Downtown Florence business owners worry about their future

Antwan Wells knows better than anyone the struggle facing economic revitalization in the downtown Florence area.

Wells, operator of Nubian Brothers on Dargan Street, is leasing his building, but said he hopes to own it in the near future.

He said he likes the idea of a downtown revitalization, but worries about the viability of the culture of downtown businesses.

“I’m quite sure a lot of other businesses are going to be leaving. They don’t have a clue of what’s going to happen in the next two or three years,” Wells said. “A lot of people that got businesses down here thinking that (they) are actually going to be removed and set up somewhere (else). We don’t know what’s going to happen in the near future.”

Vanessa Weldon, owner of Fragrant Delite on the corner of Evans and Dargan streets, echoed similar sentiments.

“At least (the city and council governments) started showing interest (in downtown) and that’s good enough for me, (but) they need to be interested in the businesses that are here, the people that invested their money in downtown Florence,” she said. “They’re spending their money in other areas, but nobody’s talking about what we need. Focus on what we have right now and develop us.

“You’ve got people that were loyal to downtown for years. How about show us some appreciation?”

Wells said revitalization is going to bring things back downtown, but current downtown business owners are worried they’ll be pushed out for other businesses. He said downtown business owners like him would like grant money to assist them with renovating their business to adjust to the changing face of the downtown area.

“Say, for instance, somebody may have a vision for what they want to with this building. Me, as a business owner, I’m doing the best that I can to keep my business open,” he said. “This barbershop, Nubian Brothers, is like a landmark to Florence. The black community comes here for help, advice, work, we help pay bills, we help the community, we even help the Florence Police Department.

“(This business is) is like a source. I hope I can get the city to help maintain this barbershop so it can stay here. If you remove me, remove this barbershop, it’ll remove a lot of source of help to the black community. Other investors have a vision of how they want this downtown to be and they’re going to fulfill that vision. I was hoping I would be part of that vision that they’ve got set forth.”

Wells said he hasn’t been approached by anyone associated with the downtown revitalization movement.

“They only approached a few (downtown) owners and those owners are actually the ones that was willing to sell anyway, that was waiting for that moment,” he said. “But, you know, being a business owner down here and working, this is our bread and butter. This is how we eat. We just can’t set aside and say, ‘Look, I’m gonna sell out.’ This is where my employees make their money at. This is our source of income.”

Wells said he sees a great deal of money spent on South Dargan Street, but none on North Dargan Street.

“I know they have the money, we (are) just not getting it. They spend a lot of money on the other end: $250 million for the (Drs. Bruce & Lee Foundation) Library, a lot more of the millions of dollars going toward the Francis Marion (University Performing Arts Center) and (Florence County) Museum,” he said. “We had businesses down here before these ideas came about that need money and it don’t take a million to do what I need to do with this shop. It just takes a few thousands, and I can’t get that.”

Florence Downtown Development Coordinator Jennifer Wilcox said the city “looks at the money they have available and put it into projects they feel are important to the cultural development of the city. They may get money from the federal government that has to be spent on certain things.”

Loans are available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, primarily for new business development that will bring new jobs to downtown.

“(Right now) money is not available, but that doesn’t mean in the future it won’t be,” she said. “There are committees in place to help downtown businesses with their façade work.”

Previously, Wilcox said, the city participated in microloaning to support businesses that wanted to expand or buy inventory, and provided four loans of $15,000 each. Each of those loans into default. After that, she said, the city had to rethink its approach to a loan program.

Wilcox said she will refer many people to the Francis Marion University’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Kelly Small Business Institute, organizations which offer advisory services such as writing business plans, assistance with expansion and sustainment.

Dr. Susan Peters, director of the FMU Center for Entrepreneurship, said the institution draws on the resources of business professors, students in the MBA program and juniors and seniors in the university undergraduate business program to advise existing and developing businesses.

Peters said the program hasn’t been as popular as she hoped. The trouble, she said, is the misconception that the Center for Entrepreneurship is making loans.

Loans, Florence School District 1 Board of Trustees member Pat Gibson-Hye said, actually aren’t the best thing for some of the businesses in the downtown area.

“Loans are good, but a lot of those businesses (in downtown) don’t have good credit,” Gibson-Hye said. “Those business owners need to be educated and guided to where their business needs to be.

“I do think the city could help,” she said. “I do have some worries that businesses will be displaced. I don’t feel they’ll be there much longer once downtown revitalization gets under way. I do know it’s for the best.”

Cedric Briggman, owner of Swole’s Barber Shop on Evans Street, said downtown revitalization is “definitely the way to go. I think the approach they’re taking is a good approach, but it’s a slow process.

“I feel like if we’re patient on that, we can get some good things out of that,” he said. “For downtown to be successful, you’ve got to include everybody and, hopefully, they will see that they’re going to have to help existing businesses do something to blend in with what the main goal is.”

Wells agreed, but emphasized the need for monetary assistance.

“It’s fine what (the current revitalization effort) is bringing,” he said, “but we want to try to bring our own vision at the same if we can. We just need the money to do it.”

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