With such close proximity to downtown Spartanburg, Wofford students have always been exposed and able to interact with the many local businesses on and around Main Street. From restaurants, to coffee shops and small boutiques, there is no question that these businesses have reaped the benefit of foot traffic from the many colleges in Spartanburg.
Yet despite these regular and younger customers, several of these businesses have decided to relocate from the downtown area, or close their doors for good. Since this past fall, the downtown area has lost some sentimental spots. After nearly nine years, Hub City Scoops has permanently closed, leaving another vacant unit on Main Street.
Another local favorite, Papa’s Breakfast Nook, had been in business for 35 years before closing this past October. Papa’s cash-only policy and 24-hour service made it an obvious staple to many nearby college students.
The nearby Ciclops Cyderi & Brewery, who had been leasing a space under the same owners as Papa’s, is also set to vacate its current building in early 2025, though just to relocate to a new spot along the Mary Black Rail Trail.
In recent years, several aspects of Ciclops have made it a popular location for Wofford organizations, namely Greek sororities, to host a number of different functions. Besides being a short drive from campus, this location also offered an indoor-outdoor space that worked well for event hosting.
According to Ciclop’s director of operations in an article from GoUpstate, the brewery is looking forward to “fewer restrictions,” on the types of foods they were able to serve, as they were limited under their current lease. They are also expecting more foot traffic from the Rail Trail as well as to maintain their local allure, perhaps suggesting their hope for business from Wofford to continue.
Undoubtedly the largest hit for Wofford students in terms of recent closures and relocations is Burrito Hub, who closed their downtown location in January.
Parker Douglass ‘25 feels the loss of a large part of her college experience with the relocation of Burrito Hub, even as a senior.
“The Burrito Hub experience was exclusively a Wofford College experience that students and visitors alike will always remember,” Douglass said.
Douglass, who had also personally contributed to the iconic mural at Burrito Hub’s downtown location, said that she always made an effort to bring friends and visitors to the restaurant when they came to Spartanburg.
Douglass specifically recognizes the influence of nearby local places to the college’s student culture. She reflected on what made the venue a marker of Wofford pride.
“[It’s] the atmosphere that it brought, and the uniqueness that Burrito Hub had to Wofford students,” Douglass said.
These businesses not only provided good food and fun to Wofford students, but also a chance for many to break the notorious hold of the “Wofford bubble.” Adjacent places like Papa’s and Ciclops were a chance to engage with local businesses and local people, or even something for alumni to remember fondly from their days at Wofford.
Though many admired local businesses still remain around Wofford, it appears that the downtown landscape is not done evolving. The addition of a Minor League Baseball stadium for the recently relocated team, the Hub City Spartanburgers, seems to promise big changes downtown Spartanburg. A new planetarium is also underway.
While these new projects will offer promising economic prospects for the city and entertaining prospects for the Wofford community, it’s hard not to reminisce over the loss of some small and beloved local businesses.
