Okay, raise your hands if you would like to see Campbell Station add a Family Dollar or Big Lots in the place of Kroger?
Kroger leaving Campbell Station?
The good news? Sounds like Kroger hasn't made a final decision yet, which means it may not be too late to make a difference...
What can you do about it?
Contact Kroger:
Misti Mager - Misti.Mager@Kroger.com
Misti Mager
Kroger Nashville MSA Real Estate
2620 Elm Hill Pike
Nashville, TN 37214
Melissa Eads - Kroger-Nashville Spokeswoman (615) 871-2500
This has been rumored for quite some time, but it appears that "now" is that time. Kroger is in the process of moving forward on plans to leave their location in Campbell Station (a building which they own) to rent a new space in Thompson's Station next to Tractor's Supply, CVS, etc. This would be a horrible mistake for BOTH Spring Hill and Kroger for many reasons that we will try to cover fully in a second, but first a little background.
* Spring Hill's Contentious History With Heritage Commons - Oh how soon we forget...
Parents Keep Eyes on Heritage Commons - February 15, 2001
Shopping Center Becomes Spring Hill Political Issue - March 15, 2001
Heritage Parents Vow To Pursue Influential Ears - March 16, 2001
Heritage Commons Approved Despite Ire - March 17, 2003
Inventor Defends System Likened by Mayor to 'Hog Farm' - August 5, 2004
Heritage Commons Proceeds with Alternative Sewer System - August 19, 2004
* Tax Dollars - We can ask the city what the actual payment is, but I would suspect that Spring Hill takes around $1 million a year in state-shared tax revenue from the Kroger location in Campbell Station. Family Dollar, Big Lots, or Trees and Things will not quite cut it.
* Ownership - Kroger owns the Campbell Station store property, so they will rent it out to another "non-grocer" friendly to Kroger brands. In the recent past, that has been Family Dollar, Big Lots, etc.
* Thompson's Station - Currently the population of Thompson's Station is around 1,500 people. I know, many of you have a Thompson's Station zip code and address, but I assure you that you do in fact live in Spring Hill. You vote in Spring Hill elections, you are covered with Spring Hill water and sewer service, you are covered by Spring Hill police and fire, and on and on and on - all services paid for by Spring Hill state-shared tax revenue. Campbell Station, Pickett's Ridge, Cameron Farms, etc are all in Spring Hill... not Thompson's Station.
For Kroger, moving the store to this new location will have a large effect on their "start up cost" and long term success.
1.) Higher impact fees in Thompson's Station (2x the impact fees of Spring Hill)
2.) No Spring Hill sewer, you will get to use the new Schaeffer system soon to come online in Thompson's Station (with Sewer Tap Fees that are over 4x that of Spring Hill)
3.) No Spring Hill police department protection. If there is a problem, you will be placed in the Williamson County Sheriff queue.
4.) No Spring Hill fire department protection. (note above statement)
5.) No city property tax in Spring Hill
6.) Tax revenue going towards Thompson's Station instead of Spring Hill. Spring Hill residents might decide to spend their money somewhere else.
7.) They (Kroger) are trying to capture residents as they enter Spring Hill from HWY 31 headed south from Franklin. If that is the case, who is going to capture them first, Super Wal Mart, or a Kroger placed off the road next to a school? Ever sit in traffic waiting to get in and out of Heritage Campus during school rush hour?
Ok, back to the article...
Kroger is considering a 12-acre site in Heritage Commons, Kroger spokeswoman Melissa Eads said...
A developer contacted Kroger about the possibility of locating in Thompson's Station, Eads said.
"He presented this site to us and it is one of several different opportunities we are considering," Eads said. "We are still in the exploring stage, but we want to be able to serve the rapidly growing population of Spring Hill in the best way possible."
Um, how does moving an extremely profitable Kroger from Spring Hill to a neighboring community "serve the rapidly growing population of Spring Hill in the best way possible"? Doesn't it only serve the developer who desperately needs an anchor store for an eye-sore of a development (a developer who promised to keep a tree line in between the development and the school... where's that tree line now?), and the city of Thompson's Station who will capture all of Spring Hill resident's tax revenue?
The article continues...
Kroger has already announced plans to build a new store on Port Royal Road in Spring Hill.
Note to Kroger: If you don't build on Port Royal Road, there's another grocer (namely Publix), who would love the opportunity to do so...
What is Kroger thinking?
