Too massive a change in the complexion of my homeground than I really wish to contemplate right now. Thank God I am surrounded by state forest! At least the crowds won't be at my back door.
well, I don't know how long you have been here but I do know that you don't know many of us on this board or how many of us have done things "as neighbors and friends" and people who care about this community and state in general.
and you certainly have no idea of the waves of changes we have been affiliated with. So, don't assume that you have any idea of how many here have gone about getting things done please.
Just because you have not seen it, doesn't mean it hasn't happened.
Walmart is as Walmart does. I have my own beliefs about Walmart which is irrelevant, they are here and they are here to stay (look for one in Freeport sooner rather than later).
They are surely being subsidized by St. Joe in one way or another. St. Joe (and gov't. partners) causes infrastructure to happen - roads, schools, hospitals, airports, and commercial - including Walmart. St. Joe brought Publix to SoWal - hello! Ring a bell anyone?
The issue is what their entry into our market means. It means continued development. It means critical mass. It means the type of commercial development residents and visitors don't want here but they are going to get whether they like it or not. And in a few years they will mostly all be shopping and eating at chains whether they like it or not. When it all comes down to it we are the cattle and St. Joe and other corporations are holding the prod.
When the new airport expressway is complete, along with a new 331 bridge and 4-lane all the way to I-10 and points north ( and many other roads planned in the area), you won't even recognize this place. It will be one city from the gulf to I-10, from Pensacola to Panama City. The idea of a quaint SoWal will be just that - quaint.
Except for Scenic 30A. It will be built out and crowded sure, but it will still be beautiful and even more coveted, and even more exclusive - a playground for the rich. Lots, homes and condos will be worth 10 times what they are now. If you pull your head out of the national news for a second and look what's happening here you will see that. SoWal is still in a bubble, not a real estate bubble like we just had, but a bubble for the rich, a bubble for tourists, a bubble apart from the real world - just like Truman's. Some unique and popular places are not really hurt in the long run - Malibu, Martha's Vineyard, Sea Island, SoWal - get used to it.
I am not a realtor, developer, builder, lender, etc., just an observer of growth all over Florida and other hot spots around the world. The "bubble" affected this area but in the long view, it is all really all just starting here. We are on the map now, the world is coming.
Yes - now is a great time to buy.
Makes me nauseous - thank god I didn't buy property I was looking at over there. I could be living near a Wal-mart! Why couldn't they have stayed in Destin and PC w/ the rest of the tacky crap and box stores instead of coming here to destroy our happy lives!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
location is on St. Joe property on the northwest corner of U.S. 98 and West Hewett Road. It was only a matter of time, and is sure to put a lot of small businesses out.
How do you feel about Walmart coming to paradise?
http://www.co.walton.fl.us/DocumentView.aspx?DID=1644
I had clients and contacts in many small Kentucky towns, and every time a Walmart opened up on the edge of those towns, those downtowns died. Then after 10 years or so, the Walmart decided it needed a "bigger and newer" place or needed to be a "Super Walmart" and it leaves it's ugly shell behind to devastate the ugly strip mall and the local businesses that sprang up around it. Your experience in the Garden District was maybe a more urban phenomena, but I have seen nothing but bad for the local businesses of rural areas when a Walmart sets up shop right in the middle.
Bobby, I stated it above but in my experience this isn't true. Funky, niche merchants can actually thrive in a Wal-Mart world because they offer two things WM never will, namely, unusual products not consumed enough to clutter WM's valuable shelf space and good customer service.
Wal Mart consumerism will not help our economy, it will only help Wal Mart, which does not need any help....and even as we write this, there are those who say that reviving the consumerism is the only way to get our economy functioning again...
I was going to let this thread go to but then someone makes that statement. Well I have done the not going to wally for a yr and going to wally for a yr deal and compared cost, we saved around 1100$ by going there as opposed to just going to publix and kroger all the time. Now that was my savings, I dont know what the walmart haters buy but 1100$ is a big start for saving for the next trip to Sowal.
Please explain how I can save "thousands" buy NOT going to wallyworld, Im all ears..
Bobby, I stated it above but in my experience this isn't true. Funky, niche merchants can actually thrive in a Wal-Mart world because they offer two things WM never will, namely, unusual products not consumed enough to clutter WM's valuable shelf space and good customer service.