There has been a lot of chatter about new retail moving into the Emporia Pavilions development in northwest Emporia basically all year long. Special Projects Coordinator Jim Witt says “there’s definitely fire with the smoke.”
At least two new retail businesses could be announced. An official announcement on the exact businesses could be several weeks away as the review process continues.
Hobby Lobby opened in August 2017 after several years of discussions between developer Spencer Thomson and city commissioners. The original plan was to bring a home improvement store and a grocery, but an outside study showed the grocery market was saturated. There is also space for restaurants and small specialty shops with the current plan.
Witt says retailers are showing more interest in Emporia than they have in several years. He says Emporia has been underserved in several retail sectors recently, and the timing is right to take advantage.
