I’ve been seeing things on the news lately about folks going above and beyond the norm during these rough times — wearing a resume on a t-shirt, for example, because, yep… the job market is tough. It’s also tough securing good tenants for you little ol’ neighborhood shopping centers — especially when you have a big giant shopping center (that’s Lake Highlands Town Center, if you’re new) less than a mile away.
So, some Lake Highlands business owners have decided to go a step beyond, circulating a petition in hopes of finding a good replacement for the Wal Mart Neighborhood Market that will be closing at the end of this month.
I spoke this morning to one of the guys leading the effort, David Ferris, co-owner of T. Hee Greetings and Gifts in the same shopping center. He, his business partner Tony Doles, along with the owners of Highlands Café next door are asking all Lake Highlands residents to drop by and sign a petition stating their aspirations for the property. The petition will then be used in the effort to get the attention of certain outfits — he’s thinking Sprouts, or some similar specialty grocer.
Seems that’s the same thing they want at Town Center, but Ferris says the Audelia/ Walnut corner has different sorts of offerings. For one, Wal Mart is leaving behind much of its insides and fixtures, making for a vacancy in which a new grocer could set up shop with relatively little labor. Also, it’s available now, as opposed to months or years down the road. Here, you can read more of Mr. Ferris’ thoughts on the matter. He and the others met with his landlord and the shopping center’s leasing agent John Harris yesterday, and he says they have agreed to support the effort.
“We have no idea if this will do any good at all, but it can’t hurt.” says Ferris, good spiritedly, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
Ferris says they have already gathered hundreds of signatures within the first day, and he promises to keep me posted. In return, I promised to visit his store, which everyone tells me is super cool.
