Bravo ! Finally an honest, straight, answer Big chains KNOW what they are doing. Of course a few make mis-calculations and have to close...but few and far between when you think of all the units some of these have: WM, HD, McD's, Publix, etc. they know what they are doing and know WHY they are placing a new unit.

BINGO ! I think many here just don't have any idea how such things a new unit are decided by giant corporations.

It's interesting to observe how individuals view such things when considering their "dream retirement". I have relatives who came down, stayed a full week, thought everything here was really lovely, prices reasonable, property taxes very reasonable, and no state income tax, but why did they decide on a planned community in another state ? It was far less "commercial", had very few "chain" restaurants, but offered some one unit, locally owned, restaurants that specialized in Italian, Mexican, Barbecue, Asian, and others, have a locally owned hardware, and the 3 vets are NOT chain "vet in the box" offices, something important to them as they have two dogs. There is a non chain, non grocery store bakery inside their community and they love the idea that even the four super markets they had to chose from are only regional chains that have a few units in the surrounding area. They found their "retirement heaven", my cousin's hubby said, is "being a 30-40 minute drive to a home depot or Taco Bell, and making a trip to those types of place something we only do a 4-6 times a year".

That's their idea of retirement, escaping what we have here and what they lived in all their working lives, yet have all the personal and medical services they need. The just love the feeling of being in a "slightly" rural. setting, but they also realize it could turn into something like our community here ... it happens ! I asked what they'd do then, lol, and they said, just try to find something else built with amenities for retirees, but not like a bee hive city ! I think they will all become like The Villages bee hive eventually due to the way people are literally pouring into SOUTHERN planned retirement communities !

OP I am guessing you thought your were scammed into buying, I am so sorry you choose poorly. Many of us have been here more than 10-20 plus years, and keep moving south.

Maybe a few residents could have been scammed, basically you putting them in a category of I can’t make a decision on my own, that I have to drive 10 minutes to a store. But I don’t think that happens often.

We moved from LSL, farther away, from those retail stores you covet so much. It’s apparent that there are empty properties to build on south of 44, yet they sit empty.

Many who are moving south to get away from the crazy ugly parking lots, and Hugh backs of buildings are so glad….those lot’s remain empty.

Needing that retail addition, is age based, the younger you are, the more you appreciate green space, are more than happy to drive to someone else’s area to keep it that way. Or we just thank Kroger and Amazon drivers for using their time and fuel.

I appear to have less faith in big corporations than many other posters.

For those of you who think big corporations "KNOW what they are doing" please explain New Coke and Bud Light and Target.

The population south of 44 is probably 30,000 and that is before Eastport and Middleton. There are Walmart stores in much smaller towns. In fact, there is one in Bushnell which has a population of about 3,000.

What is the smallest town in the U.S. with a Wal-Mart? (home, college) - General U.S. - City-Data Forum

inc.com

No! We don’t want a Wal Mart south of 44!

44
 

Actually Route 44 will be the next 466. 470 will also build out with retail and has been zoned for such. Give it time but, 466A Wildwood is already getting there.

You are probably right - 466A is starting to fill in now - I can see 44 being wall-to-wall retail between Buena Vista and Morse 5-10 years from now. I’m just enjoying the lack of retail craziness while I can, though I would welcome a few non-chain restaurants to the south (a good N.Y. Pizza joint, a taqueria that also sells breakfast burritos, a pho restaurant, a good gyros place, etc.

Do we need another Walmart.

My favorite Tina Turner song.

I would think that businesses would go into 470 ahead of 44. 470 is off the Turnpike and there are a lot of people living in that area that would prefer businesses near them rather than driving up to 44 or 466A.

Putting them in on 44 won’t be much of a benefit to the people living down south.

It is less than two miles on Powell between 44 and 466A and less than 3.5 on Morse between 44 and 466A.

If you take Meggison and Morse, it is about 7 miles from 470 to 44 and about 11 miles from 470 to Powell and 44.

I mean, I would like to see a Walmart Neighborhood Market somewhere along 44 so we have an affordable option for groceries nearby. Right now, it’s really just Publix, and if I’m going to overpay, I’d rather drive up to Fresh Market. I expect once Middleton is really rooted in, Walmart may consider a supercenter somewhere further south.

We need more Dollar General stores. Not.