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ROANOKE RAPIDS - With Peebles anticipating opening in November and Tractor Supply Company filing its building permit to construct a business, new life is coming to the old Wal-Mart building.
Peebles announced in a press release this week its new store will open Nov. 15. Tractor Supply filed a building permit with the city Monday, Planning and Development Director George W. Gurley Jr. said Friday.
Beginning construction on the Tractor Supply Store is about two weeks off, Gurley said.
Sean Beaver, group manager for Peebles, said the store is currently lining up speakers for its opening day. “We're on track,” he said of construction.
Peebles had a store in Roanoke Rapids previously, and Beaver said growth in the area has encouraged the company to come back.
Peebles, a department store that sells family clothing, is fashioning a 20,000-square-foot store on the left side of the building. It also includes a home decor and fragrance department.
According to a press release, Peebles will offer brands such as Sag Harbor, Izod, Liz Claiborne, Estee Lauder and Clinique. It will also offer Dockers, Haggar, Van Heusen, Chaps, Levi's, U.S. Polo Association, Unionbay, New Balance, Reebok, Nike Clarks, Carters and more.
Tractor Supply will take a 28,560-square-foot area of the old Wal-Mart on the right side of the building. It also plans to have a 20,000-square-foot outdoor display area and a permanent equipment display area.
Tractor Supply offers a wide variety of merchandise including farm tools, vehicle maintenance equipment, agriculture supplies, lawn and garden supplies and equine, pet care and livestock care equipment, along with work clothing.
There is still space for one more store, Gurley said.
Roanoke Rapids Mayor Drewery Beale said Peebles and Tractor Supply Company are welcome additions to the old Wal-Mart building.
“We're glad to have such a building as the Wal-Mart building being renovated,” the mayor said. “That's why we push for spec buildings, not just ones that are built. That's why it's important to push these buildings and let them (potential prospects) know we have them.”
Beale said the city, as well as the county, makes it a point to let prospects know about the buildings already available. “If we market them through (city Economic Development Director Rick) Benton, every opportunity is made to make people aware we've got empty buildings.”
One of those empty buildings is the old Brendle's store in the Oakland Shopping Center, as well as store space in Becker Village Mall. There have been no bites on the Brendle's building, Beale said. “We've still got a way to go. There's always hope.”
The city and county work in conjunction with each other to fill empty buildings, Beale said. “We want all these buildings to be marketed. That's the way Scotland Neck got something.”
Beale said the city wasn't sure how long the old Wal-Mart building would go unoccupied after a new supercenter was opened in Premier Landing in 2003. “There had been several looking at it but none of them worked out until this deal came along.”
Peebles and Tractor Supply should help other businesses in the area, the mayor said. “When people come into Peebles and Tractor Supply, both popular places, they will see the Mayflower and Ryan's and that will lead them to see other things in town. That's the way it works - one thing comes in and brings other customers in as well.”
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