 2009, she moved to Shops at the Mall behind Haywood and she credits this move as “one way we have cut expenses without cutting the quality of our merchandise. Our new space also allows us to display our products better and 2011 has been a very good year and we are expecting 2012 to be even better.” One way they have projected themselves strategically is to offer educational and fun classes and they also market beyond Greenville to attract customers from Georgia and North Carolina.
The one common thing among all these retailers is their positive attitude, their attention to the details of the business and their ability to shift as the marketplace demands. It is obvious that despite the upheaval of the past few years, they are turning retailing back into a profitable and viable small business in Greenville. As Deb Ayers commented when it was raining hard one day and she was complaining to her son (who also works at Ayers) about the bad weather, “he told me to stop it – remember we sell umbrellas!”
Additional Resources:
• www.greenvillesc.gov
• www.retailmeansjobs.com
• www.deloitte.com
• www.traderouteimport.com
• www.thepickwick.net
• www.pedalchic.com
• www.shopgofish.com