Lucas Machinery / Carolina Bedrooms / Fletcher's Antiques / Southeast Presbyterian Church / Blooms Nursery Garden Shoppe, 710 Cross Hill Road: late 2000s 11 comments
This much retailed (and once churched) spot on Cross Hill Road next to the former Kroger Sav-On has never seemed to catch fire for any of its many tenants, most of which I have only a vague recollection of. Aside from all those listed above on the post title, I'm pretty sure it was a menswear shop also at one point, and I either got or thought about getting a suit there. (Something I hate like posion).
This PDF at the City of Columbia website suggests that the city was thinking about buying the building back in the 2006 timeframe and wondering what the absestos and lead paint implications would be, but apparently nothing came of that. The document describes the building as being "used as a former antiques store" -- that's certainly an odd turn-of-phrase, but implies that the building was vacant at that point, with Fletcher's having been the most recent tenant.
Cross Hill Road is an odd little stretch whose name I never could remember. For years growing up, I thought that Beltline Boulevard ran all the way to Garners Ferry Road instead of turning off towards Rosewood. I can only think that at some point a lot of road work must have been done to make the setup so illogical. (Of course it didn't help either that until last year, I thought that Garners Ferry started where Cross Hill runs into Devine Street and Fort Jackson Boulevard -- I never realized that Devine Street runs all the way to Wildcat).
At any rate, whatever you call it, this lot, along with the Kroger lot, is now Interstate feeder property (which neither was in the beginning), and I expect that eventually a hotel or national chain restaurants will take the real estate.
UPDATE 27 April 2010: Added Lucas Machinery to the post title based on the comments.
UPDATE 10 May 2012 -- Well this place was demolished in early March 2012 as part of the ongoing conversion of the old Family Mart/Kroger into Whole Foods. Here are some post demolition pictures:
Photoset:
11 Responses to 'Lucas Machinery / Carolina Bedrooms / Fletcher's Antiques / Southeast Presbyterian Church / Blooms Nursery Garden Shoppe, 710 Cross Hill Road: late 2000s'
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26 Apr 10 at 3:07 am
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Thanks Michael, I'll add "Lucas Mchinery" to the post title.
ted
26 Apr 10 at 11:37 pm
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It was a menswear store at one time.
When the Lucas family (Peter Paul?) lived next door, it was always one of the more impressively decorated houses at Christmastime. That would've been in the '70s.
Midnight Rambler
27 Apr 10 at 8:22 am
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It wouldn't surprise me to see this get torn down and redeveloped should Edens & Avant redevelop the former Kroger next door but I haven't heard anything further
Andrew
24 Oct 10 at 9:41 pm
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Well, they (or someone) just tore down the old house/daycare that Michael mentions. Unfortunately I didn't get any pix, but the lot is empty now.
ted
24 Oct 10 at 10:00 pm
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That's a shame the large house next door came down. I agree with Midnight Rambler.........I used to wonder where they bought their Christmas decorations, because you didn't find items like that in the stores. Someone then told me they were hand made by Mr. Lucas.
I'm pretty sure the menswear store was Men's Wearhouse, the "You're gonna like the way you look, I guarantee it" company.
From what I've read 'ease of access and egress' play a large part in a business's survival. Having said that, it takes a feat of skill to maneuver into and out of the Bojangle's nearby, but they seem to do a ton of repeat business.
25 Oct 10 at 3:05 am
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The menswear store was Kuppenhammer's (sp?). I had a friend who worked there.
Tom
25 Oct 10 at 5:36 am
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Sorry I didn't take a picture.
My son and I were riding by there about three weeks ago and saw a man driving one of those claw/backhoe things tearing the house down. We pulled into the driveway and just watched for a while. I always find that fascinating.
Dennis
25 Oct 10 at 7:38 am
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Tom, I believe you are right about that.
26 Oct 10 at 4:23 am
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folks this building has been demolished as Cross Hill Market continues to take shape.
Andrew
15 Mar 12 at 5:32 pm
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As a child we would always drive by the Lucas house to look at the Christmas lights. They always did a great job.
Gary
17 Aug 12 at 8:21 pm
This was originally built to house Lucas Machinery, which was one of maybe two distributers and repairers of industrial grade fork-lifts around the Midlands. The front display room always had a brand-new lift or two for those in the market. The Lucas family lived immediately adjacent to the business in the sprawling ranch-style house that looks vacant at present but is listed as a daycare center in the asbestos report.