- Connect
- Login
- Print Subscription
|
Welcome,
| |
| |
- Most Commented
- Most Commented
- Most Emailed
- Most Emailed
- Popular
- Popular
« News Home
RESURRECTING LIBERTY
-
Photo by William D. Lewis
READY FOR SHOPPERS: Jason Steele of Austintown, a Wal-Mart associate who works in stock, hugs his 21-month-old daughter, NancyRose, as they walk through aisles of the new store that opens today. An open house took place Tuesday for business people, community leaders and family and friends of store employees. Steele was laid off from Delphi Packard Electric.
-
Photo by William D. Lewis
UPDATED LOOK: The new store in the Liberty Plaza, which opens to the public at 8 a.m. today, has a sleek look and a mix of earthy light-brown tones on the outside and a bright interior. It also is a prototype store in its use of technology including a water-source heating, cooling and refrigeration system.
Wal-Mart is infusing new life into the area, business people say.
LIBERTY — When shoppers descend on Wal-Mart off Belmont Avenue today, they’ll be able to buy milk at $1.88 a gallon and Lay’s potato chips for $1.98.
But they’ll be doing more than spending money and bringing traffic to state Route 193.
They’ll be infusing new life into the Liberty Plaza and the Liberty business district in general, township officials and business owners say.
A glimpse of that occurred Tuesday night when representatives from some 80 township businesses along with more than 300 township and community leaders and family and friends of Wal-Mart associates visited the store at what was billed a VIP open house.
For Jack Simon, township trustee, Wal-Mart’s presence infuses “life back into a way of life” at the Liberty Plaza. “The Liberty Plaza used to be a hub where people came to shop, and it will be again,” he said. “People remember coming here.”
Simon said he believed the store will generate more traffic in the township, and that, in turn, will benefit other businesses and draw some new ones.
For Jason Steele of Austintown, who was showing off the store to his fianc e, Rhonda Hartman, also of Austintown, and 21-month-old daughter NancyRose Steele, Wal-Mart means a new start. He was laid off and took a buyout from Delphi Packard Electric and landed a stock position at the store.
“Wal-Mart gives you the opportunity to move up,” he said. “It’s going to be nuts tomorrow [today’s opening],” he said, but noted he was looking forward to it.
For Denise Stevens of Liberty, a merchandise supervisor, her position means “living seven minutes away” from work. She’s been with the company 15 years and transferred to the Liberty store. “As a resident of Liberty Township, it’s good for the community. As an employee, I’m excited about the opening,” she said.
Peggy Gum, owner of Allstate Insurance, 5353 Belmont Ave., said she opened her business in August 2005 because she saw “potential in the township.” She said it was a positive sign that Wal-Mart saw the opportunity in the shopping market here as well.
She also noted so many people remembered shopping at the Liberty Plaza but drifted away when many of the big-name stores closed.
“Everyone shopped here,” she said, and noted Wal-Mart would help bring them back.
For Alan Friedkin of Friedkin Realty, 3223 Belmont Ave., the opening of Wal-Mart has brought many inquiries about property and vacant stores. “I’ve seen some national interest,” he said. “I think they want to see what the traffic counts will be.”
He said inquiries about properties available have come from restaurants and other types of businesses.
“In the last couple of days, I have been kind of shocked about the increased interest in the market,” he said, but noted he is “very excited” about it.
And he added the taxes also will help the community and school system.
Friedkin, who has lived in Liberty since 1978, said, “I’ve seen the ups, the downs and the turnaround.”
Merv and Marlene Hollander, owners of Weather Tite Windows, 1596 Motor Inn Drive, just off Belmont, said a new business that brings increased traffic to the community is a positive thing. “More people will shop,” Merv Hollander said, and both Wal-Mart and small businesses will benefit.
He added, “This sharpens competition and that helps the customers.”
For Steve Stoyak, president of Liberty Business Association, Wal-Mart brings “new businesses and opportunities” he wrote in an e-mail.
“I have spoken with numerous small business people, store owners and restaurant managers on the Belmont strip. The feeling is overwhelmingly positive about the change. Just a short drive down the street demonstrates the effect — new businesses, new store facades, more pedestrian traffic, fewer empty storefronts and a sense that the area is experiencing a rebirth of a vital business district,” he wrote.
Thomas Urena, store manger, who has been with Wal-Mart for 25 years, said the store exemplifies a new concept — more graphics and signage to help customers find what they’re looking for. “We want to have ease of shopping,” he said.
