Nearly Vacant Center Finding New Life
No local strip center showcases the evolution of retail strip properties like the one at the corner of Meadow Park Avenue and US 23 in southern Delaware County’s Lewis Center.
A new Chick-fil-A is being built on the corner while two new tenants are bringing light to this formerly nearly empty center.
The History of the Strip Center
Built in 2002, It has been years since the 114,322-square-foot center was full. To put this in perspective, I think the last tenant in one of the spaces was Blockbuster. Which shuttered the majority of its locations by 2015, so we are talking about a decade since the strip center had been full. However, the largest hit was when Giant Eagle left the central Ohio market and roughly 93,000 square feet went dark a few years ago.
The only store to survive continuously was a Staples store, which is itself shocking considering the turmoil of the office supply market.
Today’s Redevelopment
The key to this redevelopment appears to be the restaurant giant, Chick-fil-A, which announced it would build on the northeast corner of the 12.5-acre property. Chick-fil-A is one of the most sought-after restaurant concepts in the industry. It has a rabid following that will often wait in long lines to eat its food. The company has locations in 48 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada and is still under the leadership of its founding family.
Floors & Decor is currently remodeling the space that Giant Eagle previously occupied. The Georgia-based company has been labeled one of the Fortune 100 fastest-growing companies. Floor & Decor is a multi-channel specialty retailer and commercial flooring distributor operating 230 warehouse-format stores and five design studios across 36 states. The company offers a broad assortment of in-stock hard-surface flooring, including tile, wood, laminate, vinyl, and natural stone along with decorative accessories and wall tile, installation materials, and adjacent categories at everyday low prices. The Company was founded in 2000 and this will be its third – joining Reynoldsburg and Hilliard – location in Central Ohio.
My Salon Suite has moved into the former Blockbuster location at the north end of the retail development. This is the sixth location for the company in Columbus with locations in Powell, Dublin, Grandview Heights, and Clintonville. My Salon Suite is located all across the country, predominately in higher-income communities, and provides leasing to those offering beautician services. Professionals lease space in the salons from the franchise owner and will then build their clientele within that location.
Where Should I Go?
There are a lot of construction vehicles at the site as the three projects are in various stages of improvement, development, and building. My Salon Suite appears to be open according to its website, however, Floor & Decor and Chick-fil-A are still under work.
- Address: 59 Meadow Park Avenue, Lewis Center (the Staples store)