Retail is Booming in Randolph County
Cash registers are steadily ringing up sales in Randolph County‚ and that retail symphony is sweet music for business owners and county officials.
“We’ve seen a lot of positive retail growth in the area‚” says Bonnie Renfro‚ president of the Randolph County Economic Development Corp. “Since Randolph Mall was acquired by CBL (& Associates Properties)‚ they have made a number of quality improvements.”
Randolph Mall‚ opened in 1982‚ has 60 stores and restaurants‚ including anchors JC Penney‚ Sears‚ Dillard’s and Belk – plus a newly renovated movie theater. The mall also welcomed a new Books-A-Million in July 2004.
Further down Dixie Drive‚ Greensboro-based Crumley and Associates is building a 22‚000-square-foot upscale retail strip center that is expected to open in spring 2005.
The Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce has helped foster support of local retailers with its Shop Randolph County program‚ which encourages customers to look locally for what they need before going outside county lines.
Retail sales figures for Asheboro and Randolph County showed significant growth in the first half of 2004‚ according to statistics provided by the Chamber. In the county‚ gross retail sales through May 2004‚ the most current figures available‚ totaled $468.9 million‚ compared with $432.8 million during the same period in 2003‚ an 8.35 percent increase. In the city of Asheboro‚ gross retail sales for the first five months of 2004 totaled $218.7 million‚ compared with $199.4 million in the same period of 2003‚ for a 9.86 percent increase.
“We have a strong base of manufacturing companies in the county – 385 – which represents 43 percent of Randolph County’s jobs‚” Renfro says. The needs of those manufacturers‚ such as catering‚ vending‚ office supplies and construction‚ are helping to drive the retail boom‚ Renfro says.
Other factors include tourists who flock into the area for handmade pottery from Seagrove and twice-yearly furniture markets at nearby High Point. One of the most popular furniture makers‚ Klaussner‚ is headquartered in Asheboro. More tourists mean more retail sales for Randolph County‚ Renfro says.
CBL took over management of the Randolph Mall in 2001‚ says Scott Kingrey‚ who came on board as general manager that same year. Its offerings draw shoppers and entertainment seekers from Asheboro and many surrounding communities.
“This mall serves a five-county area‚” Kingrey says. “The nearest mall is 30 miles away in Greensboro. We also have the only area movie theater.”
CBL made improvements at the mall on many levels‚ Kingrey says‚ adding 31 light poles in the parking lots and installing outlets in the middle of the mall to give temporary tenants electrical power. Under CBL’s watch‚ Dillard’s‚ American Eagle Outfitters‚ Pacific Sun and the 10‚000-plus-square-foot Books-A-Million joined Randolph Mall’s roster of retailers. In addition‚ Sears expanded and Cinemark Theatre was upgraded.
The movie theater added two new screens‚ for a total of seven‚ plus stadium seating and digital sound‚ Kingrey says. Randolph Mall is also very community oriented‚ he adds‚ supporting and/or hosting many charity events.
“We’re focusing on quality tenants to give people an opportunity to shop in Randolph County first‚” Kingrey says.
The Dixie Drive development being built by Crumley & Associates will have a “Southern beach” look designed to appeal to area residents and tourists alike‚ says Bob Crumley‚ chairman and CEO of Crumley& Associates.
“I think it’s going to be one of the nicest retail strips in town‚” Crumley says. “We’ve been doing quite a bit of commercial real estate development‚ but this is our first foray into retail‚” says Crumley‚ who also heads a personal injury law practice. “This is a good property‚ and the time was right. The community is ready for this.”
With an ever-expanding inventory of shops and retailers dedicated to customer service‚ it’s understandable that the cash registers are ringing in Randolph County.
“There’s a sense of community here‚” Renfro says. “People are welcoming and friendly. That spills over into businesses‚ too. They reach out to people with jobs‚ and work to be a part of the community. All of those things help all facets of all the businesses we have.”
