Fort Henry Mall under new management. (Johnson City, Kingsport: leasing, house, cinema)

[fourwinds]

Originally Posted by Carolina Knight

Kroger is present at Kingsport Town Center through Frey Meyer Jewelers #941.

Kroger #328, 1664 East Stone Drive, Kingsport, Tennessee 37660-4610, is an older store indeed. I do now know if Kroger's Kroger Mid-Atlantic division plans to update, expand, or replace Kroger #328. If Kroger #328 is replaced, it could be replaced by a Kroger Marketplace hypermarket.

As Publix has announced stores in Johnson City and Bristol, Virginia, and is open in Greeneville, Kingsport should be in consideration for a future store location.

When Sears/Kmart is bankrupt, Kroger should take over their Kmart store on East Stone and convert it to a Kroger hypermarket. So much more accessible and large enough. Like Kroger, but they just need to update.

[jjbradleynyc]

Updates here on the Fort Henry Mall transformation:

NCG Cinemas movie theater opening up all new and renovated on Friday, July 21st.

https://www.ncgmovies.co/kingsport/?...anding_pages=1

Finally filling the void of Kingsport not having a movie theater since March of this year.

Dunham's Sports to open in the early fall, in the long-vacant space once occupied by the Belk Home Store, above the movie theater.

http://www.dunhamssports.com/

The mall's overall renovations are slowly coming together as well, planned on being finished in the early fall. The Sears store needs a tenant next, and in my opinion, as I think I've mentioned on here before, an out-of-the-box idea would be to open a grocery store in that space--think Earth Fare, Publix type...

[Carolina Knight]

Originally Posted by fourwinds

When Sears/Kmart is bankrupt, Kroger should take over their Kmart store on East Stone and convert it to a Kroger hypermarket. So much more accessible and large enough. Like Kroger, but they just need to update.

Kroger has recently cancelled or delayed plans to expand or replace existing Kroger supermarkets and add new stores as Kroger Marketplace hypermarkets.

Publix recently cancelled plans for it Bristol, Virginia, store after the location developer's plans fell apart. I do not know if it will shift its focus to Kingsport and/or continue to seek another location in Bristol, Virginia.

[jjbradleynyc]

Originally Posted by Carolina Knight

Kroger has recently cancelled or delayed plans to expand or replace existing Kroger supermarkets and add new stores as Kroger Marketplace hypermarkets.

Publix recently cancelled plans for it Bristol, Virginia, store after the location developer's plans fell apart. I do not know if it will shift its focus to Kingsport and/or continue to seek another location in Bristol, Virginia.

Hmm, interesting. It would be great to see a Publix come to Kingsport. I think the location in the Sears store may be doable? Curious if they would look at that as an option. Definitely more out of the box for a mall. However, Food City has such a hold on Kingsport, it seems.

But the closest grocery store to Food City is Kroger on Stone Drive. More competition would be a good thing. In the same area of Kingsport where Food City is now, there used to be (like 20 years ago) Oakwood, Food City, Food Lion and Winn Dixie--all within about a 2 mile radius.

[Serious Conversation]

I saw a Publix commercial last night. If they are truly pulling out of Bristol, it seems like further expansion plans would also be canceled.

[setnick]

Has anyone been inside the mall recently to see the new stairwell that was cut into the middle of the hallway outside what was the cupcake store? It is the most bizarre place to put one but something needed to replace those escalators. I'll really miss those.
In regards to the new Dunham's Sports store, it appears that they have taken some of the smaller vacant stores to out to expand the entrance into the old Belk Home space

[Serious Conversation]

Originally Posted by setnick

Has anyone been inside the mall recently to see the new stairwell that was cut into the middle of the hallway outside what was the cupcake store? It is the most bizarre place to put one but something needed to replace those escalators. I'll really miss those.
In regards to the new Dunham's Sports store, it appears that they have taken some of the smaller vacant stores to out to expand the entrance into the old Belk Home space

I moved back here last summer and honestly have not been to the mall since. I am not certain I will go back, even with this theater. I cannot imagine fixing the escalators would have cost more than removing them.

The previous management made so many missteps and consumer behavior has changed. I hope the theater can reinvigorate the space in some way, but I don't see it being the mall we remember.

[Carolina Knight]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

I saw a Publix commercial last night. If they are truly pulling out of Bristol, it seems like further expansion plans would also be canceled.

Publix is not going to open a store at its initial location in Washington County, Virginia. It is possible it may be the supermarket locating at The Falls in the City of Bristol, Virginia.

[Serious Conversation]

Originally Posted by Carolina Knight

Publix is not going to open a store at its initial location in Washington County, Virginia. It is possible it may be the supermarket locating at The Falls in the City of Bristol, Virginia.

The whole Falls development has been a mess. The site ended up proving a nightmare from a construction standpoint and only a handful of businesses have opened there. With The Pinnacle being a success less than ten miles away, I wouldn't be surprised if Publix ends up there.

[rccrain]

Have they even seen the Falls? That place looks dead in the water.