The News and Observer writes more today
about a proposed shopping center near the Chatham-Orange county line on
U.S. 15-501 just outside of Chapel Hill. Long rumored to be the site of
a proposed Wal-Mart, the zoning application states part of the land
will be for a home improvement center. My guess is Home Depot, since
Lowes just opened just near the corner of U.S. 15-501 and U.S. 64 in
Pittsboro, though I’m pulling for a Super Wal-Mart (the site is only
three miles from my apartment).
The interesting tidbit from the article, as has been known, is
that a group of Chatham County residents, Chatham First, will protest
any “big box” retailers that would go into the site. Some friends of
mine and I had a discussion about this over the weekend. First off, the
private property owner,Lee-Moore Oil Co., if you ask me, should be
able to sign a contract with whomever they want – Wal-Mart, Home Depot,
Target, I don’t care. The point is its their property to do with as
they wish. Second of all, those who complain about “big box”
stores are often the same ones who decry about there not being enough
jobs, so if a company wants to come in a bring in jobs to a community,
why complain?
I’m guessing many of these protestors will shop at
the “big box” store, whatever it may be, once its opened. That
always seems to be the case.
