These 2 businesses have moved to a restored building on one of Columbia’s busiest streets
A pair of Columbia businesses that were previously located in other parts of the city — including one that had been in Five Points for decades — have formally reopened in a new spot in Gervais Street.
Blossom Shop, a longtime floral shop, which was formerly at 2001 Devine St. in Five Points, and EQ Fitness & Physical Therapy, which had previously been on Devine Street near Woodrow Street, each marked grand openings on Tuesday in new digs at 1815 Gervais St., less than a mile east of the SC State House.
In the new configuration, Blossom Shop is occupying the front part of the building at 1815 Gervais, while EQ Fitness is located along the back of the facility. A number of economic development and city of Columbia officials, including Mayor Daniel Rickenmann, were on-hand for Tuesday’s openings.
Blossom Shop has been in business in Columbia since the late 1940s, and had been at its previous location in Five Points for several decades. Co-owner Cubby Culbertson said a number factors played into the shop’s decision to move to Gervais.
“Gervais Street has been huge for us,” Culbertson said. “There were some things, in leaving Five Points, that we were concerned about. Parking was a challenge [in Five Points] and the space was kind of dated and tired. So, we felt like coming into this new space, there’s a ‘wow’ factor. It’s got high ceilings and lots of natural light and pretty floors. It makes the environment feel completely different when walking in. We’ve gotten incredible feedback from that.”
Culbertson, who is a partner in the ownership of the building at 1815 Gervais, also touted the high-traffic nature of the street as a plus for the business. About 30,000 cars per day travel down that section of Gervais, per state Department of Transportation data.
The building at 1815 Gervais was originally built in 1954, according to Richland County records. In recent years it had mostly been used for office space by various enterprises. The building was completely renovated to make way for the new occupants.
Meanwhile, EQ Fitness co-owner Wesley Newsom said the spot at 1815 Gervais is an ideal move for the business.
“It means everything, as far as our growth opportunities and convenience to our clients,” Newsom said. “They are able to come in a straight shot from Forest Acres, but also connecting from West Columbia straight down Gervais. That’s been a lot more convenient.”
Newsom said the Gervais Street building offers the opportunity for more amenities for EQ, including showers and a bigger space for those who are working out.
“We loved Devine Street, don’t get me wrong, but we outgrew our space there,” Newsom said. EQ Fitness & Physical Therapy has been in business, as a brick-and-mortar enterprise, for about three years.
Rickenmann, who is in his first term as Columbia’s mayor after a number of years as a city councilman, noted the contrast in the businesses now housed at 1815 Gervais, with one being a decades-old florist shop and the other being a fitness spot that debuted only a few years ago. He said that type of balance between legacy businesses and upstarts is a good mix for the capital city.
“I think that’s the beauty about Columbia,” Rickenmann said. “We’ve got businesses that have been here for 100 years and we’ve got businesses that have been here for three months. ... It’s a testimony to our community that they support small businesses, and we are excited about it.”
