My life was dark, and without meaning. I moved through the days as a blind man through fog, my vision obscured but I too blind to know.
Yesterday, the heavens opened up, trumpets pealed, and the angels descended. My pathetic life, at long last, has meaning. Verily, Chez Target has opened.
No longer must I cover my face in shame as I skulk through Wal-Mart among those of my financial class and, yet, to whom I know I am innately superior. No longer must I suffer the slings and arrows of an outrageous drive to Short Pump. My empty life can be filled with cleverly-designed consumer goods, very much like those found at Wal-Mart, yes, only somehow better, in ways that I could not explain. Target is my shepherd, I shall not want.
It’s like when Krispy Kreme opened. Only the high will last longer this time. I just know it.
I thought you hated the Hollymead Town Center? Hard to bike there or something?
You know, I was opposed to it as well. And still am. But once it’s built, get over it and go fight the next battle. It’s not as if any amount of protesting or anger is going to make it go away once it opens. Unless you’re talking about Walmart. Walmart is bad on so many different levels, locally and globally that it merits our undying revulsion and boycott.
I went over to the Target on opening day and spent some money. I will continue to shop there.
if it had never been built, i’d be happy–if that swath of land on 29N had never been scalped and developed, i think charlottesville would be a better place. but, as jack says, it’s built. and it’s better than KMart (the only alternative to WalMart).
Just wait until WalMart builds a new ‘supercenter’ somewhere. My bet is two of them, one south of town and one north and the current one is abandoned.
Sounds to me like the original post is heavily sarcastic. Sure, Target’s nice, but it’s a mess up there. And the new town center only adds to the problems of having one major thoroughfare in Cville.
I think this new town center completely underscores why the proposed bypass would be a waste of time and money. Development has expanded far beyound the terminus/starting point at Forest Lakes South. A bypass would have to start north of Greene (growing by 48% in the past ten years) in order to completely bypass the entire Charlottesville area and all its traffic.
well at with the bypass, people from IVY could make it to HTC without hitting 29.
BTW, as for the Super Wal Mart, rumors has it that they will be next door to Target in the phase 2 part.
BTW, as for the Super Wal Mart, rumors has it that they will be next door to Target in the phase 2 part.
I would be very surprised if Target didn’t have category exclusivity in HTC. I serioulsy doubt they would have agreed to that location without such a guarantee, as such arrangements are typical in this type of development. It’s possible that they overlooked that detail, or that they’ve come to the conclusion that their market isn’t Wal-Mart’s, but I doubt it.
Actually I have heard of a Wal Mart supercenter going up there also. From what I hear Hollymead town center will be 3 to 4 times as large as it is now when its all said and done…..BTW the progress reported a few weeks ago that Albemarle Place submitted its plan and work should begin down on Hydraulic and 29 before the end of this year…. No more traveling to Richmond for shopping…
I also heard that the old stone house on the property would be moved or torn down by, I think, the end of April. That came from an article in the Hookville (I don’t recall which, they bleed together for me) from the spring with an interview with Wendell Woods. Straight from him, it was moving or coming down. It’s still there. Maybe they’ll just bury it? At this point the land around has been brought to roof level.
So don’t believe everything you hear. Unless you hear it from me. Then believe it. :-)
Concerning rumors about a possible walmart, does anyone know of a way to know for sure about this? In general, I think it would be helpful for citizens to know well in advance if such a business were planning to operate here.
this is what i heard from knowing some people from Wal Mart and other sources. See Wally World wanted to build a supercenter on 5th street closer to 64. So the people south of Cville and mainly on the RT64 could have easier access instead of driving all the way through CVille and 29 to get to Wal Mart. But thanks to the efforts of protesters, WM was denied on 5th street. So they built an supercenter in Waynesboro.
I think they always wanted to expand the current one but WM was face again with harsh resistance from the county. So they did something that even I must say was playing hard ball. They plan on building the SuperCenter on the Greene County border. Heck they even zoned the land. I have friends who saw the layout of the Greene Supercenter. I think they played hardball because man can you think about everyone complaining how far Wal Mart would be if it was even that far. Now, I guess they compromise with WM going in the HTC. And the land that was zoned in Greene is now going to Best Western.
I love this area.
