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New Business in Sothridge and the Town Center still growing.
A Carter's (Baby store) opened its first location in WV in the former Shoe Carnival. From what I understand, its kinda like a Babies R Us, which just opened up inside the Toys R Us also in Southridge. I doubt I'll be spending much time in there though. LOL! It will be beside the new Qdoba which is still under construction, but coming along. Also Five Guys looks almost done, which is a few stores down. There is also something under construction beside the new Shoe Carnival. From the looks of it, it will be a larger store. And my gut feeling says it will be a Bed Bath & Beyond from the looks of the inside.
Book A Million is taking the old Borders spot in the mall. They are still going to have the Southridge store, but they are just making a second store. This is great news for the mall because it has been without a book store since Borders went out of business.
On another note, The Qdoba and Five Guys at the mall are coming along. It looks like that whole side of the building where the two will be located is getting a huge facelift all the way to the top of the building(2 stories). They probably will both open along with the two in Southridge before Christmas!
Sheetz in Kanawha City is moving very slow! I'm not too concerned, but they've had a couple of months, and all they have is a foundation. The four story new Highland Hospital across the street is moving alot faster then the gas station is! Hopefully we will be able to enjoy Sheetz before all the oil runs out.
Another thing is the Japanese restaurant in Kanawha City hasn't been worked on in months. IDK if they ran out of money, or are just really lazy.
All of this is great news for Charleston's retail market, and I expect more in the near future. If I hear anything else I'll be sure to post!
For one, a tire place was a bad example. Tire places affect shoppers, let alone the retail sector. a tire place would probably be better off staying where it is, rather than moving to an area where the land was more expensive and it would get the same customers. Now if you would have said a chain clothing store, then it would make more logic. But then again, I don't think that Cabela's is going to affect downtown like you think it will, because again they are two different types of shopping. An example I'll give to you is Taylor Books vs Books-a-million. Taylor Books is not only a book store, but a cultural hub for art and music. Places like it in downtown don't blend well with Walmart, Target, Kholes, ect... because those big box stores are for quantity not quality.
I would'd say Fayette County is a hike. You can drive on US 60 and get from downtown to the county line in just over a half an hour. I don't think you realize that alot of the tourist that come to WV come from the Midwest, and pass through Charleston. Also i don't think you realize that Cabela's picked Charleston for a reason, and I'd say that alot of it is its prime location.
Not Fayette County per se (my ex is from Glasgow, remember?). Summersville and the tourist area of Fayette County is a pretty good hike. Even Fayetteville is about an hour's drive. But that isn't my point. You have to see a Cabelas in operation to understand what I'm talking about. Look at any of them, and see what happens around them. If there are already existing businesses where it will be located, they will benefit greatly. Any direct sale retail business that is not near there in the area will probably have some negative effects because the Cabelas and associated development will draw some of those customers.
Don't take my word for it. Check one out in person and see for yourself. Also, look at what has happened in downtown areas located near one while you're at it. The Wheeling Cabelas affected businesses in Washington, PA and St. Clairsville, OH in addition to those in Wheeling itself. Once you've gone through one, you'll see why they are such a good draw. They are absolutely unique.
Not Fayette County per se (my ex is from Glasgow, remember?). Summersville and the tourist area of Fayette County is a pretty good hike. Even Fayetteville is about an hour's drive. But that isn't my point. You have to see a Cabelas in operation to understand what I'm talking about. Look at any of them, and see what happens around them. If there are already existing businesses where it will be located, they will benefit greatly. Any direct sale retail business that is not near there in the area will probably have some negative effects because the Cabelas and associated development will draw some of those customers.
Don't take my word for it. Check one out in person and see for yourself. Also, look at what has happened in downtown areas located near one while you're at it. The Wheeling Cabelas affected businesses in Washington, PA and St. Clairsville, OH in addition to those in Wheeling itself. Once you've gone through one, you'll see why they are such a good draw. They are absolutely unique.
I've been to numerous Cabela's and I know what they are like, but you are missing my point. Sure Caleba's in Wheeling sucked the life out of downtown, but it really can't here. Here is the difference between the Charleston Cabela's and Wheeling Cabela's. The one here is moving to an already built up retail neighborhood. When Southridge first opened up, it sucked all of the life out of downtown and the mall like you said. It has taken a while for dowtown to see new business, but it is happening now. In Wheeling there was NO retail what so ever in that area. When Cabela's opened up, that is when the business you had in downtown moved closer to the store. The area that Cabela's is moving to in Charleston is like 3 Highland developments. We already have a large spance of business that moved away from downtown. And that is before Cabela's came. We've already experienced what you are saying, and now we have come to the point where our downtown/mall and Southridge are like day and night. And have both grown together. Downtown (like most cities) has a more unique shopping and dining experience, where as Southridge is your average American strip mall.
Went to the mall today, Alumini Hall was open and was nice, but I thought the kind of store that sold stuff like baseball cards. It was just another WVU store that there is too many of. It is a chain, so I guess it sells items that are regional. I bought a new Nike polo that has the flying WV, and thin white strips that run horizontal. can't wait to wear it! LOL
Off Broadway Shoes is almost ready to open. That store is huge, and might as well be considered another anchor as it takes up most of the Steve & Berry's space. The other side is now the home of a DEB. Doubt I'll be spending much time in either store.
The soon to be Books a million hasn't started yet. I expect them to save the same modern all glass exterior that Borders had because it still looks awsome.
The Five Guys and Qdoba are still a work in progress. Both are redoing the entire outside entrance so it might take awhile longer. It was nice to see that they had their signs up saying coming soon though.
I only noticed maybe 3 total empty spaces, one being on the lower level across from Tidewater. The other two being upstairs beside Dairy Queen. Overall I think that the mall is filling out, and with some more unique stores too.
Also Five Guys at dudley Farms is almost ready to open. The one outside the mall is still being worked on, but is coming along fast with its new brick and stone exterior. Qdoba at both locations is still a work in progress.
After reading many of these comments, I have a little to say.
We the people of Charleston have a bit of a Napoleon Complex. Our city is small, and there is not very much to do here, yet we hope and strive that changes someday, and will strongly defend our city.
We want to be one of the big boys, and have grown so weary of the many years of the stereotypes about West Virginia. I for one would like to see this place explode in new growth and jobs, but I know with our economy and geography, it will stay the same for the most part. I am ready to move on.
Good news indeed and so glad they are utilizing an old building instead of building a new place out in Southridge or Cross Lanes. I see a bright future ahead for the East End. I am still amazed at the collection of restaurants that have developed near the Capital in such a short period of time. I plan to definitely hit up Bluegrass Kitchen when I am visiting my folks over for the Holidays.
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It will be beside the new Qdoba which is still under construction, but coming along. Also Five Guys looks almost done, which is a few stores down. There is also something under construction beside the new Shoe Carnival. From the looks of it, it will be a larger store. And my gut feeling says it will be a Bed Bath & Beyond from the looks of the inside.
We need more independents/mom and pops! 
