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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2015
REFLECTIONS
THE SUMTER ITEM
Wesmark Plaza, part 2: Grand openings filling new shopping center
I
t was reported in the Nov. 6, 1965, issue of The Sumter Daily Item
that “construction was proceeding rapidly on the giant regional
Sammy Way
shopping
REFLECTIONS
center being built on a 54-acre tract on the western end of Broad Street Extension, and plans called for opening as many as 15 stores in the first part of March.
Wesmark Shopping Center opens with ceremonies in front of Woolco Department store. The ribbon was cut by Sen. H.B Richardson and held by Miss South Carolina, Nancy Moore of Aiken (later to become Mrs. Strom Thurmond). From left are Mayor Robert E. Graham, G.B. Nalley Jr., Lester F. Davis, vice president of Woolco, Richardson, Moore, J.S. Jordan, Woolco manager, G.B. Nalley, Sylvia Anderson of the Woolco staff, R.W. Rossi, Woolco ad manager, and J. Perry, appliance manager.
SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTOS
“G.B. Nalley of Easley, builder and owner, said that the project will be called Wesmark Plaza, and if his plans work out it could develop into the largest shopping center in South Carolina. “On Feb. 3, 1966, it was announced that eight additional firms would occupy buildings in the new plaza by Nalley Commercial Properties Inc. The businesses were Mack’s 5&10 variety store, Munford Do-It-Yourself Store, Friedman’s Jewelers, The Cloth Shop, Ben Snyder barber shop, Sears-Roebuck mail
order store and Royce Family Shoe Store. These enterprises join two chain firms, Eckerd’s Drugs and Cato’s ladies wear. “Mack’s will occupy the largest square footage among the new stores with 12,000 square feet. The total investment for construction of the new stores was approximately $500,000, according to a Nalley spokesman.” As of March 1968, 18 businesses had banded together to form the Wesmark Merchants Association and were preparing to observe their first anniversary. The member stores in 1968 were Winn-Dixie, Sears, Wesmark Hair Fashions, Wesmark Barber Shop, Tresses for M’lady, the Wig Shop, Wesmark Cinema, Beneficial Finance Co., Mack’s, Royce Shoe Store, Cato’s, the Cloth Shop, Munford’s, Eckerd’s Drug Store, Woolco Department Store, Kar-Care, Inc., A&W Root Beer, Wesmark Texaco and the South Carolina National Bank. Wesmark has continued to be an important segment of the Sumter shopping community. It, like most shopping centers, has undergone a number of changes through the years. New businesses have been added, while others have ceased operation. The size of the facility has been expanded with the addition of new structures. Reach Item Archivist Sammy Way at waysammy@yahoo. com or (803) 774-1294.
D&D Pet Salon was briefly located in the Wesmark Plaza shopping complex.
The interior of Coker’s department store is shown. It was a popular shopping spot, particularly for women’s clothing. Its owners were based in Hartsville.
The ribbon is cut to open the new Cinema Twin Theatres in Wesmark Plaza. It was widely regarded as the nicest movie theater in Sumter other than the Sumter Theatre when it was located in the Sumter Opera House.
Calvin Hodge’s Esso station operated at the entrance to Wesmark Plaza for many years. Moe’s Southwest Grill is now under construction on this site and is expected to open soon.
Sears was located near the Cinema Twin theaters. It later moved to Sumter Mall, then downsized and moved to Gateway Plaza.
Woolco executives stand in front of the nearly completed department store. For many years, it was the anchor store for Wesmark Plaza.
Some Sumterites still miss the Big Boy hamburger and root beer at the A&W that once stood near the corner of Broad Street and Wesmark Boulevard.