doesa walmart shopping center

dont know if anyone has asked this yet but does anyone know what is being built there in front of goodys?

Hell, didn't even know anything was being built. Wouldn't surprise me if it was another place to eat.

It is, the last I heard if the financing went thru it was going to be the Asian Cafe, pretty large building with big buffet style lines. The was the last I had heard.

Any idea what is going on with the old walmart building. I noticed they had added several handicapped parking spaces up there lately. It sorta looked like something was going to go in there, but I was unaware of anything.

have not been up there in awhile so no clue what is going in there i have heard rumors like everyonr else but nothing specific

I heard that Golden China was moving in front of Goody's. They need a bigger place.

I hate when you get the same damn things move from shopping center to shopping center. It would be nice to get some new stores instead of a new Golden China, radio Shack or jewelery store that was the same as the old shopping center version.

I agree Borat, didn't do us much good when the old shopping center turned into the new shopping center and you leave one vacant with a handful of stores left in it.

The only reason the move was made is because of WAL-MART, the City wanted to keep them in the City because they could not afford to lose the tax revenue that they brought in year in and year out. It has helped somewhat with new stores/restaurants but really, until they find someone to fill most of the other shopping center it really isn't doing much good. The old Advanced Auto building has been purchased and completely remodeled into office space with half of it being Bardin Thrower's CPA office and the other currently trying to be leased. There is some movement going on in the old one but not enough right now.

i agree totally instead of moving to the new center the old center should be used for something cause it is a major ghost town

You can blame the great Fred Ramey for this whole fiasco. There was writing in principal agreeent's that Wal-mart was the only one allowed to leave the old center, this was between the center's owner, the city and walmart. Well as Mr Ramey went an lowballed Jim Smith and Family who owned the property from what is the middle of the store to the left(if your looking at it with Sonic to your back)and denied them City water and sewer hookups is where it began. I can go on and on as it went From trget was to go in the Old store then let everyone leave because the timtable to complete the deals passed and etc.
Goodys was going to leave too, yet the was a tenative deal for Old Navy to come, but if the rest had of the store stayed and walmart hadn't enacted their 14 year lease on the old store we would have 2 centers I think. Yet from what I was told by people that worked @ the City this was all because Mr. Ramey got slammed in public over the lowbal by Mr. Smithand some bonuses to go to him for s speedy timetable he lost those and face in the public. And now we have a place for people to park their campers and coal trucks. it should be turned into one Giant Gas station by Wendell Barnette to equal something you would see at Wytheville.
I dunno how some of those stores are making it because they went from paying $12 sq ft for retail space to $19 a sq ft.

The Smith's I thought did pretty good in their sales, they got paid pretty well IMO. It would be hard for me to turn down the money they were given for a couple of doublewides and a few acres.

It is a matter of public record, you can go to the courthouse and see what the purchase price was for the roughly 7 acres of land and the two improvements that sat on them. I would have taken it in a heartbeat.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: UTVols2</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The Smith's I thought did pretty good in their sales, they got paid pretty well IMO. It would be hard for me to turn down the money they were given for a couple of doublewides and a few acres.

It is a matter of public record, you can go to the courthouse and see what the purchase price was for the roughly 7 acres of land and the two improvements that sat on them. I would have taken it in a heartbeat.</div></div>

Yeah, I knew the Smiths (grew up going to church at Esserville FWB) back when all this went down and I really only heard them lamenting about losing the land for sentimental reasons--not so much that they were getting lowballed on price in any shape/form/fashion.

I know that's your field now, so I really dunno the price and I was employed where I was getting inside info, so I do know what was the originally planned. It got bungled up at some point because Ernie was outta town and Fred made a decision on his own. I think they were wanting to be in the land swap because Jim had a deal with Pals for the land where you turn into the Bank and Fred didn't like it cause some how the City wasn't gaining anything.
It should've been handled better, hopefully before Ernie retire's he gets something done with the old shopping center, but as long as walmart keeps paying the lease and saying no to certain business it' will be vacant.

That is very true and Wally World ain't gonna give up that lease unless it is for someone who is no threat to them whatsoever. I do agree that things could have been handled a little diffrently but they rushed everything to make sure the City didn't lose Wal-Mart because they had a couple other places in Wise they also could have gone and were pursuing them until the City offered the land for free to Wally World

Well that part was actually misleading. The Craft guy that was store Mgr before went to bat for Norton and said he wasn't gonna let them take it out of the city. He was loyal and fought them on it and he won but cost him the job, he said they were never serious about going up near the new Lowes area it was just bluff on that part.

anybody know what's going on with the family spa & pool place up there?

there window's are all blacked out, seen signs hanging on the door, but didn't have time to get out and read them when I was up there

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SuperX</div><div class="ubbcode-body">anybody know what's going on with the family spa & pool place up there?

there window's are all blacked out, seen signs hanging on the door, but didn't have time to get out and read them when I was up there</div></div>

They moved to Wise.

started again, rents to high, more empty places to come. I'll ber H & R block goes and the silver place in next 6 months.

