Sunday, June 21, 2009
Blacksburg needs no megastore
New River Forum
I agree that Blacksburg needs stores for sundries, but just which sundries does Lisa Beck have in mind ("Blacskburg needs stores for sundries," June 7 letter)?
For hardware and garden items we have Heavener's and Blacksburg Feed and Seed. For groceries we have Kroger and Food Lion; Mish Mish and New River Office supply, among other local businesses for office needs.
But, alas, where can one buy underwear? The First & Main complex could have a 79,999-square-foot big-box store up and selling boxers and briefs at this moment, but its developers chose to hold out for a 180,000-square-foot megacenter. That's the equivalent of well over three football fields under one roof.
A super big-box store is out of scale and unnecessary for Blacksburg.
There's not much for which to park
Christian Trejbal seems to feel that all is well with downtown parking in Blacksburg ("The phantom parking shortage," June 7 column). Following town council, the public is admonished for not making use of this retail treasure.
Well, I cannot, and I'm sure there are others living here who feel the same. Walking is not necessarily grand when everyday items need purchasing, few are available in the heart of town and there are no shopping carts. The farmers market can be nice, as well as the Lyric Theatre.
Lisa Beck said it right in her June 7 letter ("Blacksburg needs stores for sundries"), writing she needs to buy sundries. Festivals, music, etc., do little in stocking a house.
My wife and I don't care for the noise of the restaurants or the booze bouts either. Walking from store to store with little to show for it is not exciting, especially when you must make your way carrying whatever was purchased.
If our needs consisted of hardware, books, banking, gifts, fruit, flowers, auto accessories and ice cream, we could walk a mile-plus outdoors, but would our 70-year-old-plus knees allow it? Maybe we could use the non-existent bus from Woodbine?
The general public has little use for downtown, except for very special, occasional reasons.
