New shopping centers are redundant

Dear Editor,

When I saw that the headline story in the Oct. 1 edition of the Chesterfield Observer was about the new Westchester Commons mall at Route 288 and Midlothian Turnpike and the new Hancock Village on Hull Street Road across from Woodlake, I was excited to read the article and learn what stores were coming. By the time I finished, however, I was sorely disappointed.

These malls will provide nothing new to our region. We already have plenty of Targets, Wal-Marts and the like. We have movie theaters, chain Japanese and sandwich restaurants, nail salons and cheap hair [salons]. The thought of yet more cell phone stores might inspire me to revert to my old corded phone. Developers and leasing agents, "Can you hear me now?"

In my opinion, the retail store development in the Midlothian-Hull Street corridors is redundant and boring. We have too many stores selling the same products in the same region, and an overwhelming reliance upon chains/franchises rather than independently owned stores that sell unique products. The retailers are going to choke each other out, and then we will have a glut of partially empty malls, which cannot be leased.

I believe we need a mall with higher-end stores and more unique restaurants and boutiques. This will slow the cash-drain of Chesterfield residents traveling to the Short Pump and Stony Point malls and hopefully provide a reason for well-heeled shoppers from other counties to travel to Chesterfield. While the Westchester Commons and Hancock Village malls will provide the convenience of more stores accessible from the same parking lot, there was nothing unique to distinguish them from any other two-mile strip of stores on Midlothian Turnpike or Hull Street Road. Evan Nelson Midlothian  

Dear Editor,

I'm just as pro-Chesterfield as the next guy, but why should I shop Chesterfield? Bamboozled again into approving yet another bait and switch zoning project, Watkins Centre (Westchester Commons retail area) was approved under the auspices Chesterfield needed an upscale center to provide a competitive space for retailers to consider Chesterfield rather than Short Pump. Reading the list of stores planned for Watkins Centre, I would have no reason whatsoever to shop there. Except for a big movie theater a few miles closer than Commonwealth 20, I see absolutely nothing unique.

It's all the same: Target, Wal-Mart, Verizon, Tropical Smoothie, Hair Cuttery and on and on. Ninety percent of those mentioned have locations within 5-8 miles. At least Chesterfield Town Center is attempting to diversify the Midlothian/Chesterfield shopping experience with Coldwater Creek.

Where is Trader Joe's, Nordstrom, Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Saxon Shoes, Ageless Remedies? North of the river, of course! Wake up Chesterfield - people will shop Chesterfield when Chesterfield gives us a reason! L. Johnson Midlothian Letters to the editor can be e-mailed to letters@chesterfieldobserver.com, mailed to P.O. Box 1616, Midlothian, VA 23113, or faxed to 744-3269. Letters should include the writer's phone number and home address, but neither will be printed. All letters may be edited for clarity or space. For complete guidelines, visit www.chesterfieldobserver. com and click on "letters policy."