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Old 10-26-2015, 06:28 AM
 
Location: ADK via WV
5,988 posts, read 8,970,216 times
Reputation: 2493

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Great post Tbailey, I think we see the same mindset here in Kanawha County between SC and Charleston. Each city had its part to play in the larger picture of the overall "city". People don't realize that the city is more than just the proper area designated with the largest known name, but is the area around it as well that feeds off of the inner city and supports it with other types of business and industry.
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Old 10-26-2015, 07:58 AM
 
941 posts, read 1,346,609 times
Reputation: 182
Quote:
Originally Posted by tbailey1138 View Post
It's not about jealousy at all. It's about sustainability and keeping money locally rather than sending it to corporate in another state. I agree that everything has it's place and helps to build the area. A large big box store isn't going to go downtown and it wouldn't fit well there. The Tanyard Station development will pull more from the mall than it will downtown so nothing lost there. I think the mall being in Barboursville actually resulted in a bigger development and a win for the area overall. Huntington and Barboursville need to work together more for the health of the area.

I know the Barboursville mindset, I grew up there. If there's anything destructive to this area as a whole that I truly don't understand, it is the isolationist, ill will that people there have toward Huntington. People there often paint the worst picture of Huntington in such an unrealistic and untrue way. If Huntington thrives, Barboursville will grow leaps and bounds as the bedroom community it is. If Huntington dies, all of those big box stores will be empty shells because the jobs that are worth anything in this area are in Huntington. If you haven't been downtown in a while, you truly are missing out. Lots of local restaurants and shops you won't find anywhere else to visit. I encourage you to seek the welfare of the entire area rather than only the small pocket where you live. On such a small scale, we are all connected and to do anything else truly is holding this area back.
This^^^
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Old 10-26-2015, 10:13 AM
 
1,642 posts, read 2,405,412 times
Reputation: 453
I love rational people.
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Old 10-26-2015, 11:23 AM
 
251 posts, read 258,268 times
Reputation: 55
What everybody is saying is true BUT Bass Pro is a win-win for everybody. That is one of those stores that will draw from a good distance. However, I don't get the idea that West Virginia/Barboursville couldn't support a F&S and a Bass Pro. This is West Freakin' Virginia. Half of our schools get out for the first week of Hunting season. Those that don't get out, skip school. Most people I know hunt and/or fish. If Bass Pro is smart, they would build a huge store in Barboursville with marine/atv sales and everything.

A lot of this is just about quality of life too. As someone else said, Barboursville & Huntington should look at things that can benefit the entire county. If Barboursville becomes the shopping district, that only helps Huntington when they are recruiting young families & professionals to the area. With the development in Prichard and the new announcements of Rubberlite working with the Marshall Engineering School, I think we're really seeing the beginning of some revitalization of manufacturing in the area. BUT, for that to happen...we have to have a good quality of life. That includes plenty of restaurants, hotels, shopping, gyms, parks, etc...

Anyways...not sure if any of that made sense as I was replying to several comments all at once.

The moral to the story is, Huntington and Barboursville should work together to set some goals. They both have their strengths and should play to them. If both towns play to their strengths, both will succeed and we'll all benefit from it.
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Old 10-26-2015, 11:43 AM
 
Location: Huntington, WV
4,934 posts, read 8,881,587 times
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You made perfect sense and that is exactly the point I was trying to make. Barboursville will never be Huntington and Huntington isn't likely to get the large retail areas like Barboursville, there just isn't the space. Each area needs to recognize their strengths and identities and work together to build up the area. If the area grows, there will be some people moving here that want to live in the urban core and some who want to live in the suburban areas. For Cabell County to grow, both areas have to be ready to accommodate those needs.

Back to the topic, a Bass Pro would be a draw for the entire area as those types of shops are often destinations themselves. Plus, we are sorely lacking in those types of stores around here and it would help give people more opportunity to get involved in an active outdoor lifestyle. I begged the people at Glenn's to add some outdoor stuff when they expanded. They felt like as a small business, they wouldn't be able to compete with the price and product available online. I'd imagine any small business in selling outdoor gear would have the same problem.
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Old 10-26-2015, 01:21 PM
 
Location: Winfield, WV
1,946 posts, read 4,051,770 times
Reputation: 573
Im not sure where the source of this news is coming from, but from the Downtown Huntington Facebook Group, this was just posted, and found it worth sharing on here:

