That's what happened last year as US 378 (Augusta Highway) between Interstate 20 and SC 6 (North Lake Drive) became one of the fastest growing retail areas in the Columbia/Lexington area.
Delawese Fulton of The State newspaper in Columbia called it "the next prime shopping spot" in her Sunday Business article "Lexington: The road to growth". She also listed the retail stores which opened up shop in 2007:
Home Depot
Best Buy
PetSmart
Lane Bryant
Wingate Inn
Verizon Wireless
Ruby Tuesday’s
Baker Bros.
Bruegger’s
Handpicked
Swank
Sports Clips
Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina
Five Guys Famous Burgers & Fries
Sports Clips
Travania’s
"An influx of young professionals and families has boosted the Lexington US 378 corridor's population by about 20 percent and its average household income by a third to nearly $80,000..." said Fulton. The residential growth in the neighborhoods of Lexington has attracted both national and local retailers.
One thing about the new retail areas of Columbia/Lexington is that they don't appear to be centered in and around malls like they used to be. Richland Fashion Mall (I can't keep up with the names of that one), Dutch Square Mall, Columbia Place Mall, Columbiana Mall in Harbison - these were the big retail centers. Columbiana and its surrounding stores still appear to be thriving. But the newer retail areas like The Village at Sandhills and now the Lexington corridor are not built around a mall. Perhaps people like to be outside a little more... If Lexington did have a mall, I imagine it could be called "The Lexx" - maybe that's what we'll call the Lexington Corridor!
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2 comments:
I'm excited that I may not have to drive over to Harbison anymore. Lexington just about has every store I need. Any idea which stores will be following suit?
I know of a few more stores opening up on "The Lexx":
Schlotzsky's
Chili's
Taco Bell
World Market
I'm sure there are more. Post them here in the comments if you know others that are coming.
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