Survey Reveals Community Wants New Restaurant

Back in November, the City of Woodruff posted a survey on its website and Facebook page asking the community what they would like to see in a newly renovated downtown building.

The survey results revealed that 88 percent of the 121 responders want a restaurant in the vacant space at 206 S. Main Street (the building next to Spa Lenore). The remaining responses included a coffee shop/bakery, a gym and a small Walmart.

Of those that want a restaurant, 64 percent want a steak house, 17 percent would like a seafood restaurant and an Italian restaurant or Sports Bar rounded out the remaining responses.

Alyson Smith, the community and economic development director for the City, shared these results from the survey with The Woodruff Times.

Smith says that the City is working closely with the developers, Angels Three LLC, to identify an appropriate tenant for the building. “It is important to everyone that the potential tenant be supported by the community and that they fill an area in which we are currently lacking, rather than adding a competitor who is similar to our existing businesses.”

The first floor of the new restaurant space offers an open floor plan with roughly 4,218 square feet and a patio area. An additional 3,276 square feet on the second floor could be used as an office or event space.

The City of Woodruff and developers are also offering incentives to a restaurateur or entrepreneur who wants to start a business in Woodruff, one of the fastest growing communities in the Upstate. Smith says the incentives are completely dependent on the needs of the restaurant owner.

“It could be assistance from the City toward up fitting the kitchen, assistance from the developer in accommodating a particular layout, or assistance in advertising,” says Smith. “The most significant incentive that will apply to anyone who is interested in the building are the major renovations that have been made to the building to up fit it for a restaurant to move in.”

The City is actively seeking out potential tenants for the location and the survey results play a key part. “We utilize the information to identify which types of tenants are most favorable for the community and to display the need to the potential business for their establishment to expand to Woodruff,” says Smith.

Any interested parties in the restaurant space should contact Smith at City Hall by phone or email. She will then arrange a meeting with the owners. A full information packet on the space is available at cityofwoodruff.com.

The remaining questions from the survey, regarding entertainment options, retail needs and other revitalization projects, Smith says the City will take input from those responses into consideration when working with local property owners and potential new businesses or planning our annual community events. 

Smith says that the City will typically conduct surveys when looking for community input on business recruitment, community events and city projects. Examples of prior surveys include one for the City’s comprehensive plan update and the revitalization of McKinney Park.