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I think having 2 Wal-Mart Neighborhood markets as opposed to a 2nd Supercenter was the wiser choice IMO.
Patriot Centre...was that the "Upscale Piggly Wiggly"? If I understand the situation correctly with that is the local family that owns the remaining Piggly Wiggly stores as well as Willy-Sues owns that land and will not sell it due to in-family fighting and feuds. Thus you have family ownership conflict preventing other developers from purchasing the land while not being able to develop it themselves because the Piggly Wiggly brand is not viable as they closed one store recently. Is that pretty accurate?
Tell me about the Town Center on 521 @ Alice Drive. I never knew that had plans to begin with.
Crosland Development out of Charlotte had signs up at the 521/ Alice Drive intersection (before the road expansion) cor a big box development.
Their website had overhead views of the site and maps of where stores and out parcels would be built. The Item mentioned the project in a large article that also included info on Home Depot(which was also canceled)
Here is a link to another forum that talked about old Sumter retail news from around 2008
Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site
The economic downturn stopped this project before it even got off the ground
Crosland Development out of Charlotte had signs up at the 521/ Alice Drive intersection (before the road expansion) cor a big box development.
Their website had overhead views of the site and maps of where stores and out parcels would be built. The Item mentioned the project in a large article that also included info on Home Depot(which was also canceled)
Here is a link to another forum that talked about old Sumter retail news from around 2008
Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site
The economic downturn stopped this project before it even got off the ground
This is gonna get removed because you can’t link to competitor sites.
This is gonna get removed because you can’t link to competitor sites.
City Data is sooo insecure about itself
What other sites can we not post? I’ve never been clear on this.
Nonetheless it’s proof that Sumter had big projects going for it and how the economic downturn stymied it, too. Perhaps they were about to turn the corner.
What other sites can we not post? I’ve never been clear on this.
Nonetheless it’s proof that Sumter had big projects going for it and how the economic downturn stymied it, too. Perhaps they were about to turn the corner.
I honestly believe Sumter is somewhat of an anomaly, in a way that you just can't always go by the numbers. We may not have the numbers that certain restaurants and others businesses like to see, but some of those same restaurants will probably do well here. It's a military town, air force and army, and military people love to eat out, and Sumter people love to eat out, and people from surrounding areas as well.
Hopefully city leaders, chamber president, and developers will try to attract some of these businesses back to the city, or at least take another look. I believe Sumter is stronger and better today than it was back then.
I honestly believe Sumter is somewhat of an anomaly, in a way that you just can't always go by the numbers. We may not have the numbers that certain restaurants and others businesses like to see, but some of those same restaurants will probably do well here. It's a military town, air force and army, and military people love to eat out, and Sumter people love to eat out, and people from surrounding areas as well.
Hopefully city leaders, chamber president, and developers will try to attract some of these businesses back to the city, or at least take another look. I believe Sumter is stronger and better today than it was back then.
You would think Developers notice the steady business Logans, Ihop, Applebees, Chilis, Outback, BWW, Golden Corral, And Ruby Tuesday receive in Sumter
You would think Developers notice the steady business Logans, Ihop, Applebees, Chilis, Outback, BWW, Golden Corral, And Ruby Tuesday receive in Sumter
Those type of restaurants are right up Sumter's alley which is why they are likely here. On paper Sumter's population looks good.. City of 40k metro of just over 100k..gets businesses attention.. HOWEVER; what may slow them down is when they look at income/buying power and what I have heard to be called "Psychographics"(I believe that is the correct word which is just fancy for shopping habits)..which is people's preferences and buying patterns that likely give them pause as they trend towards more and mid to low end/value oriented shopping and entertainment. Not a criticism, just an observation.. When I was in Sumter in the 90s if you offered a lunch special over $10 it better be on a buffet or people were not coming.. and it sure as hell needed to include the drink or else you were just adding insult to injury ....
Those type of restaurants are right up Sumter's alley which is why they are likely here. On paper Sumter's population looks good.. City of 40k metro of just over 100k..gets businesses attention.. HOWEVER; what may slow them down is when they look at income/buying power and what I have heard to be called "Psychographics"(I believe that is the correct word which is just fancy for shopping habits)..which is people's preferences and buying patterns that likely give them pause as they trend towards more and mid to low end/value oriented shopping and entertainment. Not a criticism, just an observation.. When I was in Sumter in the 90s if you offered a lunch special over $10 it better be on a buffet or people were not coming.. and it sure as hell needed to include the drink or else you were just adding insult to injury ....
Some restaurant franchises have strict guidelines, or criteria they go by before considering moving into a new city or town. For example, if your population of the metro is not at least 150,000, they probably won't come, or if your median income is less than 45,000 they probably won't come. I would imagine there are some exception to this, and these are not the only standards but a starting point for many. That's why Florence, a city with the slightly smaller population within the city, but a metro of 205,000 have franchises we don't have in Sumter. But, Florence is not a military town either, and that's the exception Sumter have.
I often wonder about our taxes as well. We may not think that a penny sales tax would make much of a difference but you never know if the the burden puts the penny tax just over a supposed threshold that marketers and restaurant chains look at. As it stands we have the regular sales tax plus the penny tax which puts it at 8% PLUS a 2% restaurant tax. So a trip through the drive thru will cost you 10% in taxes. That is not good given our per capita income. Income maybe too low or borderline but I think 8%-10% really hurts potential new businesses in that you have the metaphorical candle burning at both ends.
My gym moved out of their current location on yesterday in Gateway Plaza, into a temporary location in Gateway Plaza. So now that end of the plaza is empty, the Rental Center had already moved a few months ago. I was told that end was going to be torn down, and a new section added on. My gym will eventually be moving into the old Parties R us building next to the Vitamin Shoppe after renovation are done in a few months.
Sumter continues to move west with new development...I am surprised that Sumter doesn't have more townhomes.. Seems like patio homes and duplexes have been the more favored housing type for smaller more urban living.. This seems to be a well thought out development as part of a Master Plan.... Builders in Sumter sometimes talk a big game when it come to new development neighborhoods.. then put in flat streets that flood and no curb and gutters nor sidewalks... SMH
Last edited by Woodlands; 07-23-2019 at 09:50 AM..
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Westward hoooo
