An NC-based General Store opens in Columbia Area> Colombia Business Report.

Eli Brightbill celebrates the family’s four-generation entrepreneurial culture when she chose the name Lyon General Storage for a business she started in North Carolina four years ago. His shop, now run by his grandparents in rural West Virginia, is named after him, and in Colombia 633 S. Assembly St. Expanded to second place.

The store is located at the intersection of Rosewood Road near the State Exhibition Center, where there was a McDonald’s and then a used car dealership.

Lyon’s General Store, which sells what Brightbill described as “Southern Lifestyle,” opened on July 7. It features a wide range of popular T-shirts, hats and shoes from well-known brands such as Simplified South, Old Row, Drake and SouthCooker. As well as other items including bags, jewelry, beaches, decorated tumblers and lawn mowers.

“We are a retail, gift and accessories store that pays close attention to traditional clothing – that’s really our place,” he said. “Another thing we are trying to do is work with some regional and local companies wherever we go, so that the store feels good in the area and offers a little something that is not seen in many major retail chains,” he said.

Carries Lyon shirts and other clothing, launched in Colombia in 2013 by Local Boy Outfitters. Brightbill said it is working to bring other Colombian and SC-based brands to the store in the future.

Brightbill is a native of North Carolina, born in Raleigh and raised in nearby Sanford. A.D. In 2018 he opened the first Lyon General in Raleigh, which is now located in the Crabtry Valley Mall.

“My great-grandfather came from nothing and built his own business, and this example inspired a lot of people in my family to do it themselves,” he said. “The decision to open my own store was more natural for me than it was for people who did not have that background. I have always loved the concept of self-employment.

Brightbill decided to expand the company 18 months ago and within three hours, Raley was looking for a new market. Colombia was not on its own radar at first, but he heard about the vacancies in Assembly and Rosewood and once realized his potential.

The site has many benefits, including a large viewing area and ample free parking space. The proximity of the store makes it easy for customers in both downtown Columbia and the University of South Carolina to find customers in both markets.

College students, from t-shirts to men’s and women’s shoes and high-heeled boots, are the main beneficiaries of many Lyon General bearers. However, while most of Brightbill’s products have a demographic interest in young people, students are not the only target market. Outdoor fans will love the store’s Xtratruf boots, and beach lovers can buy boogie beach bags and other items.

“We have a lot of colleges and universities in Raleigh and they are an important part of our business but they don’t work or break us, and that’s what we expect here in Colombia,” Brightbill said. “Obviously we want to be at the University of South Carolina and use other colleges, but we don’t want to be dependent on that market.

Lyon General Store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.