Growth on Evelyn Gandy Parkway picks up pace

By Lici Beveridge Hattiesburg American on July 13, 2017 (For the original article: Click Here)

New businesses are beginning to open along the Evelyn Gandy Parkway at a faster pace now — nearly 11 years after the stretch of highway opened from Interstate 59 to just east of Byrd Parkway. Development along has come in spurts over the years, but it has taken off exponentially in the last few years.

"It's just exciting to see so many different new businesses opening up and existing businesses being reinvented," said Valerie Wilson, executive director of the Petal Area Chamber of Commerce. In the last year, several new businesses opened on the parkway, with even more in the planning or development stages. An AT&T retail store opened at one end of the newly completed Summit at 42 strip mall, while Fig Boutique — formerly Sassy Girl — opened at the other.

Both stores were destroyed at their former locations on Eastbrook Drive during the Jan. 21 tornado. Fig Boutique held its grand opening June 27, and the reception was favorable, owner Traci Goodwin said. "They just stormed the doors," she said. "We've been very pleased with the response from the community." Petal Urgent Care also recently opened a location at the Summit, and the site is prepared to welcome a few more stores.

Pizza Hut recently relocated from its Central Avenue spot and McAlister's Deli became one of the Friendly City's newest eateries, along with Zaxby's, in a free-standing location nearby. Sweet Blossom, a retail store offering home accessories, antiques and gift items, will be opening soon next to McAlister's.

Wilson said other retailers are planning to locate on the parkway, include a large pet supply store. Keesler Federal Credit Union recently announced it will be opening a branch on the north side of the parkway, in front of Lowe's. Java Moe's will be nearby, having recently been granted a parking variance from the Petal Board of Aldermen.

Some of the growth isn't exactly new — it's just been moved from one location to another, said Forrest County District 3 Supervisor Burkett Ross, whose district includes the parkway. “Some of that growth is relocation — like Pizza Hut and McDonald’s,” he said. “It’s good, but we don’t need to forget our downtown area, the older part of town.” But Ross is confident the growth along the parkway will continue. "That’s where the traffic line is," he said. "We’re certainly happy with the growth. It creates jobs and a good tax base. But we’ve got to be able to support our growth." On the west end of the parkway there is now a Dollar General near the Interstate 59 interchange. A new strip mall is in the works about 1½ miles east of the store, next to Pine Belt Federal Credit Union and across the parkway from Lake Serene Grocery, one of the first businesses to open in that area. A bakery already has plans to move into the location once it is complete. Almost next door is Mississippi Farm and Garden, which recently opened next to the FedEx Ground facility. In addition to properties already developed, close to 20 parcels along or near the 13.5-mile stretch of highway named after the state's first female lieutenant governor and Pine Belt native Evelyn Gandy are awaiting the right developers.

A lot of that growth can be attributed to Petal's support for business growth and family-friendly atmosphere, said Todd Jackson, vice president of development for the Area Development Partnership. "The city continues to garner national attention for its quality of life and fantastic school systems, which drive growth in the retail sector of the economy," Jackson said in an email. "The development along the Evelyn Gandy demonstrates the attention the city is receiving from national brands that recognize the positive trends within this great city in the Pine Belt." Growth outside Petal city limits is picking up steam as well. Mississippi Farm and Garden owners Mike and Robin Murry said they opened their business on Ponderosa Drive near FedEx Ground in November. The business had been located in Petal, but the couple looked for a different location after they purchased the store.

"We thought it was a very good location," Robin Murry said. "It’s what we got our sights on, where we wanted to build. "It’s lived up to our expectations. We’ve stayed busy for sure." Robin Murry attributes that success to the ease of access to Interstate 59. She said she has customers coming from across the Pine Belt, including Jones County and even as far away as Wiggins.

Being able to tell people who ask for directions that the business is located near FedEx is a plus, too. "It’s real handy," she said. Forrest County Board of Supervisors President David Hogan said the county has seen a $25 million increase in revenue in the last year, with around $17 million of that coming from new growth. "I hope to see that trend continue," he said. "The board couldn't be more happy about that. "A lot of that (growth) can be attributed to the Evelyn Gandy Parkway." Eleven years ago, the parkway was lined with miles of green space on either side with very little development in between.

Wal-Mart in Petal anchored the eastern end of the parkway long before the parkway opened, with one strip mall next door to the west offering a half dozen retail and restaurant opportunities. Another strip mall was in the works east of Wal-Mart to offer about a dozen more storefronts. It filled quickly with retail stores and restaurants. An urgent care clinic and loan company rounded out the location.

Not long after the parkway opened, Park Place Pharmacy became the only retail outlet on the south side of the Parkway in Petal. The pharmacy had opened near a couple medical clinics that had sprung up with entrances on Old Corinth Road, which runs parallel behind the parkway. Along the west end, Leaf River Outdoor Sports opened not far off Interstate 59, with a couple storefronts next door. The store closed in late 2016 and is now home to Carlstedt's Wholesale Florist. Lake Serene Grocery opened a location at Monroe Road, with a gas station, convenience store, restaurant and laundromat. Any spot along the parkway seems to be ripe for business, whether retail or restaurant, commercial or industrial, Goodwin said.

"I just think this is where it's going to be happening — on the Evelyn Gandy Parkway," she said. Wilson agrees. She said the potential for growth is continuously attracting prospects. "It’s wonderful," she said. "I don’t have to ask them. They are coming in and seeing opportunities and wanting to come in there." Wilson added summer is a slow period for bringing in new businesses, but she expects to see more "as soon as school starts up."

ADP's list of retail properties along Evelyn Gandy Parkway "Not only do we attempt to market the city of Petal to a national audience from a statistical standpoint, but we also try to move the needle on real estate development in Petal, alongside the mayor and board of aldermen and many private sector leaders in Petal," Jackson said.

One of the things that makes the Evelyn Gandy Parkway so appealing is the light traffic compared to other areas of the state, Wilson said. "There's so much less traffic in Petal," she said. "Right now it's a perfect mix, everything within reach yet we're not bombarded with traffic." Wilson said she is seeing more people coming to shop along the parkway from out of town and out of the county, and a lot of it can be attributed to its convenience just off Interstate 59. "We are seeing more cars, more people are traveling to Petal, from Perry County and other areas," she said. "It’s really phenomenal."

By the numbers

49,138 people live within 5 miles of the Evelyn Gandy Parkway

15,500 average daily traffic count

$3.1 billion in metro retail sales for 2016 in the greater Hattiesburg area

Source: Area Development Partnership