Quote:
"According to a source who spoke under condition of anonymity, Whole Foods and Trader Joe's are currently looking at a location in or near the Merritt's Creek shopping center. ‪#‎NewsFromThePothole‬ ‪#‎HWV‬
The likelihood of one or both companies opening a store in this market is currently estimated to be about 65% in favor. This would be the first store in West Virginia for either company."
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Old 10-26-2015, 03:52 PM
 
530 posts, read 585,226 times
Reputation: 54
That's very interesting and I would note that there are two "grocery" stores marked on the Tanyard Station site map. Again, Tanyard Station is being marketed as an upscale retail complex and the Mayor has said that there were going to be big names that we have heard of but are not in the area (Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Bass Pro, etc.) Very excited for this development and all of the opportunities it will bring.

Of note, I was driving on 60 just in front of the Tanyard Crossing site and there were several people doing surveying on the side of the road. Seems like things are moving along and per a news reports last week things are moving ahead of schedule and the DOT is also engaged in the process to upgrade the road to accommodate increased traffic.
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Old 10-26-2015, 05:04 PM
 
51 posts, read 66,067 times
Reputation: 14
Quote:
Originally Posted by tbailey1138 View Post
It's not about jealousy at all. It's about sustainability and keeping money locally rather than sending it to corporate in another state. I agree that everything has it's place and helps to build the area. A large big box store isn't going to go downtown and it wouldn't fit well there. The Tanyard Station development will pull more from the mall than it will downtown so nothing lost there. I think the mall being in Barboursville actually resulted in a bigger development and a win for the area overall. Huntington and Barboursville need to work together more for the health of the area.

I know the Barboursville mindset, I grew up there. If there's anything destructive to this area as a whole that I truly don't understand, it is the isolationist, ill will that people there have toward Huntington. People there often paint the worst picture of Huntington in such an unrealistic and untrue way. If Huntington thrives, Barboursville will grow leaps and bounds as the bedroom community it is. If Huntington dies, all of those big box stores will be empty shells because the jobs that are worth anything in this area are in Huntington. If you haven't been downtown in a while, you truly are missing out. Lots of local restaurants and shops you won't find anywhere else to visit. I encourage you to seek the welfare of the entire area rather than only the small pocket where you live. On such a small scale, we are all connected and to do anything else truly is holding this area back.

You have completely misunderstood what I was trying to say. If you had read the last sentence you would see that I am a proponent of the entire area being successful. I definitely "seek the welfare of the entire area rather than the small pocket where I live." The point I was making is that Huntington needs to seek and develop businesses that will make people want to visit downtown. The types of businesses that are looking to locate at Tanyard Station wouldn't work in downtown Huntington, so there is no need to feel that the development of this shopping center is going to hurt Huntington. Downtown needs to attract and develop businesses and attractions that wouldn't work in Barboursville and would draw people downtown. I would use Chattanooga, TN as an example of what Huntington should be aiming for. I have visited there several times over the last 20 years and have watched the downtown be completely revitalized. An aquarium, museum, and other attractions that work better in an urban area have drawn people downtown which has in turn brought other businesses such as hotels, bars, local stores, etc. I hate to use the word "hipster" because it has a negative connotation, but that is the demographic they seem to aim for and it has been VERY successful. If I lived there I would choose to live, shop, etc. downtown. In Huntington, there is nothing to attract me to the downtown area. The times I am downtown and checking things out, I find there is nothing that interests me. Each area needs to develop it own niche which will strengthen the entire area.
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Old 10-27-2015, 05:34 PM
 
530 posts, read 585,226 times
Reputation: 54
Nice article giving an overview of Huntington's Revitalization Plans. I really hope that some of these things begin to happen pretty quickly. I think we have to harness the excitement of the community for these projects and not lose that excitement due to things being hyped by our local officials and not happening in the near future. This is what has really left folks with a sour taste in their mouths over the years with things being hyped and either not coming to fruition or taking a very long time to happen.


Three Iniatives Part of Huntington's Revitalization Plan | Huntington News
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Old 10-27-2015, 07:22 PM
 
44 posts, read 49,844 times
Reputation: 39
Anyone know whats going on just west of Walmart on Rt. 60 beside the hotel? Noticed a bunch of earth-moving equipment there and they appear to be preparing the land to build something.
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