Friday, September 01, 2006
Coming Soon...Family Dollar or Big Lots in Campbell Station
Posted by Gorilla in the Corner at 8:14 AM
Labels: Miscellaneous, Planning Commission
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IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is a series of personal opinions and is not meant to reflect an official position by the City of Spring Hill.
23 comments:
I am not sure Kroger knows what they are getting inro in Thompson's Station. What a dumb move!
From the March 16, 2001 article:
"The crowd of nearly 200 included parents of Heritage children, people who own homes near the property, and several Spring Hill mayoral and aldermanic candidates. On hand to address their concerns were developer Glen Wilson, Thompson's Station Mayor Cherry Jackson, Spring Hill
Mayor Ray Williams and County Commissioner Judy Hayes."
I wonder if Kroger really knows what they are getting into here?
they are leaving beacuse the area is too congested. They are a business that has found a way to be more profitable. Sorry the city suffers, but that is business. I must admit...it is pretty dang funny if you ask me. Hey you got your hospital....bye bye Kroger...
Maybe they will let you all have a petition drive in their lobby.....
The swmi-brain dead people at KROGER, who are getting their you know what kicked by PUBLIX, are making the wrong move.
The entry into that new location is awful, there will never be another traffic light there, it will affect the school traffic terribly.
KROGER your move to Port Royal is smart, this is dumb.
I thought you all on here loved Kroger.
I don't think this is a good location for either one of these stores. It cheapens the place horribly. What can we do to stop it. As you can see, Auto Zone went ahead as planned.
Hello Gorilla
I do not see the need for the move. I will say that you should have stopped with the tax issue. That is what this is all about. Spring Hill does not want to see the tax money go north. I will also say that a couple of your points do not hold water. I have nothing but respect for Spring Hill's police and fire, they both do very good jobs. I can assure you that their is not much that the fire dept does that the Rescue Squad does not do as well or better, and that can be said for SO.
The city knows that most of the same people that shop at Kroger now will shop there when it moves. If the list of sit down restaurants going to Thompson Station is true then alot more tax money will go north. We had better get used to this, Thompson Station is on the verge of a major growth explosion. If we want to bring buisness and residents to Spring Hill then we need a better sales pitch than "we will boycott" and "every body elses services suck" or "that is a dumb move". This is buisness and competition. I remember not too long ago people talking about how good competition was.
be safe all
ole fire fighter
Y'all are missing the point.
Kroger's spokeswoman said 2 things that pinpoint what this is all about to me:
1.
A developer contacted Kroger about the possibility of locating in Thompson's Station, Eads said.
2.
"We are still in the exploring stage, but we want to be able to serve the rapidly growing population of Spring Hill in the best way possible."
I love having the variety of being able to go to Thompson's Station Grill or Tavern on the Ridge on any given evening. I also love the fact that in short order I'll have the opportunity to go to a local Wal-Mart Supercenter or a local Super Target.
A Thompson's Station developer approaches Kroger (a five year business of Spring Hill and staple of Campbell's Station) about relocating to his development less than a mile away, and Kroger uses 'we just want to serve Spring Hill better' as justification?
In a vacuum of a corporate decision-maker's office this might fly, but around here I still have a choice were I want my tax dollars to go.
You bet I'll let them know how I feel about their decision. If it falls on deaf ears, good riddance. On the other hand, if it does make a difference... well I guess that's what this site is all about, isn't it?
I dont mind if Kroger moves, I do care very much about what replaces it. Do we want to cheapen the neighborhood with a Big Lots (consider how that looks in Franlin) or a family dollar store? I will still go to Kroger in Heritage Commons and I will shop Wal Mart and Target in SH and TS. I just think we need to demand that the city not allow low brow businesses to decrease our home values and cheapen the look of our town. I already think its a huge mistake to have a home depot at the town center. It should have gone down the road to the south not right there, but what's done is done. How is that city plan coming along?
That is the most stuck up thing I have ever heard. Why don't you go ahead and say that Spring Hill is BETTER than Franklin? There are people who live in Spring Hill that would enjoy these stores, much more than a $100 a plate restaurant, which I am sure you would love.
The city can not demand a land/building owner not to lease its' facility just because citizens and/or city officials do not agree with the type of business. It is unfortunate and I am sure not one city official wants this to happen but Kroger owns the building and the correct zoning is in place so they can lease to Big Lots if that is what they choose to do so let Kroger know how you feel.
ole fire fighter,
What is so wrong with city officials wanting to keep tax dollars in the city? Is that not what makes our property tax stay at zero? I missed your point on that one and sounds like you may want to have a nice tall glass of Kool-Aid.
