Five Points board shop hosts grand opening this weekend
Tucked in between the busy streets of Five Points and the commercialized section of Garners Ferry sits Devine Street, a quiet neighborhood area that specializes in unique boutique-style shopping and delectable restaurant fare.
Longtime Five Points favorite Salty’s Board Shop has officially set up shop at their new location on Devine, kicking things off with a two-day grand opening event this Friday and Saturday. Although the store has moved into its new, spacious digs complete with high ceilings, exposed brickwork and multiple windows where the sun shines loftily down on the products below, owners Paul and Jessica Goff said that the big move was more happenstance than planned in advance.
“We really just happened across this building,” Paul Goff said, motioning to the vast space Salty’s now occupies. “And we could just afford to buy it, so we did.”
After about six months of gutting and renovating, which included the removal of the building’s second story (“It was sitting on cinder blocks,” Jessica Goff said with a laugh), Salty’s was finally ready to start adding their signature touch. The Goffs opted for light blues and whites to accent the building, toning it down with a mellow, vintage vibe that almost comes complete with a sandy beach nearby.
Racks upon racks of surf and skate-friendly clothing, shoes and boards line the walls in a patchwork of color and patterns and a light breeze blows through the store from the rolled-up windows out front. Brands like Billabong, Volcom, RVCA, Sector 9, Rip Curl and Sanuk are all a familiar sight at Salty’s, proving that even though locations may change, the Salty’s style never will.
“I’ve always had a passion for surfing,” said Goff, who worked at the old Salty’s with his wife five years prior to taking ownership in 2008. “My goal was to takes these California and Hawaiian-style concepts and integrate them here in Columbia.”
“Of course, that’s also one of the hardest parts of our job,” adds his wife. “We have to search through all these catalogues and the challenge is finding products that will actually work in Columbia as opposed to other regions like California.” Yet another exciting addition to the new Salty’s will be the integration of the @116 Espresso and Wine Bar, which will act as a satellite café in the space next door. Currently located on State Street, the eatery will bring its distinct products to Devine Street under the advisement of executive chef Ryan Whitaker. Goff said that he hopes that the dual spaces will create additional walking traffic for both businesses, adding that they are huge fans of the café and its food.
“We want to have a reciprocal relationship with the café,” he said. “I just thought it would be a really cool way to bring a different, more West Coast experience to Columbia.”
So is Goff missing his former home in Five Points? Not so much he said, as he believes he is now located in the right place for a business like Salty’s, where the business can flourish in a heavily-trafficked area rather than off the beaten path.
“Our business has already increased a lot since the move,” he said. “There’s just better walking traffic and neighborhood interaction here and we feel like this is going to be more up-and-coming for Salty’s.”
The Devine Street community has already welcomed the store with open arms, lending a hand or few pointers when it was official move-in day for the Salty’s crew. The Goffs even hosted a neighborhood drop-in Thursday night as a thank-you for the electricians, painters, neighbors and store owners who made the new location a possibility. The weekend festivities will include two days of grand opening chaos, with big prize giveaways for new customers and old favorites. And even though it’s been stressful, Goff said that most of the time, his “job” doesn’t even feel like work.
“When you’re doing something you love, it’s not really like working,” he said. “It’s an easy transition when you’re this passionate about something.”
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