Area booming with prosperity
By Staff
Jason Cannon, Franklin County Times
Since I've worked at this newspaper, I've seen a retail boom like no other in any place that I've ever lived.
Peebles, Burkes, Long Lewis, CVS and a host of family-owned local businesses have sprung up like spring flowers.
Not only do these new businesses provide new jobs and services, but they also improve the landscape.
A once barren corner now houses a brand-new CVS building, which in my opinion is nicer on the inside and out than other CVS stores located close to the area.
Also, look at what Dr. Jeremy Campbell and Campbell Vision Center did for Highway 43 and Lawrence. He's taken that vacant building and really turned it around. Not only did he landscape the hill on which it is located, he's adding more business.
Where there once was nothing will soon be three businesses. That's not a bad turnaround for just a few months.
Peebles and Burkes have helped to revitalize a dying strip mall. Typically, vacant buildings left by old Wal-Marts and grocery stores are hard to fill.
Really, they're only good for two things: Wal-Marts and grocery stores.
It takes a lot of creativity and work to make them marketable, but if you can turn that one giant space into three or four smaller ones, you can really do something.
With so much industrial development on either side of us, Franklin County is in good position for some of the trickle-down jobs.
Tupelo and Cullman have each landed some sizeable automotive and supplier plants. Franklin County is in the sweet spot – the area of land between them – that could grab some business that needs to service one or both of the new plants.
There are several things that experts say an area must have to attract quality jobs and I think Franklin County has them all.
You need land. Check.
You need a good school system. Got two of those. You need quality heath care. Got a great hospital and hundreds of good local physicians. You need a good retail base. Franklin County's retail base is growing. Any major job provider that settles in the area would give it a huge shot in the arm.
In the past year, many companies have chosen Russellville for a new home. If that's any indication, the next few years could be very exciting.
