Five Points Businesses Welcome USC Students Back

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — Gamecocks students, returning and new, have started trickling into Columbia for the new school year, and businesses are already feeling their impact. “We’ve been busy all week, families moving in and stuff,” assistant general manager of the Gourmet Shop, Zach Schlagel, says. “We have definitely seen an increase in business and it’s been a lot of fun,” Elizabeth Jackson, a sales associate at Wildflower says. The additional customers is fun for Five Points businesses, but it also means dollar signs. “We should be happy when these students come back,” Schlagel says. “That’s a big thing for us.” “You can immediately tell when they call come back,” Monica Kesling, the assistant manager of Wish says. All businesses agree, it’s most obvious by the filled parking spots along the streets, but they’re not complaining. “Small businesses doing well, makes Columbia do well,” Schlagel says. They use social media platforms to keep students in the know about new arrivals and specials, because what the students really want is a good deal. “Anything with student specials, we’re there,” USC junior Asia Brown says.