Unused Retail Space in St. Mary's

[Tonio]

I read that a new shopping center has been proposed between Laurel Glen and First Colony.

Given the amount of empty stores in San Souci and Wildewood Center, why do developers think they can turn a profit by adding more space? Does St. Mary's have a surplus of commercial space, or are the landlords just difficult to deal with?

 

[Tonio]

Waldorf Shoppers World really made a comeback by adding new chain retailers like Borders and Sports Authority. I wonder what the landlord's secret was.

Although I noticed recently that "Checks Cashed" recently moved in to that shopping center. Yuck. I have no sympathy for people ignorant enough to think that 40 percent interest on a payday loan is a great deal. Still, I think of payday loan sharks as not much different from pawnbrokers--scavengers of human misery.

 

[Ehesef]

Originally posted by PoliticalAnlyst
What the county needs to do is open an access road that parallels 235 all the way from First Colony to Wal-mart. Forcing traffic to enter 235 just to go from store to store is insane.

Otherwise known as the FDR Boulevard nightmare.

 

[Tonio]

Originally posted by PoliticalAnlyst
What the county needs to do is open an access road that parallels 235 all the way from First Colony to Wal-mart. Forcing traffic to enter 235 just to go from store to store is insane.

 

[Toxick]

Originally posted by PoliticalAnlyst
St. Mary's Square is a blight. Always was and always will be. A prime example of the early developers raping and pillaging the land. No serious business would want to be in there.

Then why don't they knock the goddam thing down?

Originally posted by PoliticalAnlyst
Wildwood is past the route 4 / route 235 intersection which places it outside of the shopping corridor. The hot locations are between the GATE 1 and route 4/235. Location, location, location. The egress/ingress to Wildwood is also a real hassle.

Then why don't they knock the goddam thing down?

Originally posted by PoliticalAnlyst
San Souci. I go there because of the restaurants and Shoppers Food. Otherwise you can not see the storefronts from the highway. If you are a small unknown business, no one is going to find you back in there unless they are looking for you in the first place.

Then why don't they knock the goddam thing down?

Originally posted by PoliticalAnlyst
Laurel Glenn (K-Mart). There are no good anchor stores and the place is a dump. See St. Mary's Square.

Then why don't they knock the goddam thing down?

Originally posted by PoliticalAnlyst
What the county needs to do is open an access road that parallels 235 all the way from First Colony to Wal-mart. Forcing traffic to enter 235 just to go from store to store is insane.

Don't get me started.

 

[SamSpade]

Originally posted by PoliticalAnlyst

What the county needs to do is open an access road that parallels 235 all the way from First Colony to Wal-mart. Forcing traffic to enter 235 just to go from store to store is insane.

What it REALLY could use is a damned MALL instead of endless little shopping centers. I know it's been discussed many times here, but one of the great things about a mall is, small businesses flourish there. A store like Spencer's only flourishes there, because almost nobody would drive up to one if it *wasn't* in a mall.

Same thing for all of the small vendors in a mall. Would you buy an Orange Julius? Would you still do it, if you had to make a special trip, without a mall to do it in? How about a store for sunglasses, or that Chesapeake Knife and whatever store? Malls HELP businesses a lot. WHY won't they build one?

 

[Toxick]

Originally posted by SamSpade
What it REALLY could use is a damned MALL instead of endless little shopping centers.
...
WHY won't they build one?

Hear! Hear!



... or is it "Here! Here!" ?

 

[sleuth]

Originally posted by PoliticalAnlyst
First Colony is the right way to do something. Great location. Great ingress/egress. Quality stores and decent architecture and building standards.

Which one is First Colony?

 

[SamSpade]

Originally posted by sleuth14
Which one is First Colony?

The one I bet you go to - the one EVERYONE goes to. Target, Giant, Lowes, Michael's, Staples, BJ's.

 

[Chrystee]

Originally posted by sleuth14
Which one is First Colony?

Where Tarjay, Lowes, etc, resides.

 

[Toxick]

Originally posted by SamSpade
The one I bet you go to - the one EVERYONE goes to. Target, Giant, Lowes, Michael's, Staples, BJ's.

