[PAmedic]

Oh boy- I gotta fuel up the family truckster and head right down. This is NEWS in the 'burg?

Kohl's, Old Navy, to join Lynchburg

by Alicia Wotring, Editor-in-Chief

Campbell County is ready to roll out the red carpet for Kohl’s, Old Navy, Ross Dress for Less and a number of other stores that will be joining Wards Crossing West this October. The new shopping center is located near Liberty University off of Wards Road south of Target by the 460 West entrance ramp.

Compson Development, which is developing the land, has already started construction on the project. If all goes according to plan, Wards Crossing will be ready for a fall opening.

“We anticipate to open the first phase in October, and that’s going to be a Kohl’s, a very popular college store called Old Navy and Ross,” said President of Compson Tom Comparato.

Comparato said that after those stores open, there will be an additional 22,000 square feet of “a variety of convenience and hard goods, like books and music.”

The county hopes that this project will be the first in a series of commercial developments for Campbell County.

“Our anticipation is you’ll see continuous development that follows the 460 bypass all the way from the city limits to the county,” said Paul Harvey, director of Community Development for Campbell County.
Harvey expects the most development on a stretch of land from Wards Ferry Road to Leesville and Airport roads in the county. Compson plans to build an access road between Wards Ferry and Leesville that will be open in the spring of 2007.

Liberty students are more than ready to welcome the change.

“I’m very excited,” Liberty student Emily Allen said. “The closest Old Navy is in Roanoke, so it’ll be nice to have one close.”

Though Comparato wouldn’t specify, he said Liberty students should “keep and eye out for an opening promotion.” The land Compson will build on covers nearly 35 acres of land on the Campbell County side and one acre of land in Lynchburg City.

This past November the county and city reached an agreement that would create a special tax district for the shopping center. The tax district allows for higher property taxes in Wards Crossing that will be reinvested in the development of improvements such as access roads, said Harvey.

Contact Alicia Wotring at aawotring@liberty.edu.

[PAmedic]

“We anticipate to open the first phase in October, and that’s going to be a Kohl’s, a very popular college store called Old Navy and Ross,” said President of Compson Tom Comparato.

unless you attended Army, or the Air Force Academy.

[Sly Fox]

You mean those big box stores weren't already in Lynchburg? Seruiously, no Old Navy? They finally get one right about the time that store is slipping out of fashion.

[PAmedic]

thats why I asked- they've been around so long up here there's practically no advertising anymore. Don't think I've been in one for 3 or 4 years, and that was to buy the kids clothes. They are cheap for that stuff, though.

[Flamesfanva]

What always gets me is that we don't even have a Family Bookstore here. The largest Christian university is right here and Lynchburg doesn't even have a chain Christian bookstore. The two local ones we have are very nice, but just don't have the selection or sales that a national chain would. What's even worse is that Charlottesville, Danville, Staunton, and Roanoke all have Family bookstores and yet Lynchburg doesn't, even though there are quite a few Christians who live here.

[El Scorcho]

What always gets me is that we don't even have a Family Bookstore here. The largest Christian university is right here and Lynchburg doesn't even have a chain Christian bookstore. The two local ones we have are very nice, but just don't have the selection or sales that a national chain would. What's even worse is that Charlottesville, Danville, Staunton, and Roanoke all have Family bookstores and yet Lynchburg doesn't, even though there are quite a few Christians who live here.

I used to work FCS and thought the same thing when I first came to LU. With the names of the stores going in at the Wards Crossing West, I wouldn't be surprised to see a LifeWay store pop in there.

And yes, this is news in Lynchburg. Half the women in this town drive at least an hour to go shopping on a regular basis. Anything that can cut my fuel costs is greatly appreciated. Although, having such things locally may offset any savings by increasing the amount of shopping the wife is doing. Uh oh.

[LUconn]

Lynchburg really is an oddity. It's a good sized city with very few common things. Like I remember people would dress up and drive to Roanoke to go to Olive Garden. Same with old Navy (minus the dressing up). But it seems like there are a bunch of stores that are everywhere but not here.

[PAmedic]

things probably going to change now that some genious (new city manager or whatever his/her title is) figured out: hmmm- 10,000 kids living in town 9 months/yr or more + time on their hands = lot$ of retail $ale$

[SuperJon]

We need a Steve & Barry's University Sportswear here. That's the greatest store in the world. Everything $10 or less.

[Flamesfanva]

I think Roanoke is getting one at Tanglewood mall and Staunton has one, but for Lynchburg, I guess maybe in another 5-10 years if we are lucky. But you are right, very inexpensive stuff.

[SuperJon]

The stuff is so inexpensive that it's worth driving the hour for. I would drive from King to High Point (45 minutes) at home to go there. I can afford it all.

[cheerbren]

I guess I didn't know men actually thought about shopping much less talked about it. Very interesting!

[SuperJon]

Steve and Barry's has a bunch of sports wear. That's why guys like it.

[bigsmooth]

im really looking fwd. to checking out steve and barry's. when i lived in raleigh we had about every store you can think of, but no steve and barry's. i can tell you that lynchburg has some stores that roanoke does not have or if they do, lynchburg got first. lynchburg had panera first, and roanoke is having one built now. roanoke has no Kohl's, roanoke does not have five guys. this is clearly the influence LU has on the lynchburg community.

[Hold My Own]

guys most of yall werent around but the LBC is the same town that was promised a Olive Garden for about 10 years and then finally got one, not to mention Cracker Barrel, one of the few not on a interstate road and that is b/c of JF and his appetite well, and it was his land and that was one of the stipulations

[jcmanson]

Not to mention coldstone that just opened up by sonic. The only Coldstone I had ever seen were in very well-to-do communities. You could have said maybe 5 years ago that Lynchburg has nothing, but with the increase the last few years I don't think that can be said anymore. Sure, Lynchburg is not a bustling metropolis, but it does offer enough to get someone through school without being completely bored.