New retail ventures taking region to next economic level
Story by Carol Pappas
Photos by Graham Hadley
It was kind of like dominos falling – only in a good way. One by one, ribbons were cut, doors opened, and shoppers rushed in. Pell City Square – 147,900 square feet of retail stores – had finally arrived.
Actually, it’s still arriving. The final openings – Hobby Lobby, Ulta and Pet Smart – were all expected to open by Oct. 9. The early birds signaling a new era for retail development for Pell City and St. Clair County were Ross Dress For Less, TJ Maxx, Old Navy, America’s Best Eye Care and Five Below, which opened in August and September.
Those brand-name retailers are expected to provide more than just a bonanza for shoppers here at home. The dollars they generate are expected to pump more than $25 million in gross taxable sales into the local economy in the first year. When the outparcels are developed, that $25 million is expected to turn into $30 million. And that’s “conservative,” said Pell City Manager Brian Muenger.
“It will have a very material impact,” Muenger said. “It takes our tax base to another level.” The city had been growing incrementally within its retail footprint in recent years, but Pell City Square enables the city to “capture dollars leaving as opposed to moving dollars around.”
The property fronting Interstate 20 has four outparcels in addition to the outdoor mall. On the west side of the property are parcels controlled by the developer, Noon, and City of Pell City. The city-controlled parcel was “earmarked” for a national sit-down restaurant and the other for a fast casual restaurant. Both have tenants committed with announcements coming soon, and construction and completion are expected in 2024.
The parcels on the east side are controlled by the original developer, Bill Ellison, president of I-20 Development. “I’m really excited about the future development potential of the property,” he said in September. “I am waiting to market it until all the stores in the center are open.”
The Pell City Square represents the completion of a 10-year effort to redevelop the old county hospital site. “A large retail center with major brands missing from our community was always the vision for that site,” said St. Clair Economic Development Executive Director Don Smith. “But removing the old hospital, obtaining a purchase option on surrounding property, and finding a development team with the experience and resources to build it took time and patience.”
Because of Pell City’s size compared to other markets where these retailers locate, Smith described the years long efforts as a “bit of a challenge. Bill Ellison and Noon Development did a great job in showing that Pell City is much larger than just its population with the visitors to the lake and others living in the surrounding area.”
Officials say the project was one of the most complicated in the county’s history and required all involved to work in the same direction. But the dividends of teamwork are evident. “It has already started to attract the attention of other major retail brands that had turned down the market in the past,” Smith said.
Muenger agreed, saying, businesses recruited in 2015-2017 that declined to approve Pell City as a location are now approving sites quickly. “It demonstrates the growth in our market. People are seeing that we’re a natural hub of commerce between Anniston and Birmingham.”
“One of the things that set the leaders in St. Clair County above others is our ability to work together strategically on economic development projects,” Smith added. “The new retail center at Pell City Square and the QT travel center at the Eden exit are just another example.” The City of Pell City worked closely with the St. Clair County Commission and the developer from beginning to the end of the project to overcome infrastructure upgrades and other challenges. “It was a collaborative effort the entire time.”
Despite the challenges, Muenger noted, “It has been enjoyable to watch this project progress. It’s fun to see the reception the center is getting and bringing that space to life.”
