As we walked through “Old” Friendly Center yesterday, first, we were impressed at how well mannered these two children were– and look at those precious outfits. However, more than people watching, our goal was to see all of the changes, and if the original part of the shopping center had the vibrancy of the new section. As you may recall, the Green Valley Road side opened in August 1957 and the Hobbs Road side forty-nine years later, in October 2006– as a result of the Burlington Industries building being demolished.

With online shopping capturing so much of the retail market globally, it seems the trend is to open food establishments and entertainment areas in malls. Since you can get any product online, consumers really value an in-person experience in public with friends and family. On September 8th, a little over a month ago, First Watch Restaurant opened in the former location of Qdoba. Under construction in the middle of “Old” Friendly are the North Italia Restaurant and Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant. According to their website, Cooper’s will be “an upscale casual dining restaurant, full-service bar, private dining room, tasting room, and retail gift store. Both sides of this shopping center continue to growth and change as trends demand. Let’s hope these food establishments also attract foot traffic and purchases in the surrounding businesses. Please remember to shop locally!

Happy Wednesday!