By Tommy Carter
Broker-in-Charge
Russell & Jeffcoat Metro Office

Some days it’s a challenge to find something positive. The so-called great recession continues to hang around way past its welcome. Government appears to malfunction all too often; jobs are scarce; and Wall Street is just plain scary. Things don’t always look so good.
           
But, alas, there are some bright spots, and one of the brightest spots is right here in Columbia, SC. With the arrival of Mast General Store and Cowboy Brazilian Steakhouse, Main Street is on a roll. Downtown has become a vibrant commercial and residential city center that promises to become even more alive during the coming months.
           
And “residential” is the key word, because residents are the key to the ultimate success of any business district, and downtown is no exception. Businesses are always attracted to residential areas; the more residents, the bigger the draw. They feed on each other.
           
Although residential living was sparse on Main Street as recently as 10 years ago, development of residential units really began picking up steam right about that time. In the last six or seven years, rental units as well as units for sale have been marketed with great success.
           
The latest downtown residential offering, The Lofts at Louries, was 100% leased by the day of the ribbon-cutting. The lofts are located on the second floor above Mast General Store in the former Lourie’s men’s store building that also once housed Efird’s department store.
           
As more and more residential development comes to Main Street, more and more businesses will be attracted to the downtown area. It’s an exciting time for the city center, and it’s an exciting time to live in Columbia, SC.