Ready for Chick-fil-a?

[rdelong43065]

Nothing like Chik-Fil-A before going to the beach on Sunday.

But they aren't... wait... I get it!

 

[Beach Runner]

we all have different ideas on what SoWal should be. for those of us who have lived here forever, we've seen it develop just about as far it we would like. but that is unrealistic. however, many of us can and do have high expectations about Hwy 98 not becoming a true Atlanta suburb. If you want to live in Atlanta, I believe you should go and live in Atlanta. but who am I kidding? the folks who have moved here from other cities want the wall to wall chains of every kind lining the hwy. yes, we do need something to help our economy - real estate is still in the tank and will be for a while. so bring on walmart and chains - more jobs for people to have to drive in from niceville and defuniak springs, and russia, to fill. whatever happens, I hope our County will take it slowly and demand the best for Hwy 98. I live in Pt Wash - just off 98 - it may not have a scenic gulf view but for me that Hwy is every bit as important as 30A.

Interesting comment -- "we've seen it develop just about as far it we would like." I really didn't know if locals felt like that, but I'm glad. As someone who spends a lot of time in SoWal, I too want it to stay as pristine as it was when we built a second home here. We can go to chain restaurants and big boxes in Atlanta, so the lack of those is what attracted us to the area. And even though there are many times we need to drive to PCB or Destin to buy things for the house that just can't be bought along the 30A corridor, I'd rather do that than have another Destin on 98 in Santa Rosa Beach.

But then I wonder how it would be to live in SoWal full time. Would I rather spend the time and gas money to drive to PCB/Destin for necessities? Or would I rather have all of those chains in SoWal for the convenience? The downside, of course, is that once those chains come to SoWal, we'll probably have the traffic jams on 98 that Destin has. So I guess one questions for locals is, would you rather take the time to drive to PCB/Destin on an occasional basis, or have to deal with the traffic delays on 98 on a daily basis from all of that "stuff" in SoWal ?

I personally hope that all of that "stuff" doesn't come to SoWal. But with Walmart setting a precedent, I'm afraid that the DESTINy of SoWal has already been written.

As far as jobs go, won't the Walmart in Destin lose business once the one in Santa Rosa opens because the SoWal residents and vacationers will no longer need to drive to Destin? And won't that cause the number of employees at the Destin store to decrease due to fewer customers? Disclaimer: I know nothing about economics, so someone will have to correct me on this.

 

[Matt J]

IIRC the issue of not allowing drive thru's on 30A morphed into a common misconception that chain or corporate restaurants were not allowed.

 

[Teresa]

Interesting comment -- "we've seen it develop just about as far it we would like." I really didn't know if locals felt like that, but I'm glad. As someone who spends a lot of time in SoWal, I too want it to stay as pristine as it was when we built a second home here. We can go to chain restaurants and big boxes in Atlanta, so the lack of those is what attracted us to the area. And even though there are many times we need to drive to PCB or Destin to buy things for the house that just can't be bought along the 30A corridor, I'd rather do that than have another Destin on 98 in Santa Rosa Beach.

But then I wonder how it would be to live in SoWal full time. Would I rather spend the time and gas money to drive to PCB/Destin for necessities? Or would I rather have all of those chains in SoWal for the convenience? The downside, of course, is that once those chains come to SoWal, we'll probably have the traffic jams on 98 that Destin has. So I guess one questions for locals is, would you rather take the time to drive to PCB/Destin on an occasional basis, or have to deal with the traffic delays on 98 on a daily basis from all of that "stuff" in SoWal ?

I personally hope that all of that "stuff" doesn't come to SoWal. But with Walmart setting a precedent, I'm afraid that the DESTINy of SoWal has already been written.

As far as jobs go, won't the Walmart in Destin lose business once the one in Santa Rosa opens because the SoWal residents and vacationers will no longer need to drive to Destin? And won't that cause the number of employees at the Destin store to decrease due to fewer customers? Disclaimer: I know nothing about economics, so someone will have to correct me on this.

good questions BR. my opinion that SoWal is wonderful just like she is is only mine - many local friends feel the same.. but according to a local poll, most locals either support walmart and more conveniences or just do not care one way or another.

believe it or not, since we have 3 publix's in the area and other shopping here and there, there is almost never a need to drive in to Destin or PCB. If I need to go to Target - Pier Park is 20 minutes down 98. I would imagine that drive is typical for almost anyone, anywhere. So, its not like the drive is a problem. and its very infrequent. In this day and age with online shopping, plus travel to larger cities now and then, any and all shopping is totally easy.

