4 new tenants at Mauldin’s BridgeWay Station replace others due to ‘market and industry challenges’

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Four new tenants will join the mix at Mauldin’s soon-to-open BridgeWay Station.

Lili + Koko Boutique + Bubbles, Jerimiah’s Italian Ice, Lucille’s Music and Comedy Venue, and Mercato by Dine Development Group will be the latest businesses at the Mauldin development, according to a news release from developer Hughes Investments Inc.

Lili + Koko Boutique + Bubbles will occupy about 1,800 square feet of ground floor retail space on BridgeWay Boulevard. LiLi + KoKo began in March of 2021 with the mission from co-founders Lisa Suter and Courtney Thompson to offer on-trend styles that are affordable for women at any life stage.

As they transition to their new location, Suter and Thompson are set to introduce Lili + Koko Boutique + Bubbles, offering a space for women to gather with their friends, while also providing them the opportunity to empower themselves and their community, the release stated. Patrons have access to a champagne bar, rtisanal charcuterie boards desserts as they browse, sip and shop, the release said.

“LiLi + KoKo offers quality clothing and accessories that are accessible no matter our customers’ age or size, are easy to mix and match, and allow our customers to look and feel their best,” Suter said in the release. “With our move to BridgeWay Station, we will continue to provide the same great clothing and accessories we have since our inception, while also providing an in-store shopping experience that feeds the senses. We are so excited to be a part of BridgeWay Station and are looking forward to serving the Mauldin and surrounding communities.”

Jeremiah’s Italian Ice will feature Italian Ice, ice cream and gelato. Jeremiah’s has more than 100 locations open across the United States. The 800 square feet in BridgeWay Station will be the franchise’s seventh location in South Carolina, and franchise owners Myrol and LaKesha Frazier’s second location. Their first store is at 2 Ketron Court near Woodruff Road in Greenville, the release said.

Jeremiah’s will serve a variety of flavors, including sugar-free options and seasonal flavors. In addition, they will offer catering services and special “pup-cups” for canine companions.

“We are so excited to have the opportunity to expand into a second location in this area and contribute to the growth of this community,” LaKesha Frazier said in the release. “Our new location will also be designed as a welcoming family-oriented destination, where families, friends and the community can come together to savor truly delicious treats.”

Lucille’s Music and Comedy Venue by MAS Ventures and Boulevard Consulting Group will allow customers to experience entertainment at this “cutting-edge” venue that occupies 3,160 square feet of retail space with a patio, the release said.

Boulevard Consulting Group is a development and strategic planning firm renowned for their expertise in site selection, demographic analysis, brand development, and real estate development. The group owns and operates franchises such as Denny’s, Starbucks and The Juicy Crab across seven states. Following the success of Blues Boulevard Jazz venue in Spartanburg, Boulevard Consulting Group expanded to downtown Greenville in 2013. A new location in Atlanta is underway.

The venue will feature tapas, entrées and specialty drinks.

Mercato by Dine Development Group will occupy 2,500 square feet on the corner of BridgeWay Boulevard and Via Corso Avenue (Main Street). This will be Dine Development’s fourth retail space at BridgeWay Station, complementing its other new enterprises, City Market at BridgeWay Station, Restaurant Rocco, and The Plank.

Mercato will serve breakfast and lunch bagels and sandwiches with a grab-and-go selection of prepared foods, breads, specialty drinks and more. A full-service coffee bar with Methodical Coffee, hand scooped ice cream, and boba tea will complete the space. There will be a large selection of healthy specialty drinks as well, from protein drinks to many varieties of nutritional beverages, the release said.

“We are very pleased to extend a warm welcome to these four exceptional retailers to BridgeWay Station,” Phil Hughes, president and founder of Hughes Investments Inc., said in the release. “Jeremiah’s Italian Ice is not only delicious, but perfectly complements our Italian-inspired development. Lili + Koko’s innovative concept of integrating a champagne bar with their boutique is both creative and enjoyable, aligning perfectly with the ethos we embrace at BridgeWay. I’ve also had the pleasure of working with Mark Sullivan [of Boulevard Consulting Group] on another site downtown, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with him again in this community. And finally, working alongside people as passionate as Thomas and Angie [with Dine Development Group] has been a true pleasure. Their dedication to their work and this particular project is highly motivating, and we are confident that they will bring something truly special to the table with this new coffee and deli space.”

These new tenants will occupy the spaces previously reserved by others who, due to market and industry challenges, are unable to pursue new ventures. Dine Development Group will take over the space formerly leased to Cohesive Coffee, while Jeremiah’s Italian Ice will occupy the area previously leased to Yogi’s Cups and Cones. Belladina’s Italian Market, an earlier announcement, will no longer be a part of BridgeWay Station. The remaining 6,000 square feet of space originally leased to Belladina’s Italian Market represents the last available retail space for lease, the release said.

“The profound — and ongoing — impact of COVID on both the construction sector and retail/restaurant industries has presented substantial challenges,” said Hughes. “We are appreciative of the changes these challenges have brought about in terms of our tenant mix. BridgeWay is poised to offer a diverse range of tenants that cater to a multitude of desires and needs, all in a convenient and beautiful location close to home.”

Retail tenants open at BridgeWay Station include Le Chic Nails Lounge, The Junkyard, Plum: A Lifestyle Boutique, and The Worx at BridgeWay Station. BridgeWay Brewery and City Market at BridgeWay Station will open by December and January, respectively. Additional tenants actively upfitting their individual spaces include El Guapo, Cocobowlz, Old Europe Desserts, Stella’s Restaurant Group, Rocco and The Plank by Dine Development Group, and Table 301. These retailers will be incorporated into the project alongside previously announced office and institutional users, including Dodge Bearings and Power Transmission; GREEN Charter Upstate High School; Jackson Marketing, Motorsports & Events; and Spectrum.

Lili + Koko Boutique + Bubbles, Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, Lucille’s, and Mercato are all slated to open in early spring.

BridgeWay Station will celebrate the holidays at its first public event in the 24,691-square-foot piazza and pavilion public space with a “Christmas at BridgeWay” event from 3-8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 8. BridgeWay Station’s ribbon cutting is slated for spring.