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The Books-A-Million bookstore, located in the First and Main shopping center, is scheduled to close its doors for the last time on Sept. 27.
“The problem is (First and Main) never got off the ground,” said Leslie Hager-Smith, the current Blacksburg councilwoman and former vice mayor in 2008. “That is a property that has been plagued by difficulties from the moment it opened.”
Both Books-A-Million corporate and the Blacksburg chain did not have a comment as to the reason it closed.
The shopping complex was originally designed to be a mixed-use development, similar to Kent Square, Hager-Smith said.
The shops were planned to be along the front, with parking in the middle. This is the idea of “new urbanism,” which brings shops to the front to make a development more appealing to shoppers.
But this did not end up happening, and instead parking was on the outside, more similar to a shopping mall.
A movie theater was also in the original plan, which attracted a lot of restaurants. But when the Regal New River Valley movie theater opened 14 movie screens, nothing happened, Hager-Smith said. In turn, many restaurants did not get the traffic they wanted, so they left.
Rappaport, the shopping center’s leasing company, may be making changes to the First and Main area in the future.
“It’s a troubled center,” said Sheryl Simeck, the vice president of marketing and communication for Rappaport. “We’re looking at different ways to reposition the center and look at other types of uses that would draw regular traffic.”
However, the shopping center is currently for sale by Wells Fargo Bank.
The shopping center doesn’t seem to be a hot spot for Virginia Tech students either.
In a survey of two introductory chemistry classes, 13 students said they shop at First and Main often, while 176 said they never do.
Twenty-two students said the closing of Books-A-Million would impact them and their shopping habits, while 269 said it would not.
“I’ve never even been to First and Main. I don’t think I know where it is,” said Noah MacMichael, a sophomore business information technology major.
But Hager-Smith is hopeful about the future of First and Main, as well as commerce as a whole in Blacksburg.
Plans are currently in motion for business incentive programs and a possible trolley that would run between the three main Blacksburg shopping districts.
Hager-Smith is also personally working to get Kohl’s to come to First and Main in the future, although nothing is confirmed.
Mayor Ron Rordam is also part of a special business task force that works closely with businesses in Blacksburg to improve commerce.
There are currently no representatives from any of the stores at First and Main on the task force, although Blacksburg Mayor Rordam said there are several council members working closely with the shopping center.
“The council is willing to help First and Main realize its initial vision that they presented to the council — to be a mixed use development,” Rordam said.
The task force will have a discussion within the next two weeks to discuss what went wrong in the past and to develop a final report for submission, which presents their ideas about how to make businesses more interested in Blacksburg.
A version of this article appeared in the Sep 23 issue of the Collegiate Times.
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This is very unfortunate. I was not aware that the First and Main shopping center was having so much trouble. I am hoping they are able to keep their businesses because I have always thought it was the coolest little shopping center. Some really great restaurants there too.
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The reason that area is having trouble is because it's too far away from campus and it seems like everything we need is in Christiansburg. The only time I go to first and main is to the ABC store once in a blue moon. Also, you have to go through like 10 lights plus occasional traffic congestion to get there. I think it's just not in a convenient accessible area in general.
It's almost easier to take 460 and go to Christiansburg. All the stores + the mall are located in not even 1 square mile down there near the wal-mart.
This is just one student consumer's opinion though.
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The ABC store is not at the First and Main shopping center. First and Main is about another 1/3 of a mile towards Christiansburg from the ABC store.
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There are plenty of neighborhoods along South Main that are very close. Let's not forget that people, including students, live on the south side of town away from Patrick Henry.
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The more I think about your comment, the more I find to poke fun about. Aside from not knowing where First and Main is, there might be 10 lights between either Gables Shopping Center (where the ABC is) or First & Main but they are both down a straight street. If you drive 35mph down that street you will make it without hitting any lights at all. I say this as someone who has lived here for 11 years and very familiar with BBurg traffic. Considering that Blacksburg is less than 22sq miles _total_, by definition nothing in Blacksburg is very far from anywhere else at all. Just where the heck are you from? Somewhere with everything on one block?
