As Leland business booms, some want more options. Others fear a 'free for all.'
When Charlene Gentry grew up in Leland in the 80s, aside from Pizza Hut and the car wash, there weren’t many options for casual shopping.
Growing up between two cornfields with hardly a stoplight from Leland to Shallotte, she couldn’t imagine what the town would grow into in such a short time.
“It was just a quaint little country town,” Gentry said. “A dot on the map nobody spoke of.”
Lured by the lower cost of living, proximity to the beach, and the convenience of self-contained planned development communities, Leland has exploded since then to more than 25,000 residents, with near-retirees leading the migration.
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The growing consumer market is already bringing in some popular favorites, with much-anticipated stores like 7-Eleven and Lowe’s Home Improvement opening soon off U.S. 17.
While shopping options are definitely expanding compared to just a few years ago, for some residents Leland’s selection of stores isn’t growing as fast as they’d like.
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What businesses do Leland residents want?
According to Dana Fisher, executive director for the North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce, other than a few prominent national chains, the majority of business growth in the past few years has been smaller and in the service sector.
But for residents eager for more growth, big box stores are high on their wish list mainly for convenience.
“If I can stay in town, and get all my shopping done I’d be very happy,” said Leland resident Kelly Jensen. While concerned about the potential for overdevelopment, Jensen said the town still has lots of room for growth.
“Target, Marshall’s Kohl’s,” she said. “Just a little more variety but I like where the town’s been going.”
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Though the town has little control over which specific businesses choose to move to Leland, as its growth continues it’s more likely bigger businesses that residents want will see the area as an opportunity.
Town officials in an effort to manage growth are looking into incentives that might lure more manufacturing and professional service type businesses to their Industrial Park, and with them, higher wages that can sustain families.
Residents like Jonathan Adler, who moved to Leland five years ago, he’s not opposed to those plans but he has different priorities.
Alder said seeing the drastic development in the past few years, he thinks the town now needs more entertainment options like movie theaters and bowling alleys to maintain its family atmosphere.
However, he’d personally like to see a Dick’s Sporting Goods and a Barnes and Noble come to town.
“I’m not against the growth but when businesses start coming in it just can’t be a free for all,” he said. “Otherwise people will leave as quick as they’re coming.”
Reporter John Orona can be reached at 910-343-2327 or jorona@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: As Leland business booms, how some approve, others fear 'free for all'
