BIG CHANGE
for a small town

By Lisa Weatherwax
Contributing Writer

NICEVILLE, FLORIDA - Barely noticeable through a line of trees, bulldozers are clearing a large sweep of land north of John Sims Parkway. In the heart of our small town, major development is gaining ground. Construction crews wait for the go ahead that will dramatically change Niceville’s complexion.

Roughly 40 acres are going to house a huge, new shopping center. Feelings about the center vary widely. Niceville business owners voice concerns about staying viable in the face of competition from big box stores, such as a Home Depot, or Target. Others say, bring it on. They are tired of driving to other cities to shop.

While no lease papers have been signed, Valparaiso Realty Co. said a big shopping center is indeed coming. An access road to relieve congestion will run parallel to John Sims Parkway and connect two new shopping centers. One center will go between Rocky Bayou Drive and Oak Creek Shopping Center. The other will go up behind Niceville Garden Center and Century 21 Agency, off Redwood Avenue, said a Valparaiso Realty spokesperson, who asked not to be named.

Valparaiso Realty owns Oak Creek Shopping Center, where K-Mart and Food World are located. Addressing businesses that would be affected by the competition, the spokesperson maintains that by keeping consumers in the area, business in general will benefit. If the average Niceville household drives 30 miles round-trip, twice a week, to areas in Destin or Ft. Walton, time, gasoline, and revenue are lost. A poll shows that one third to one half of the buying trips in Twin Cities to outer areas would be eliminated, said the spokesperson. Shoppers will stay inside Twin Cities, and this could be advantageous for all parties involved, the spokesperson believes.

Valparaiso Realty declines to discuss the stores to which it hopes to lease. But the spokesperson clearly disagrees with perceptions that big box stores will harm Niceville businesses. If Wal-Mart and Target are so destructive to business, why is it retailers want to be closely located to the big draws? Everyone would benefit by keeping business local, said the spokesperson. Moreover, a diverse shopping experience closer to home would improve the average consumer’s quality of life.

Not all agree with that view.

"For any small business owner to think it won’t impact them is not seeing the big picture," said Carolyn Chesser, owner of Bayou Book Co. in Oak Creek Shopping Center. She and her husband opened the store in ’86, added Hallmark in ’88, and stayed afloat through the Amazon.com trends. But Chesser is not sure Bayou Books would survive big box stores. Giant corporate-owned retailers will affect other large stores as well as drive out all the little ones, said Chesser. The little shops offer items you won’t find in a Wal-Mart, because the latter deals with large vendors whose manufacturers are often forced to outsource in other countries to compete, she said. Chesser believes this isn’t good for Niceville, or Americans in the long haul. "Big stores actually dictate what you can and can’t buy. There will be no specialty items, no specialized service." Chesser also wonders how Niceville will keep its character. "We won’t be a town, we will simply be an area." She questions entrepreneurs’ future in the face of mega stores like Wal-Mart. "Will we become greeters at one of those stores, instead of owners of one of our own?"

Kelley’s Supervalu Food Store night manager Ed Thien said one advantage Kelley’s has is its location on the south side of John Sims, which draws traffic from Eglin Air Force Base and Bluewater workers returning home from Ft. Walton. Plus, "We still cut our own meat and we also pride ourselves that we provide locally-grown produce when available." Thien, a retired Eglin chief, has served Kelley’s for 16 years. He said, "You’d be foolish not to believe there’d be no impact if a Wal-Mart goes in. K-Mart would be affected also. Even a small Wal-Mart would hurt us. A Publix would, too." Nevertheless, Thien is optimistic that "after the first six months, the newness will wear off, and people will be back. The high dollar prices at bigger stores will keep Kelley’s customers with us." An older population doesn’t necessarily want to be overwhelmed by huge stores, either, he added.

K-Mart, Niceville Garden Center and Food World management declined comment.

Some businesses embrace the idea of big new stores.

Bill and Diane Hodges, owners of Four Seasons Café in Parkway East, have had such success in their first year of business, that kitchen staff is continually asking for bigger space. "I’ve already outgrown this location," said Bill Hodges. If the rental costs in the new shopping center are within reach, the Hodges would consider relocating and leasing from Valparaiso Realty. "If I had a new location, near a Wal-Mart or Publix, more people would come in to see us." Staff can barely keep up with the Saturday breakfast rush, when locals fill the parking lot and queue up for a table.

