I drove by the new outlet mall development going in on 69 south, and I can testify to the size of the place. It is massive, at least for our area. I have yet to see any kind of complete list of shops opening but what I’ve seen so far seems to consist largely of those patronized by the ladies. I’ve seen signs like TJ Maxx and Bed Bath and Beyond, but so far, not much for the men. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that… but as a man those establishments don’t really interest me). I’m sure there will be some shops oriented to guys as well eventually, unless the near proximity of the Bass Pro Shop and Academy Sports are expected to draw the males while the ladies shop.
It will be interesting to see what the new shopping center does to Tyler Traffic. It is located just inside loop 49, and I’m curious to see if the new infrastructure gets greater use. I like loop 49 a lot but make a point not to use it too much due to the toll. I get tired of being nickel and dimed every time I take the short cut, especially since my tax dollars also went into the project… but that’s and old argument. I expect the state will start making more money on the road once the new shopping outlet is completed. Shoppers from outlying townships will almost certainly make use of the toll route. There has been a lot of anticipation of the opening of the new location. Hopefully the revenue and other benefits will exceed expectations.