Some locals live here because we like it small. We like it beautiful. and we like traveling down the road without a lot of traffic. Peak season in summer provides enough activity and traffic as it is.

I can't imagine where all the workers are going to be driving in from in order to work so many minimum wage jobs. or perhaps, as someone has mentioned, a ton more affordable housing will soon be in the works in neighborhoods near 98 in order to have workers live in the area. I guess we will see how it all shakes out. It is going to be real interesting!

 

[scooterbug44]

I find Pier Park and Destin to be close enough for all my big box, chain store, and fast food needs.

Since I used to drive to the Mid-Bay bridge for Publix or Inlet Beach to go to the Winn-Dixie, an occassional consolidated grouping of errands isn't a hardship - especially when the trade-off is keeping Sowal unique, major roads tree lined, and full of locally owned businesses and restaurants.

 

[Beach Runner]

good questions BR. my opinion that SoWal is wonderful just like she is is only mine - many local friends feel the same.. but according to a local poll, most locals either support walmart and more conveniences or just do not care one way or another.

believe it or not, since we have 3 publix's in the area and other shopping here and there, there is almost never a need to drive in to Destin or PCB. If I need to go to Target - Pier Park is 20 minutes down 98. I would imagine that drive is typical for almost anyone, anywhere. So, its not like the drive is a problem. and its very infrequent. In this day and age with online shopping, plus travel to larger cities now and then, any and all shopping is totally easy.

Some locals live here because we like it small. We like it beautiful. and we like traveling down the road without a lot of traffic. Peak season in summer provides enough activity and traffic as it is.

I can't imagine where all the workers are going to be driving in from in order to work so many minimum wage jobs. or perhaps, as someone has mentioned, a ton more affordable housing will soon be in the works in neighborhoods near 98 in order to have workers live in the area. I guess we will see how it all shakes out. It is going to be real interesting!

Thanks for the insight. I worry about all of this so much that I have nightmares. And it's not my primary residence, so I can't imagine how unsettling it is to you all who have chosen to reside there full time.

Take care.
BR

 

[NightAngel]

All the ones that don't mind driving those distances to get to stores must not have kids that you need to take places including to and from school and with gas at 2.75 a gallon, that extra gas money adds to the already strained weekly budget. Who has time to drive those distances, I don't since I do share a car with my son right now and I can't pop up and ride over to Pier Park when I need to due to work schedules. I certainly do not want a bunch of big name stores but opposing a chic fil a or a Fudpuckers is just silly.
Also, what fast food needs are served at Pier Park? By the time you can get back home with food from there it is cold but I didn't know there were any fast food places there.

 

[scooterbug44]

I'm not doing it on a daily or even weekly basis - I just plan my errands so that when I go to those areas I can hit several stores at a time.

There are a ton of chain restaurants over there - don't know the names as I don't like to eat at them. (Gugliemo's and the japanese place are good if I need to eat when I am over there).

P.S. At the risk of unleashing the holy hell of parental wrath - there is a free school bus.

 

[NightAngel]

I'm not doing it on a daily or even weekly basis - I just plan my errands so that when I go to those areas I can hit several stores at a time.

There are a ton of chain restaurants over there - don't know the names as I don't like to eat at them. (Gugliemo's and the japanese place are good if I need to eat when I am over there).

P.S. At the risk of unleashing the holy hell of parental wrath - there is a free school bus.

I am aware of the school bus but my son has to sit on it for over an hour to go 10 minutes worth of time so we work it in our schedules and have for several years. I have 4 kids from 15 to 25 so I know what is and what is not working for us when it comes to schools. That does not hamper the fact that I personally cannot drive anymore than I already do to get things done and am grateful when anything from this century creeps into SoWal that makes my life easier.
When I think of fast food, I think of drive thrus and as far as I am aware, there are none of those at Pier Park, someone feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

 

[sisters4]

Scooterbug 44 is right in my opinion. Even though I don't live there (which does reduce my credibility of opinion) I have come there long enough to agree with Scooterbug. When I was first reading this I thought it was about a Chick Fil A coming to 30A which is shocking to me. But on 98? What am I missing? There are a lot of fast food restaurants on 98. Chick Fil A would only usurp those. What is it about Chick Fil A? They really do have a superior product and the people who work there are so polite. I have always thought their training program should be a model for a lot of businesses.