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First and Main was never designed to be a student mecca like University Mall, it was designed to be a shopping center with a year-round draw for the locals. People do actually live here in the winter and summers.
All that aside... you've never even gone past the South Main Kroger to that end of town? If you had, then there's no way you could have missed the giant shopping center with 3 signal controlled intersections into it.. especially since you must get caught at the red lights all the time.
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Simple Solution...Big Box Store was in the plan adjacent to First and Main until the Town of Blacksburg Walmart haters stopped it.
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Oh yes, by all means.. a Walmart would be a godsend for us (sarcasm)
Do we really need another walmart? If you just continue past first and main you'll hit another in 5-10 minutes (depending on time of day) Besides that, walmart would have killed Kroger right next door and destroyed Gables shopping center. Further, look at the stores in First and Main... do they really look like the stores the average Walmart shopper would shop at on a frequent basis?
Now, something like a Kohl's, Macy's, something we don't already have in the Blacksburg/Christiansburg area would have been nice. Not to mention if they had actually built the movie theater that was supposed to go on the opposite side of the shopping center there would have been more foot traffic.
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Any major retail department store. It wouldn't have to be a Walmart. And just what is your average Walmart shopper? I think they would reflect the demographics of the community. We are not all toothless, stinky rednecks or white trash. Whether they like to admit it or not, I think some of the opposition is just arrogant snobs. More people = more business.
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I agree with you! A Kohls would make all the difference. I think many people dislike walmart not because they are snobs, but because walmart has a history of mistreating its workers and suppliers in order to provide us with lowest-priced crap. I'm not a Walmart hater, but I definitely appreciate the argument.
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Are you serious? Kohl's is awful.
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I personally think the store failed because of the economy and the center as a whole because of who they marketed to. Books are an extra, not a necessity, and can be very expensive at that. With the Kindle, many people just don't go into bookstores anymore. The stores at First and Main are nice, but they are more expensive clothing stores targeted towards an older crowd, in my opinion.
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Part of the problem is that it was supposed to be a MIXED USE deveopment, as the article mentions, like Kent Square. As it is, it's only commercial space. No residential, no office space. So... maybe it would be successful if it was developed as planned.
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Right, because the condos in Kent Square are so effective. I'm pretty sure that most of them are still on the market with apparently no interested buyers.
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Many of you are right - the primary reason First and Main has seen difficulty is the result
of the bad will the Anti-WalMart Klan imposed before the thing was ever built. Almost immediately following, that same bad will killed the Sonic which was proposed along Main St. frontage at the center. Those two fanatical oppositions literally chased away anyone who even wanted to propose retail, particularly along Main St. because the investment to even devise plans has been seen as wasted capital. So the Anti-WalMart clan set into motion a retail project that was NEVER fully completed, thus despite the economic Crisis of 2008-2011 had other businesses been allowed, there would have in fact been sustainable traffic. The trick is going to be the new owners marketing heavily to national brands to re-consider F&M.
Additionally, as the economy improves with time if the center is well-maintained they should be able to re-establish. I'd say everyone get out there and support these businesses. Some may have a national name but the PEOPLE working inside live right here and need their jobs.
That's what Anti-Folks always fail to remember.
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Michael, you forgot the part where the developer submitted plans to have the property re-zoned that showed a block of small shops with nice condos above, then surreptitiously substituted a Walmart after obtaining the re-zoaning, thinking no one would notice until it was too late.
Face it, they pulled a bait and switch to get the property re-zoned and they got what they deserved, hanging an new and giant nuvo-chic shopping mall, as an albatross on Blacksburg, in the process. I must say though, these abandoned building are much nicer than the abandoned buildings we had before
I do feel sorry for the shop owners - also lied to by the developers - about the life style center, movie theater, Golds' gym, etc. that were shown in the plans as the anchor stores, but when you lie down with dogs.....
