I am a person who likes mundane things. I don’t know why, but I enjoy the dismal plainness of a good sprawl. A strip mall on an overcast day, a long stretch of asphalt leading to nowhere special—these things make me happy in a specific, gritty way. The Cherrydale shopping center is arguably one of my favorite spots in Greenville simply because it is so dull. It is probably one of the most regulation-grade shopping centers that I have ever clapped eyes on, and that is exactly why I love it.

My infatuation with Cherrydale began during my freshman year at Furman. At some point during my fall semester, I wound up eavesdropping on two seniors who were talking about their ideal date. One of the seniors said he took all of his dates to Cherrydale. When the other senior laughed at him, the first one said, “What? Cherrydale has everything I could ever need.” I have been meditating on the profundity of that statement ever since.

Indeed, Cherrydale does have everything one could ever need: it is chock full of retail chains and fast- food spots, plus a Regal theater and several weird “spas.” It also contains one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in Greenville (shout out to La Puerta Vallarta). A large portion of my emotional and spiritual needs are met via the goods on offer at Cherrydale Point. Want to shop, but don’t want to haul yourself to Haywood? Go to Cherrydale. Want cheap margaritas and good chips? Go to Cherrydale. Want a five dollar walk- in haircut? Cherrydale. (That last one is a bit of a swim-at- your-own-risk kind of thing, but you know what I mean.)

I think what I like most about Cherrydale, other than its versatility, is its unabashed ubiquity. There are thousands of pseudo-Cherrydales all over the United States, each as indistinguishable as the last. If you drive away from one, you almost instantly hit another. This should logically be pretty depressing, but I actually find it comforting. No matter where I live after I graduate from Furman, I will find a surrogate Cherrydale to calm me with its familiarity. And that is a beautiful thing.