The Wilmington area certainly has its share of well-known business, whether local or chain of retail and restaurants.
Yet we re always curious about others that could arrive. Perhaps we could curb such wonder by looking within.
As a result, the StarNews reached out for places you d like to see here. These are some of your responses (and places we found here that ll work just fine).
Think of it like this line from the song Soak Up The Sun by Sheryl Crow: It s not having what you want, it s wanting what you got.
Bass Pro Shops
Wilmington has outdoor stores, but not this giant. The closest location is in Myrtle Beach. As for area alternatives, try Great Outdoor Provision Company (3501 Oleander Drive at Hanover Center), Sportsman s Warehouse (4715-A New Centre Drive) and Academy Sports + Outdoors (5309 Gingerwood Drive).
The new Harris Teeter will also be one of the biggest at 78,000 square feet. Look for a fuel station outparcel, a Starbucks, as well as a hot bar, salad bar and other amenities inside.
Scarafoni, who also developed a Food Lion-anchored shopping center in Porters Neck, said fewer grocery stores are being built in the area.
“It says something that they are,” he said.
Nationally, some companies are trying to expand their reach, especially in areas with higher incomes. Lidl and Aldi, for example, are relatively new to Wilmington. And chains like Wegmans are starting to expand to North Carolina (although no local stores are planned yet).
But amid the state s funding issues, Councilman Neil Anderson said the council will have to prioritize projects and find alternative sources of funding for needed improvements, pointing to the Southwest end of Independence Boulevard as an area in need of attention. If the state doesn t have the funds, we could either sit back and watch things get worse or we can try to be proactive, Anderson said.
The Wilmington area s population is expected to grow nearly 90% by 2040, according to New Hanover County s comprehensive plan. That growth will bring challenges not only for roadways, but for housing as well.
Anderson said a major step in addressing the city s needs will be the completion of its updated land development code. The code, which aims to accommodate the region s projected population growth, hasn t undergone a full update in 30 years or more.
The pandemic may be accelerating a pre-COVID-19 trend
Wilmington officials are eyeing ways they can prepare for anticipated growth.\
Is the pandemic playing a part in the population boom Wilmington is seeing?
Well, maybe. But it s a bit more complicated than that.
According to an analysis done by a platform specializing in relocation technology, Updater, as well as from observations of local realtors and homebuilders, Wilmington has been seeing an influx of new residents during the pandemic.
In an interview with Fox News, Updater’s Founder and CEO David Greenberg said one reason people have been eyeing cities like Wilmington is related to the ability to work from home.
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