If you've driven past Sweetgrass Corner lately and thought, "Wait, is something actually happening in that old Bi-Lo space?" — yes. Yes it is.
Golf Galaxy Performance Center officially opened this past weekend near Highway 17 and the IOP Connector, and this isn't just another store that sells golf balls and visors.
Not Your Average Pro Shop
This is one of only about 30 experiential "Performance Center" locations out of Golf Galaxy's 110 stores nationwide. Think high-tech simulators, hitting bays, custom club fittings, and lessons — all packed into 20,000 square feet.
It's the chain's first Charleston-area location and its fourth in South Carolina, joining outposts on Hilton Head, in Greenville, and Myrtle Beach.
Why It Fits
Charleston is a golf town. Full stop. And Mount Pleasant has the kind of active, outdoors-obsessed population that makes this feel like a natural fit.
As Continental Realty Corp., which owns Sweetgrass Corner, told the Post & Courier: the store "brings a valuable new resource to the Mount Pleasant community — one that supports the area's active lifestyle and love of the game."
The Back Nine (Story)
Golf Galaxy has been owned by Pittsburgh-based Dick's Sporting Goods since 2007, when Dick's picked up the brand for around $225 million. The "Performance Center" concept launched about five years ago near Boston with the goal of creating what Dick's called an "elevated experience for golfers," per the Post & Courier.
One funny wrinkle: The new store sits less than three miles from a full-service Dick's near Highway 17 and Bowman Road — which also sells golf gear. So yes, Dick's is now kind of competing with itself in East Cooper. Bold strategy.
The Sweetgrass Corner Glow-Up
That old Bi-Lo space sat dark for seven years. Now it's filling up fast.
Trader Joe's claimed about a quarter of the 60,000-square-foot footprint in 2024. Golf Galaxy took its slice. And HomeSense — the home-decor sibling of T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods — is set to open February 26, rounding it out.
Not bad for East Cooper's most visible vacancy.
The Bottom Line
Whether you're a weekend hacker or a serious player wanting a custom fitting without driving to Kiawah, Golf Galaxy gives Mount Pleasant golfers a legit new home base. And for this stretch of 17, the retail comeback is very real.
This is a summary of an article published in the Post & Courier. Click here if you'd like to read that article.