He said the typical Wal-Mart shopper is female. “Many are single mothers trying to make ends meet. They take advantage of specials,” he said. Urena said Wal-Mart’s slogan, “Save money, live better,” applies to all shoppers who frequent the store.
To be part of the community, the store has stocked some Youngstown State University and Liberty High School Leopards fan gear.
And it has another drawing card with boxing champion Kelly Pavlik visiting the store from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday.
linonis@vindy.com
WHAT’S IN STORE
The Wal-Mart store opens in Liberty at 8 a.m. today to the public. A brief ribbon-cutting ceremony will be at 7:30.
kStore facts: Wal-Mart, 200 Goldie Road, is in the Liberty Plaza. Thomas Urena is manager of the 157,000-square-foot store, which is open from 6 a.m. to midnight seven days a week.
kFeatures: Full line of groceries including a bakery, a deli serving fresh food and meals, meat and dairy products, fresh produce and beer and wine.
kEmployment: The store will have about 325 associates. The average wage for full-time hourly associates in Ohio is about $11.43 per hour.
kContact: Store phone, (330) 759-2066.
Source: Wal-Mart
- Requires free registration.
Comments
"The average wage for full-time hourly associates in Ohio is about $11.43 per hour."
With 325 associates this will bring a substantial amount of money in just wages to the area .
Milk is $1.49 at Aldi across the street....and this will NOT be a 24/7 location....8am to Midnite will be their hours
woops...6am to Midnite.
Anyways...Good Luck Walmart & Liberty...I'm hoping a nice, affordable buffet and maybe a Dollar Tree and a closeout store like Marc's or Ollie's join the area with you soon, too :)
poor guy goes from working at Delphi to be happy to stock shelves...
"To be part of the community, the store has stocked some Youngstown State University and Liberty High School Leopards fan gear."
Look at them giving back to the community already! We're allowed to buy locally flavored merchandise that could already be found at area silkscreeners, etc.
I am getting ready to check out the new store . The UFCW will probably picket Pat Ungaro's house for bringing them here . That is as soon as they get their shopping done at the store .
someone bought the old Kmart site, ramada Inn, KFC..anyone know who?? Being y-town and liberty were fighting over who was going own electric, personnel, etc...they should share the cost of police and open 24 hrs
This is a rerun of Salem's experience. Deja vu all over again. None of those Wal-Mart shoppers are going to shop at any of those other stores. They're just going to Wal-Mart. A deserted downtown and 3 new strip plazas with less than 50% occupancy. That's what Salem got. The Vindicator is slavish with their coverage now, but I hope, like the poster above says, that this paper goes back 3 years from now and tries to track down these happy merchants.
It's like that episode of the Simpson's when Springfield bought a broken down monorail that the City fathers shoved down their throat. I guess we all have to find out the hard way.
Want to find out how Wal-Mart treats it's people? Don't talk to it's new employees, talk to the ones who left.
I'll still shop at the other stores, because Walmart is like every other business now....Walmart does NOT have the lowest prices on everything I need, and I shop sales and such. Plus, they will never offer the ready-to-eat quality meals that Jimmy's has!
Some businesses will fail and others will thrive. New merchants come in and others will go. You must change with the market. I see growth in our future. I see improved property values. I see Belmont Ave comming back to life a bit. The full time employees make more than health care workers at our local hospital. As for the part time employees making less...its income they otherwise would not have. Attempt to be positive and maybe that cloud of negativity you spread over the valley will let some light in. What will Belmont look like in 3 years? Again, go travel to hermitage PA and look what it did for that comm. Thank you Mayor.
Its a rerun of Hermitage's experience again...Deja vu all over again. People go shop...go get a bite to eat...spend the buck they just saved...and it all remains here...not to Austintown...not to boardman...not to Niles...but here...what a concept!
This is ez to settle. Ask Wal Mart customers if they are satisified. All 50M of them.
I am in Hermitage almost every weekend, and it's to goto the wonderful Chinese buffet near Kraynaks, the Dollar $ense store that sells me a month's worth of snacks for next to nothing, and a few other stores around there...they have a few Dairy Queen's (the one on State Street is the best DQ i've ever been to)...I do like the Super Walmart in Hermitage over every Walmart besides New Castle, but I doubt the Ohio Walmart's will ever be run so well and kept so clean as those 2 stores.
Nevertheless, I still find prices cheaper than Walmart everywhere I go, and I tend to be a bargain shopper...Only 4 or 5 things do I regularly purchase at Walmart, and the rest other retailers get my business.
... Gizzym...Kmart property still lists as For Sale as of this afternoon...where did you read it was sold?