On a unrelated note, I heard that the reason why Olive Garden isn’t going to be in HTC is because of BRICKS. Yes, you heard me. Someone told me that OG doesn’t like building BRICKS resturants. SO THERE YOU GO ALBEMARLE COUNTY, THANKS FOR NOT ALLOWING Olive Garden!!!
SO THERE YOU GO ALBEMARLE COUNTY, THANKS FOR NOT ALLOWING Olive Garden!!!
Wherever shall we eat?
Re: Olive Garden, actually I don’t think bricks had anything to do with it. The same company that owns Olive Garden owns Red Lobster, and according to a friend who is one of their managers, their plan is to build a facility that is Red Lobster on one side, and Olive Garden on the other. They’re looking for the right location, had no desire to be in HTC (they want greater polulation density, which makes sense), so don’t be surprised to see it in Albemarle Place. They definitely want an Olive Garden here, but just as badly want to move their Red Lobster, which is in a horrible location and a really bad space with very poor parking.
OMG! Please….I have boycotted Wal-Mart since day one! Remember how the unions came to the rescue of the masses in the early twentieth century? Wal-Mart has very few 40 hr. weekly employees with full benefits.
Nor are most of their products made in this country. Where is your conscious???
I refuse to eat at a “chain” whenever I’m at home or on the road. The Mom & Pop stores/restaurants are sooooooo much more interesting and the food is much tastier.
However if you must shop in a box, at least go to Kmart or World Market, they are within the city limits. Waynesboro, Short Pump…aka I-64…can have have the “Super Size me” shopper! Sloan’s had to close because it lost the hometown flavor after it was sold. If you want to succeed in C’ville (or in the surrounding counties) make a difference and provide local customer service that can’t be found on line or in a box! If the Salvation Army isn’t good enough for Tar~get’ then neither am I!
I think TGIF just open.
BTW, i just noticed your comment about the ‘super size me’. Isn’t that mean hearted to make fun of someone because they have a wieght problem. If you make fun of someone who is gay then you are gay basher. If you make fun of someone because they are from a minority then you are a racist. But it is okay to make fun of someone who is overwieght. Wow what double standards!
“Super Size me” has NOTHING to do with weight…and everything to do with the size of the shop! Target, Toys R Us, Wal-Mart etc…have a “super sized” toy selection, but I only buy my toys at Shenanigans.
Relax, I’m making fun of the stores, the people that want to push a cart for miles and drive up 29N to save a few cents. Believe me, it’s the mind, not the body that I was “making fun of”!
Give me customer service over an intercom anyway!
Put your money in locally owned cash drawers!
Something that is along the lines of this discussion (growth)…. I was reading this weeks issue of the Hook, “Charlottesville guide for dummies” and saw some disturbing/encouraging numbers (depending on what side of the growth debate you fall on)…. In one part of the issue it gives population numbers from the latest census report which estimated the population and growth rate from 2000 to July 2004… According to the numbers Albemarle grew by 12.something%…. The reason why this is so schocking to me is because it was higher than Greene …. I have always felt Albemarle was heading towards the state’s list of fastest growing counties and it looks like it will be come 2010 when the official census is released.
Old Trail and the surrounding developments have doubled the size of the school enrollment in Crozet.
If you don’t think Albemarle’s development is growing by leaps and bounds, take a drive out to Crozet. Check out all the new McMansions, the developments popping up everywhere on the paved cow paths.
Then visit the elementary schools, Henley (wear a hard hat) and WAHS.
Drive back to town and read about the over 1000 new homes to be built in the new Old Trail Village. Albemarle’s current growth is faster than Fairfax County during the Reagan years!
Come 2010 Albemarle county may be the only county outside of the states major metro areas (Richmond, Hampton Roads, No. VA) with a population over 100k.
Good piece. As one who has never set foot in Wal-Mart , its doubtful I”ll be making a pilgrimage to Target either. Don’t need it. I support locally based businesses whenever possible, or at least older chains I grew up with- Sears , A& N, even KMart. Sorry to see Woolworth’s go. I like Rose’s-closest thing left to the old five and dime. I grew up in Culpeper/Front Royal area, we had a wonderful one -JJ Newberry’s.
Speaking of supporting local businesses-I had some dental surgery recently, had prescriptions to be filled,dentist called in and Timberlake’s delivered. A blessing as woozy as I was. Dont get that from Wal-Mart, or the late unlamented Pharmor. I do my pharmacy business nowhere else.