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As of now that's all it is ... just an unsubstantiated rumor however I'll go ahead and though it out there and see if anyone else has heard this.   As with any other rumor only time will bear this one out but here goes.

One Florence businessman in a conversation with some delivery people was told an interesting rumor.  It seems that if the rumor is in fact true that the Florence K-Mart at the corner of Florence Blvd and Cox Creek road will be closing and in it's place will be an Academy Sports.

I could see that happening because at that intersection there are two businesses that I just don't see being able to make their expenses based upon the number of people you see at the locations.  The first, and worst, is Hardees and the other is K-Mart.  Granted Hardees is setting in a boxed in corner where traffic going to the store has to access the frontage side road but  still there hardly is ever any business.  Bojangles seems to have taken all of Hardee's breakfast business and well K-Mart just never seems to have that many people shopping there.

So time will tell.

Be as the Bereans ( Acts 17:11 )

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K Mart has been in a downslide for a long time, though they do still have many loyal customers.

I don't see how Hardies gets any business at all. Out of the three Hardies does have the moist visible location it seems Taco Bell and Captain Dee's seems to thrive right next door. In my own personal opinion Hardies commercials has done more to drive customers away than any other factor. I refuse as well to go to Sonic because of their tasteless commercials as well.

I agree that kmart has been struggling but what I don't agree with is that our city has not taken into consideration how much business having 3 Walmart stores within this town has taken away from other businesses  which includes local drug stores.   so now we only have Walmart to consider when we shop for general merchandise.    (I will use target as many times as possible to avoid Walmart)  add to that the fact that we will be looking at a second empty former kmart building for who knows how long? 

csb518 2 posted:

I agree that kmart has been struggling but what I don't agree with is that our city has not taken into consideration how much business having 3 Walmart stores within this town has taken away from other businesses  which includes local drug stores.   so now we only have Walmart to consider when we shop for general merchandise.    (I will use target as many times as possible to avoid Walmart)  add to that the fact that we will be looking at a second empty former kmart building for who knows how long? 

Target instead? What would be different?

 

 

 

giftedamateur posted:
csb518 2 posted:

I agree that kmart has been struggling but what I don't agree with is that our city has not taken into consideration how much business having 3 Walmart stores within this town has taken away from other businesses  which includes local drug stores.   so now we only have Walmart to consider when we shop for general merchandise.    (I will use target as many times as possible to avoid Walmart)  add to that the fact that we will be looking at a second empty former kmart building for who knows how long? 

Target instead? What would be different?

_____

Target is far classier than K-Mart.  What on earth keeps you from seeing that? 

 

 

 

The Times Daily reported awhile back Academy Sports looked or was looking at some property next to Lowes on the south side. So if that is true at least Academy was interested in coming to Florence.  On the subject of K Mart is only the Florence store closing or are other stores closing also such as the Muscle Shoals location? Off topic but some friends of mine told me they had heard a Steak and Shake might be coming across the street from the Cloverdale road Walmart. I would think that if Steak and Shake was interested in coming to Florence that they would choose a more trafficked  location. BTW: When they were building the Cloverdale road Walmart a Steak And Shake rumor went around also.

I work in a capacity where I have a lot of dealings with new businesses that come to the City.   I have often heard rumors of Steak and Shake coming to the area, but I have never spoken with them, and to my knowledge neither has any other person that works in a similar capacity as myself.  

I think that property you are talking about does seem a bit odd, but I think there has been a move to start building that area up with the Wal*Mart going in there.  

Still even with Walmart I don't think Steak And Shake is the next logical choice. Yes, we don't have a Steak And Shake in the Shoals but I think Steak And Shake could find a better location. Maybe the land is too expensive along Cox Creek Parkway, around the mall, or on Florence Boulevard. But if that is the case, why not try to buy property near where they are planning to build the new hospital?

skyryder posted:

Keep supporting wal-mart for your "shopping convenience", sit back, and watch other businesses close.  Anyone have a pool going for how long Big Star will hold out? 

 

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Big Star on Wood Avenue is blessed with a very loyal clientele. I have shopped there often since about 1989 and have noticed no reduction in the numbers of customers in the store, even after Walmart opened nearby. My impression could be wrong--or it could be right. Time will tell what happens to that friendly local market.

Big Star has taken some hits with the Killen location and the Town Creek location closing but as mentioned above there is a local faithful clientele  and thankfully they are seemingly routinely crowded.  I hope they can stay and make it for I'd much rather stop there than Foodcity.

As for Steak & Shake I've heard that rumor for a while and given Florence is so far off an Interstate I just didn't think the rumor was reasonable.  Then when at Decatur's Steak & Shake I made a point to ask the, on duty, manager and to my great surprise he didn't act surprised to hear the question and actually indicated that he felt there might be some movement in our direction in the coming year so who knows?

I don't know about the Academy Sports part of the rumor but it was the same person that revealed about K-Mart closing that said Academy coming to that location was a done deal.  I am though concerned about Sears as when I visited the local Mall Store it actually looked like a store that was about to be closed in the way that they had so many vacant areas where store stock was not replenished.  Some of the workers actually feel their days are numbered while others said Sear's was there to stay.  I personally wouldn't be so optimistic given the new ownership of Sears/K-Mart and given he's done little to nothing to turn either of the Stores business around.

Not sure, but Big Star was reported to be coming to that location a few years ago. Nothing happened, then the Community Market showed up. Now it's out of business. The building was built to house the Littleville Water Dept., (which was disbanded) and is therefore very small for a grocery store. 

Just for what it's worth, the Dollar General people in Littleville keep saying a DG Market will open in Littleville. There is one in Red Bay, but that's the closest that I know of. In the mean time, Littlevilleites have to drive to Russellville to shop for groceries.

Goodbye Kmart Store. You have served our city citizens well for years and years. Welcome Academy to this busy corner of Hwy. 72 and Cox Creek Pkwy.

 
Florence One Stop Shop's photo.
Florence One Stop Shop's photo.
Florence One Stop Shop's photo.
Florence One Stop Shop posted this on Facebook recently. Looks like Academy will building a new store in the former K-Mart location.
If you want more proof, back in June the Times Daily came out with this article: 

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