I heard from a fairly reliable source that Golden Corral is going into the space beside Goodys

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: raider75</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I heard from a fairly reliable source that Golden Corral is going into the space beside Goodys </div></div>

I could dream but I won't.
Pretty sure it is the new home for the Chinese place where the Holiday Inn is.

Well i heard from a pretty reliable source that it is going to be new Raider football museum complete with a wax replica of Jimbo! [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smirk.gif[/img]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LPD_007</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Well i heard from a pretty reliable source that it is going to be new Raider football museum complete with a wax replica of Jimbo! [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smirk.gif[/img]</div></div>

Sure the wax replica of Jimbo isn't going to be in the Chinese place? [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif[/img]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: starbuck</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
I could dream but I won't.
Pretty sure it is the new home for the Chinese place where the Holiday Inn is.</div></div>

Right on that - Demolition on the Jefferson will begin when the occupancy permit comes through for the bottom floors of the Holiday Inn, but the Cafe will be the last part to go - they can technically hold out until their new building is ready (but if it was me I'd offer to take a nice buyout to move out sooner!)

I just called China Cafe and asked them directly to confirm if that was to be their new location (end all speculation and just get the info straight from the horse's mouth). They are moving in front of Goody's.

If all the rumors spread about that shopping center came true we'd already have an Olive Garden, Golden Corral, Pals, TGIFridays, Ruby Tuesdays, AND the old walmart would be a Home Depot and a Target lol

The dude at China Cafe actually has a 5 yr lease they found out with a option to renew. I reckon he is gonna for sure move out tho when the new place is completed. They will probably start demolishing the Jefferson pretty soon. The Holiday Inn is hoping/praying to be ready for the Bristol race. Place looks pretty good inside.

On another note anybody know if the Thai restaurant is still open? Haven't been by there in a while.

Last time I was by there the sign was still up and they appeared to be open.

I heard from a good source that China Cafe was building there. Since it's getting torn down for parking for the new Hoilday Inn

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: lpd_blue</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Last time I was by there the sign was still up and they appeared to be open.</div></div>
They are still there and open at the moment.
They dont have to vacate, technically, until their new building is complete. However Holiday Inn is needing to demolish and get finished before that will happen - they're already completely booked for their anticipated opening. I'd expect to see a buyout.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">On another note anybody know if the Thai restaurant is still open? Haven't been by there in a while. </div></div>

I ate there last week, the food was (once again) spectacular, and I really wish more people would give them business because the owner and the rest of his staff are some of the most friendly people any of us could hope to meet.

Jack (owner of china cafe) has said himself that is where he is going. I have saw the floor plans, there will be Chinese and Japanese food, and it will be named Asia Cafe'

They should name it "we wont hire that many locals but will have a staff you cant understand cafe"

On another note taco bell is experiencing some difficulties. Anyone been in there lately. Ive been there maybe twice in the last month and both times at least 5 folks have demanded money back.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: MikeJones</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
On another note taco bell is experiencing some difficulties. Anyone been in there lately. Ive been there maybe twice in the last month and both times at least 5 folks have demanded money back. </div></div>

I've seen similar stuff the few times I've been in there in the past few months. They've really been going downhill.

LOL yeh its kind of pitiful. Both times ive been in there is this same older guy in the back fixing stuff and working his butt off. The line stays backed up tho.

What throws me off is you go through the drive through and instead of "welcome to taco bell may I take your order" you get "Hi how are you?"

How am I? Hungry darnit! otherwise I wouldn't be here because this is a stop of last resort!

LOL!

They have one of those drive throughs that if a car pulls in behind you you got to ride the whole ordeal out. Cant hang a right and leave if you change your mind.

just ate there today, always good food, never had a problem there
and jack's one helluva good guy too

You are 1 in a million then man,because that place is a clusterfrig.

I love Jack - he is a total sweetie. I just feel sorry for him that it's so hard for him to find and keep help.

u talkin taco hell or the china cafe?

I have never had a problem at China Cafe, Jack is a good guy.

As far as Taco Bell goes, I was by there the other day and the dining room was closed. A sign on the door read, "dining room closed due to lack of help".

i've been there maybe 4 times when i didnt have a problem with my order or see something wrong with the joint