DeSoto County a retail target... but hopefully not Target (updated)

Today's post highlights DeSoto County, MS, retail.

I know, I know, it's not the Kroger post yet.

But I was totally not expecting this news today or admittedly any time soon, and I think maybe it will surprise you as well.

The Walmart Supercenter planned for Horn Lake, MS, a project in development since December 2013, finally broke ground this morning.

They are now expecting to open this holiday season,  two years after the original announcement.


Walmart Supercenter groundbreaking sign, at the corner of Goodman and Horn Lake Rd.
Image courtesy of WMC Action News 5/Raycom Media.

Walmart's groundbreaking today came just days after another big surge in DeSoto County retail held its own much-publicized groundbreaking. Tanger Outlets on Friday announced several of the stores expected to fill up its highly anticipated mall at the corner of Church and I-55 in Southaven (the remaining stores will be announced over time as deals are made). Tanger, too, is projecting a holiday opening date - November 19th, to be exact, closing years of development.


Tanger Outlets groundbreaking sign, at the corner of Church and I-55.
Image courtesy of WMC Action News 5/Raycom Media.

With the Walmart in Horn Lake and a Gap Outlet store at Tanger now all but finalized, the Walmart Neighborhood Market in Horn Lake and the Gap Outlet just up the street from Tanger's site likely have grim futures. But DeSoto County retail as a whole stands to gain a lot from the two retail juggernauts.

Maybe too much.

It is my personal worry that the Horn Lake Target, which I featured a picture from in my last post, will think the surge of new shoppers deserves a more-modernized Target store to shop at. As I've said, Target currently retains its 90s neon. But the Kroger store in the same center recently ditched its 90s neon. The neighboring OfficeMax has been a victim of the Office DepotMax merger, and Starbucks opted to open a location across the street in an old Mrs. Winner's seeing how Target only has its old Food Avenue Express.

There stands to be much to gain from these two exciting developments, and maybe a couple things to lose.

If Target chooses to gain, I would classify it as a loss.

That's what's happening in the Mid-South... in the meantime, have fun exploring the retail world wherever you are.

Retail Retell

EDIT: In harping upon the big changes coming to Horn Lake and Southaven, I realized I completely left out Olive Branch! That area continues to see a lot of growth, including a shopping center including Hobby Lobby, Academy Sports and Outdoors, and Five Below across from Wedgewood Commons (which itself is adding a guitar center next to HomeGoods), as well as continued projects near the new Malco Theatre. Perhaps I neglected to mention it because, after all, it was once the fastest growing city and continues to see retail development as part of the state's fastest growing county.

Proposed layout map for Olive Branch Commons.
Image courtesy of LoopNet.

Also, in other news relating to Tanger, not only is Church Road in the works to be widened, but DeSoto Times reports officials are seeking to construct a cloverleaf interchange at I-55 to help with traffic. Even more road work troubles ahead... how lucky are we? (Get it? Lucky? Because it's a cloverleaf? ...okay, I'll get started on that Kroger post ASAP.)

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Also, a note about images - while a lot of pictures will be my own, I will always credit the individuals or companies whose images appear on the blog should they not be mine, such as Kroger pictures (once I get around to it!) and the pictures featured today. However, since the county pictures will appear in every post (and currently are featured as the logo of the blog), I will only credit their original owner once - the NWS. Their policy says their images are part of the public domain, and I have edited them to suit a different purpose then originally intended, so as far as I can tell I don't even have to credit them. But that would be unfair. So thanks to them for the Mid-South map and for being on top of the weather as always.