These comments are pretty funny given that in other recent arguments, the idea of competition was touted as being excellent. Surely there is a difference between hospitals and big box stores or grocery stores! Wasn't Kroger everyone in Spring Hill's friend just a few weeks ago? I would suggest that Spring Hill will never have a sales pitch aside from the ones mentioned until the elitist attitude changes.
05 September, 2006 22:18 said...
These comments are pretty funny given that in other recent arguments, the idea of competition was touted as being excellent.
///
Who said anything about competition being bad?
All that we are saying is keep the sales tax dollars where they should be - in the community of the people that are spending the money!!!
I love Kroger. But if they move down the road across the street from an elementary school that already has issues with safety due to the traffic, you had better believe that my patronage will cease immediately. If it's all about "serving the community" let's start with the idea that we should actually serve the community. Shocking idea, but run with it, Kroger, please. Otherwise, I'll drive right by every time to go to Publix, expensive diapers or not. As for what would go into the vacated spot, neither one of the shops mentioned really gets me excited. I would prefer the Kroger stay where it is, and maybe do what the Belle Meade Kroger did, start to do more specialty items. It worked for that location, why not at last try that before pulling up stakes and moving to such a ridiculous spot? Just my two cents.
Kim aka Spring Hill Mom
anon 9/5 21:57
I am all for keeping tax dollars in the city. My point was lets not try and show this as being about kroger making bad deals. it is all about the tax money so lets say so from the start. We are going to need the tax money to keep up the pace of growth. We are also going to need more commercial and industrial, you cannot live on residencial alone. I will pass on the Kool-aid, thank you .
be safe all
ole fire fighter
Sure, I'd love a $100 a plate restaurant if you're paying!! I didn't insinuate that SH is BETTER than Franklin, but Franklin has the sense to keep that kind of stuff in areas that aren't exactly the center of town. That strip of 31 and Main street are the heart of Spring Hill. It would be nice if we made it look its very best. I would shop at a Big Lots, I just dont want it in my back yard.
Anon 9/7 17:08
I agree with you about 31. What people see when they drive into town helps sell a city. I would shop at Big lots, the trick would be keeping my wife out. I think a nice Staples or Office Depot would look good if Kroger leaves. Then I would not have to drive to Cool Springs for office supplies.
be safe all
ole fire fighter
Those of you who think that Campbell's Station is the "center of town" are really out in left field. It may have been the first part to expand in the new growth - but it is NOT the center of town, and never will be.
It was poorly planned from the start, and it is starting to show (traffic, houses *right* behind commercial development, etc.).
Call me crazy - but I happen to like $50 per person meals on occasion AND shopping at Big Lots. I don't really like the chain effect that a Big Lots moving into *that* location will have on the other stores in the strip that depend on a strong anchor store, but if the zoning is legit - that's not my call to make.
As for Kroger moving up the street, I have mixed feelings. Looked at on it's own - it looks like a bad move. But in all honesty - half of their patrons will be shopping at the new Port Royal store anyway when it is built, so a slight move northward is not all that bad of a decision.
The roads in the entire area are already a mess, so I am not sure how much merit there is to complaints about ingress and egress.
Oh, and I *love* AutoZone, and can't believe some of you are still whining about that. Anyone who bought property in that area should have their head examined because it was CLEAR the whole strip would be developed as commercial, and "Brentwood Commercial" either.
Come on people - look around you. See what happens to first-start development areas when growth hits, and what happens to those first-start areas as the growth evolves. New strip mall sites become OLD strip mall sites with second tier stores. Campbell Station was the first-start site for Spring Hill, and now the growth is moving on to other areas.
The saturn parkway corridor; around the Kedron, Hi.31 and Port Royal will be the best retail and commercial developments in SPring Hill and will greatly out do Campbell Station.
Think of it.
HCA hospital that will rapidly expand to a hugely successful regional hospital at Kedron and Saturn Parkway. The huge Super Target, Kohls, etc., mall at Saturn and Hi.31 and all the rest coming to Port Royal and Saturn Parkway.
I like Big Lots and I can not lie, all you Spring Hillians can't deny when a Kroger moves out and they move in your properties will decline. Yaes!
Done Deal
I'm not crazy about Kroger opening so close to the schools either but will continue to do business with them.
What I think is so funny is the fact that Campbell Station is even considered in Spring Hill. I have lived here my entire life and to me, Spring Hill started right before the Williamson/Maury County line! Thompsons Station allowed Spring Hill to devour it and that should have never happened in the first place!
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