Viking Range Corp. continues to keep several projects going at once in its effort to build up downtown Greenwood.
And there's a calculated plan behind all of it, said Bill Crump, Viking's director of governmental affairs and executive assistant to the president. The company looks for buildings with character that enhance the area around them.
“We're not just buying everything within sight,” Crump said. “We want to buy buildings that have some historical nature that have been around Greenwood for a while.”
Not just any tenant will do. Crump said Viking wants retailers to occupy as much of the space in their most recently acquired buildings as possible. Viking has said no to some service-oriented businesses as well as some retail prospects that didn't fit its overall plan.
But the company isn't targeting a specific type of merchandise either. “We want it to be something that would be conducive to the other retail in the area, but we don't have any definite ideas about a certain type of retail,” Crump said.
The level of interest in the properties, including some from existing area businesses located elsewhere, has been encouraging, he said.
“I think there's quite a buzz among merchants in town about what's going on downtown,” he said. “And so there are more and more people wanting to be a part of the downtown scene, which is good.”
One of those buildings, which formerly housed Conerly Shoes at 211 Howard St., will be the new home of Port Eliot.
The building had two floors years ago, when Wilder's Jewelry was there, but the second floor burned. Viking bought the structure about two years ago, and crews redid the awnings and facade and added a second floor.
“We were able to maintain and retain the old tin ceilings on the first floor, which are quite beautiful,” Crump said.
Plans are on track for Port Eliot to move in by early 2008. The furniture business has been on Walthall Street since it opened in 1999. Viking has been its landlord there for about six years.
Bill Malouf, owner of Port Eliot, said he and Viking President Fred Carl Jr. had been discussing a move off and on for years. Calling the building "a beautiful facility," Malouf said the new Port Eliot should be as good a retail furniture shop as there is in the southern United States.
Malouf said the move should increase sales because the Howard Street building is better suited for retail. It will have about 1,500 more square feet of showroom space than the current location, which is part showroom and part warehouse. The offices will be larger as well.
The additional space will be put to good use. Port Eliot is now bringing in fresh product from 12 to 15 countries in Europe and Asia, bought directly from the manufacturers. Malouf said the Walthall Street building is "bursting at the seams" with the new items coming in.
Malouf said he was glad to help with the renaissance of downtown Greenwood and hoped to do some conglomerate advertising with other businesses promoting that area. Port Eliot also should benefit from the presence of other retailers nearby, he said.
“It's good stuff, it's exciting, and we're looking forward to it,” Malouf said. “I'm just so appreciative to Viking for what they've done.”
Viking also acquired other properties from the Antoon family in early 2007. Those include sites at 413 and 418 Howard Street, where crews started last week redoing the facade and putting in new windows.
One of the buildings housed CitiTrends, which moved to U.S. 82 and expanded. The other building, which was divided into two units, had some offices and small retail at one time but was vacant when Viking bought it.
Another property that will be marketed as for retail is the Howard Street building formerly occupied by Fred's. Viking acquired that a few months ago, and it will get a new facade.
Apartments aren't an option for the buildings in that section of Howard Street because none has a second floor.
Viking also bought the land where Shipley's Do-Nuts once stood. The plans for that property are still being discussed.
Once Port Eliot moves, Viking will expand its training center into the space now occupied by the furniture business.
This probably will add 6,000 to 7,000 square feet and give more room for training on outdoor goods, he said. The center also hosts a variety of other events, such as demonstration classes for the Viking cooking school, luncheons and meetings and charitable events involving community groups.
All these additions mean a lot of work for Crump and others, but he said it has been satisfying - especially since he remembers how busy downtown was years ago.
“Having a small part in helping downtown come back has been a real satisfying thing,” he said.