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The Sonic case dealt with noise broadcasting onto the street 24-7. Nobody said they couldn't build there.
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Put a Starbucks there and then build some nice condos or apts nearby and it will be soon be booming!
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It says a lot that so mahy people in Blacksburg are so worried about First and Main. Its a shopping center. What about all the other retail and restaurants in Blacksburg ? Are those businesses somehow less worthy of your concern ? Blacksburg is too small for so much retail and restaurant. Even if some trendy new store opened, do you really think it will last ? Those trendy stores close locations in areas much more populous than Blacksburg all the time. Be realistic.
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Of course everyone will also be concerned about other failing businesses... but the purpose of this article was about Books-a-Million at First and Main, so that's why the comments are centered around that... doesn't mean we don't care about the others, we just apparently don't have A.D.D.
And to the Wal-Mart thing... I would be terribly upset if it put the South Main Kroger out of business! I have always thought Kroger has had a much better selection with eco-friendly and animal friendly products... Wal-Mart just doesn't seem to carry those...
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Ok, Since my comment referenced the article (ie. why are so many concerned over a bookstore closing in an out of the way roofless shopping center) I don't understand the ADD comment. And if you had read the article it clearly indicates that the wal mart is not coming to Blacksburg. Ritalin running out ?
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I don't know why you are considering 5 extra minutes "out of the way". You might not think it's important if you don't read books, but for people that went there I can understand why it would be disappointing. Just because you don't see the importance in it, doesn't mean it's not important. And the Wal-mart statement was not even addressed to you, hence why it was started in a new paragraph. I said IF, hypothetically, Wal Mart were to be built. Never said it was going to be.
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It is too far from campus for walkers, not really on the student campus housing end of Main, it takes as long to get there from Hethwood as it does to get to Mall area in Cburg ( I lived in Hethwood and yes I checked mileage), it faces away from Main street. And I read, I prefer to use Barnes and Noble, they are still in business.
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The major problem is the layout of the parking lot. Shoppers like to walk toward a store even if they have to walk a short distance. For example the NRV Mall or Wal-mart. First and Main is designed for shoppers to park behind the stores then walk around to the front since there are so few parking spaces in between the buildings. I can't explain it but when I have to park in the back and look at the employee entrances and loading docks, I have less desire to go there. I am not alone in feeling this way.
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Agreed! It's weird. I often wind up entering through the back door of Sake House and it's uncomfortable and unwelcoming.
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The only place in First and Main that has a steady business is Bull and Bones, a Wal Mart across the street would be a nice complement to the new urbanist style shopping center at F & M and would definitely help draw the student crowd AWAY from Christiansburg and keep them in Blacksburg.
Let's face it, the shopping center across from F & M is already an eyesore, Wal-Mart would only help it out and would encourage other businesses (especially restaurants) into the general vicinity.
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No one has mentioned yet that Books-a-Million was a really crappy "bookstore" in a time when even decent bookstores are closing due to lack of business (Borders, etc.). I hardly think this is a crisis for F&M.
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No bookstore NOT selling a Kindle is going to float these days, so there's your explanation for Books a Million going belly up. But F&M has been in crisis for quite some time now.
The only successful businesses in F&M are Bull & Bones and MAYBE Sal's. Several stores signed leases BECAUSE there was a Wal Mart and movie theatre slated to go in - those bring customers. When the Wal Mart didn't go in (after being approved, I might add), the theatre pulled out, and all of the folks operating smaller businesses were left with the bill.
Thanks Town of Blacksburg. The failure of F&M is squarely on your shoulders. Keep shooting all of the Town's residents in the foot so you can try to keep your little mountain town exactly the way it was in 1960. You're doing a great job for all of the locals who need jobs.
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