Star Profile
Richard Balser of Columbia Luggage
By John Temple Ligon Temple@TheColumbiaStar.com

Richard Balser

It's hard to describe Columbia Luggage. It's not only one of a kind, i t's the only luggage store between Greenville and Charleston. Look up "Luggage" in the Real Yellow Pages and Columbia Luggage (aka Initially Yours Luggage and Monogramming) stands alone.

Richard Balser was born at the corner of Harden and Hampton Streets, at Columbia Hospital where he was born. Balser's father was a dentist practicing at the corner of Pickens and Hampton, and his mother helped in the dental office.

Balser went to Kilbourne Baptist kindergarten and moved over a few blocks to Brennan School for his first six grades. He attended Crayton for his junior high years and A.C. Flora for high school.

A math and science whiz, a ham operator, and an active member in the math club, Balser took advantage of Flora's geeky offerings and gained acceptance at N.C. State in Raleigh. An industrial engineering major, Balser was also an Air Force R.O.T.C. cadet.

In the late '60s, the military draft was breathing down every young man's neck, but by the early '70s, the lottery kicked in, and some got lucky. Balser did and got No. 360, about as far from a call- up as possible.

Balser dropped A.F.R.O.T.C., and graduated in four years from N.C. State. His first job out of school, the summer of 1972, was with the Newport News Shipping and Drydock Company, a part of Houston- based Tenneco where he was a nuclear planner for one year.

Balser stayed in Newport News for his next career move inside sales at General Electric. After five- and- a- half years with GE, Balser moved back to Raleigh to work as an applications engineer for Exide Corp.

One more stop on the engineer's career track was a stint with Siemens Allis in Raleigh when Exide left for Philadelphia. In 1981, he was ready to return to Columbia and set up a retail shop.

Balser began with a monogram operation, Initially Yours, and slowly expanded into retail. His first retail inventory was part of the remains after the closing of Freed's Luggage on Main Street, about where the S.C. Education Lobby is now.

From Freed's, Balser took on an ample supply of Banner House pocket books, the cloth bags with wood handles.

Hartmann was his first major luggage brand of new floor stock. By 2002, he had what he wanted.

Roughly, what is on display today at Columbia Luggage is what was on display in 2002, but from 1981 until 2002, there was a steady growth stream adding goods as Balser saw fit.

Next to Hartmann, Balser has carried Vera Bradley, a hot brand with him since 1990. He stocks 3,000 pieces of Vera Bradley: purses, wallets, garment bags, duffel bags, even lunch boxes.

Another strong seller is the luggage label, Briggs & Riley, where fresh innovation ranks as high as predictable quality. Briggs & Riley carries a lifetime warranty against both manufacturer's defects and owner's wear and tear.

Among his small leather goods, Balser carries Abas, which is also carried by Neiman- Marcus.

His storefront on Lady Street, the north side between Main and Assembly, is the old entry to Shimmy's Steak House, the late- night eatery where practically all the local rock bands ended up after a gig.

Across the street used to be Columbia Office Supply, and next door, for as long as Balser can remember, has always been Moe Levy's.

Balser remarried last year and has two daughters from a previous marriage and three daughters came with his second wife.

Balser and his wife recently took a road trip through New England, stopping at Plymouth Rock, like all good Americans.