Several customers say they’ll follow Four Seasons Café if it moves. "The atmosphere and food are excellent, and so is what you get for your dollar," said Bluewater resident Ron Jordan. He also said he wouldn’t mind shopping at a Wal-Mart, for he uses the Ft. Walton store to avoid Destin’s traffic. Jordan attends church in Defuniak, his hometown. "But I am worried it’ll congest this area. When Wal-Mart came into Defuniak, the smaller stores closed. I have mixed feelings. I like the selection and prices, though."

Ann and Lou Garvin of Niceville say they will stick with Four Seasons Café, but also have mixed emotions about the new centers. "There’d be an increase in traffic, but otherwise, it’d be nice to have shopping close. Still, I don’t know if I’m in favor of it," said Ann. She and her husband "aren’t into the fast food" and prefer to buy from privately owned restaurants.

Coastal Lumber owner Donnie Howell said it makes financial sense for Valparaiso Realty to develop prime commercial property. Howell believes Coastal will overcome the initial losses accrued during the center’s first rush. He will not change store hours, or open on holidays. "Those Home Depot employees will be mad as a hornet when they see our sign, ‘Closed for 4th of July.’" After 36 years in the hardware business, Howell believes growth is inevitable, and says his store may survive because it offers builders certain items, such as 22 ft long pieces of lumber, or 16 ft pieces of molding. Additionally, "Home Depot is flooding its own market." Howell’s son, Sean, said, "We’re going to beat them on service." Both father and son agree that customers seeking a particular item will generally find more knowledgeable staff at smaller stores. But they wonder how they can compete for employees, when it’s already hard to find good help. They point to a magazine article in the August issue of Hardware Retailing which reports that Home Depot has recently created a $30 million fund that provides recognized store employees as much as $1000 per month to $10,000 a quarter in bonuses.

Coastal Lumber customer and Niceville resident Ben Porter said he’s not sure Niceville needs a Home Depot, but would welcome a Wal-Mart. "I just hate going to Destin. And I would love a Publix because they have awesome produce."

For some area residents, the idea of convenience seems to offset other concerns.

Homeowner Si Nguyen, who lives on Mulry Drive in Rocky Bayou Estates, said, "I’m not really OK with it [the new centers]. We’re worried about traffic. Our property value may decrease, but I probably will shop there."

Resident Dan Guss has property that overlooks the cleared land. Guss said Valparaiso Realty has been accommodating and "eager to work with us, helping us on fence issues." Guss said he’d feel more comfortable putting his home on the market if there weren’t tractors and construction, but said he’s pleased with the high berm and trees that Valparaiso Realty is putting in to create privacy. "It’s unknown what it’ll do to our property value. I am cautiously optimistic." Guss also said, "Absolutely I’ll shop here. It’s ridiculous to pass a store here and go to Destin."

Rocky Bayou resident Dianne Wilbur attended the planning commission meetings, was surprised more homeowners weren’t there, and knew the area behind her home was zoned commercial. She said she’d hoped for business offices, not big stores. She’s concerned about property values and would like to see a third lane added to Rocky Bayou Drive. As it is, "there’s only one way in and out of where we live." George Wilbur, Dianne’s husband, said, "even though we knew it was commercial, it’s still a shock how few trees there are." But, he added, "We will use the stores there."

The spokesperson for Valparaiso Realty said that the Kelley Plantation gated community in Destin has not suffered any loss in property values, and homes there are in a similar situation as the homes in Rocky Bayou Estates. Magnolia trees planted on a berm in Kelley Plantation have matured and provide the desired effect, a thick privacy screen from shopping areas, said the spokesperson.

Valparaiso Realty demonstrates concern for esthetics, said Niceville City Manager Lannie Corbin in a prior interview. For instance, the new access road will be approximately 100 feet away from Highway 20, versus the mandatory 50 feet required by the city. Valparaiso Realty doesn’t have to do that, push in back farther from the road, said Corbin. The new centers, Corbin predicts, "will be a class act."

Longtime Valparaiso resident and original owner of Tast-T-O Donuts in Niceville, Anne Kirkpatrick, has witnessed major change within four fast decades. She believes big stores would easily push smaller shops out. She plans to keep shopping at the commissary and Kelley’s. "It’s always been the best place for meat, and I like their produce, too." Nevertheless, Kirkpatrick recalls how glad she was when more retailers opened in Ft. Walton. "When we first moved here, we’d drive to Pensacola for Christmas shopping and before school started for clothes. Sears was the only store here."

Land is being cleared to make room for a new shopping center in Niceville north of John Sims Parkway. Advertiser photo by Dennis Gilson.