That's the one I go to.

Plus, Chik-Fil-A ROCKS.

 

[Chrystee]

I love Tarjay.. No Dust.

 

[SamSpade]

Originally posted by Toxick
That's the one I go to.

Plus, Chik-Fil-A ROCKS.

Let's face it, it is all much much better.

Access is much better - I don't have to enter through some backward side street. The parking lot isn't full of craters or looks like a war zone.

Target's aisles aren't crammed with sales crap I don't want, so I don't have to walk over an aisle just to get around some jerk who won't move. The aisles themselves are wide enough for several people to comfortably browse in. And the layout of the store is easy to follow - it's not a freakin' maze. The clothes are usually if not always sorted, and clearly marked, by size and price. You don't have to squeeze between racks to find something. Frankly it's almost worth twice the price of Walmart.

 

[sleuth]

Originally posted by SamSpade
The one I bet you go to - the one EVERYONE goes to. Target, Giant, Lowes, Michael's, Staples, BJ's.

Yep... I go to that one, although I pretty much steer clear of Giant.

 

[Chrystee]

Originally posted by sleuth14
Yep... I go to that one, although I pretty much steer clear of Giant.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE GIANT!

 

[sleuth]

Originally posted by SamSpade
Let's face it, it is all much much better.

Access is much better - I don't have to enter through some backward side street. The parking lot isn't full of craters or looks like a war zone.

I wish they had access from the parking lot to the stores along 235 though (Verizon Wireless, Quiznos, etc.) It's a pain in the arse to go there if you're coming from the other direction, and if they'd just connect a couple parking lots I could go in through the main entrance and approach Starbucks from the back...

 

[sleuth]

Originally posted by Chrystee
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE GIANT!

Don't like Giant because of the GIANT prices.
Don't like Food Lion because of the selection and service, but I tolerate it because it's close to my house.
I think the best grocery shopping experience I've had in SOMD is the re-opened Safeway in Prince Frederick.

That place rocks.

 

[Toxick]

Originally posted by SamSpade
Target's aisles aren't crammed with sales crap I don't want, so I don't have to walk over an aisle just to get around some jerk who won't move. The aisles themselves are wide enough for several people to comfortably browse in. And the layout of the store is easy to follow - it's not a freakin' maze. The clothes are usually if not always sorted, and clearly marked, by size and price. You don't have to squeeze between racks to find something. Frankly it's almost worth twice the price of Walmart.

Amen to that. I'm constantly bitching about how I HATE Walmart. Not necessarily "wal-mart" per se - but I hate going in there. Because of every line-item you mention above.

I just want to take a roll of quarters in there, and everytime someone rushes to get in front of me, just so they can stop, I want to thump them one right on the back of the noggin. And every time quarters go flying from my fist in a shower of silver, I'd consider it $10.00 well spent.


Actually, I don't condone violence. It is, however, very frustrating to go shopping there. And one of the reasons I find Target infinitely more pleasant to shop in.

 

[Chrystee]

Originally posted by sleuth14
Don't like Giant because of the GIANT prices.
Don't like Food Lion because of the selection and service, but I tolerate it because it's close to my house.
I think the best grocery shopping experience I've had in SOMD is the re-opened Safeway in Prince Frederick.

That place rocks.

I don't get where the prices are so high? The quality is SO MUCH better than FL.. If you have the bonus card, you get excellent deals! I also heard that they take ALL coupons, and double them.

 

[Chrystee]

Originally posted by Toxick
Amen to that. I'm constantly bitching about how I HATE Walmart. Not necessarily "wal-mart" per se - but I hate going in there. Because of every line-item you mention above.

I just want to take a roll of quarters in there, and everytime someone rushes to get in front of me, just so they can stop, I want to thump them one right on the back of the noggin. And every time quarters go flying from my fist in a shower of silver, I'd consider it $10.00 well spent.


Actually, I don't condone violence. It is, however, very frustrating to go shopping there. And one of the reasons I find Target infinitely more pleasant to shop in.

and the dust... the dusssssssssssssst!