city of greenville culture
shopping and dining
Greenville is Upstate, South Carolina’s "shopping center." You’ll find a wide range of shopping opportunities ranging from national retailers to antique stores, to high-quality specialty boutiques to factory outlet stores. All are only minutes away from Greenville’s hotels, performing venues and community attractions. If a good meal is what you're shopping for, you can choose from an impressive variety of restaurants ranging from local cuisine favorites to popular national chains.
Downtown
How many cities can boast a Downtown with over sixty restaurants and a unique
collection of galleries and shops within a comfortable 15-minute walk?
Greenville can! Downtown Greenville has become a favorite destination for
Upstate diners and shoppers who want to experience a unique variety of dining
experiences unmatched in the region.
A Taste
for Everyone
Downtown restaurants offer a variety of dining choices catering to every taste
and price range. With over sixty restaurants, the choices Downtown offer
tempting menu items for visitors and residents alike. Virtually all of the
restaurants are locally owned one-of-a-kind eateries ranging in cuisine from
Dutch to Thai, Italian to Greek.
The restaurant growth Downtown is a continuing trend. Since 1992, over
forty-five restaurants have opened their doors creating a niche market unique to
the region and redefining the role of Downtown in the community.
More
information on Greenville Dining
A
Shopper's Advantage
Art galleries, boutiques, and an assortment of specialty shops, most of which
are locally owned and operated, offer choices that cannot be found elsewhere.
Renewed interest in Downtown shopping has created
increased demand for Downtown retail establishments. The City recently retained
a marketing and research consultant to provide a comprehensive retail and
entertainment market analysis for Downtown. The assessment provides valuable
information for retail businesses interested in locating Downtown.
More
information on Greenville Shopping
Downtown
Atmosphere
With wide sidewalks, outdoor plazas, and streetside outdoor dining
opportunities, Downtown Greenville offers a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere that
has been compared to that of a European city. Truly, shopping and dining in
Greenville are pleasurable experiences. One of dowtown's biggest attractions is the Falls
Park on the Reedy, featuring two sets of waterfalls. Located in the West End
area and adjacent to the Peace Center and the new Governor's School, the Park
also has miles of walking and bicycle trails that follow the river along our
Downtown greenway.
The Downtown Business Association and the West End Association create
partnerships allowing restaurants and shops in the central city to work together
to collectively market their unique products.
Parking
The City of Greenville has worked diligently over the past several years to
increase the number of parking spaces in the Downtown. Currently there are over
7,000 City owned and operated spaces available. All of these spaces are
available to the public.
A first-class validation program allows downtown merchants to provide free or
discounted garage parking to their customers. All 782 on-street parking spaces
are FREE for downtown customers - no meters, no tokens. These spaces provide
downtown visitors with ample one and two hours worth of convenient curbside
parking.
More information on downtown parking
The Customers
During the day, the central business district is home to over 17,000 employees
and has become an evening destination for the area, attracting residents and
visitors every night of the week.
Special events and activities such as Piedmont Natural Gas Downtown Alive,
St. Francis Fall For Greenville, BB&T Main
Street Fridays, Gallery Tours, and many others are attracting more and more
visitors each year.
More information on Outdoor
Events Downtown
Shops at Greenridge
Shops at Greenridge is a $64 million retail development along Woodruff Road that
features a number of local and chain retailers, including Ann Taylor Loft, Lowe’s,
Marshalls, PetSmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Swoozie’s, Foxfire, Ulta Salon and
Cosmetics, Talbots, Barnes &
Noble, Off Broadway Shoes, and J. Jill. Greenridge
was developed by Charlotte-based Crosland
Development. Restaurants include Panera
Bread, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Salsarita’s,
Brixx Wood Fired Pizza, Red Robin, Mimi’s Café,
and Long Horn Steakhouse.
Augusta Road
Augusta Street, or Augusta Road as it is referred to locally, is located less than a mile from Greenville’s central business district. This shopping district is home to a large variety of high-end specialty shops. Fine clothing stores, flower shops, health food markets and decorating resource centers can be found near old-fashioned hardware stores and a wide range of restaurants.
The Augusta Road Business Association (ARBA) is a coalition of businesses established to work together for the betterment and the economic development of the Augusta Road corridor. ARBA currently has over 70 members and holds monthly Board meetings. Membership is open to any business having an interest in Augusta Road. You can visit the Augusta Road Business Association web site at www.onlyonaugusta.com.
The City of Greenville has partnered with the Augusta Road Business Association(ARBA) to facilitate a long term improvement plan for the area. The improvement project is an ongoing process that relies heavily on the active participation of local businesses. Public improvements included the removal and replacement of utility poles, the installation of mast arms at intersections to define the character of the area, and additional landscaping.
More Information on Augusta Road
Haywood Road Area
Haywood Road is one of the City’s most vibrant commercial corridors and is composed of a mix of residential, restaurants, retail, and office developments. Also known as “Uptown Greenville,” the area is a regional shopping destination where you can find merchants of every description, including nationally-known furniture, jewelry and home improvement stores, as well as clothing outlets and a host of specialty retailers. Haywood Road is also home to Haywood Mall, one of the Upstate’s largest regional malls, which includes over 150 specialty shops, and five major department stores: Belk, Dillards, Macy’s, JCPenny, and Sears.
The area also has a variety of hotels, such as the Hilton, Courtyard by Marriott, and Hyatt Place. Haywood Road is the leading retail sales generator in the City of Greenville and ranks second only to Downtown in annual restaurant sales. The City is currently working with planning consultants - Clark Patterson Lee - to develop the Haywood Road Master Plan.
More Information on Haywood Road
West End Market and Historic District
The West End Historic District, known as the arts and entertain-ment center of the city, is anchored by the West End Market and Falls Park on the Reedy. While visiting the West End , you can browse through the shops in the West End Market and surrounding streets, dine in one of the area's unique restaurants, enjoy a theater performance, or view the progress of the construction of a world-class pedestrian bridge across the Reedy River falls.