Retailers Drawn to Elizabeth City’s Waterfront Downtown
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Back when Suzan Small was in banking‚ she’d often spend her lunch hour shopping in Elizabeth City’s waterfront district. But it wasn’t just a matter of convenience.
“ It was a very pleasant experience‚” says Small‚ “and I wanted to be a part of that.”
Now as owner of Page After Page bookstore at 111 Water St.‚ she counts herself as a full-time member of the waterfront scene. She’s also one of the entrepreneurs helping make the waterfront area an even more interesting and exciting place to spend some time.
This retail community adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway continues to experience a renaissance‚ pumping new economic vitality into downtown. New docks and other boat facilities are part of the revitalization; shops‚ restaurants and entertainment options are springing up at a steady pace; and the Museum of the Albemarle – interpreting over 400 years of local history – represents another key ingredient.
Small opened her bookstore in 1994 at Southgate Mall and enjoyed success there. But two years ago‚ when a downtown location directly across from the water became available‚ she decided to follow her dream. Minor setbacks – such as the arrival of Hurricane Fran just two days after opening‚ and a rather slow first Christmas season – have not deterred the bookseller.
“ Business picked up quickly after that‚” says Small. “Lots of things are happening on the waterfront. When I first moved in‚ the two buildings to the right were empty‚ and so was the one on my left. The block is fully leased now.”
Small’s bookstore stands to benefit from the traffic created by her new next-door neighbor‚ Cypress Creek Grill‚ at 113 Water St. Owner Bobby Plough recently moved his restaurant to the 3‚500-square-foot space after more than five years on Poindexter Street.
“ We had outgrown the building we were in‚ and could not expand any more there‚” says Plough. “We explored several options‚ but the Water Street building offered not only the space we needed‚ but also a heavier traffic area and a view of the water.”
Plough says the move was a good one: “Downtown is strong. The area has managed to attract new businesses‚ and as a result‚ we’re keeping more consumer spending downtown.”
Yet the waterfront area with its retail allure is not the only game in town. Elizabeth City is poised to jump into big-time mixed-use recruitment‚ thanks to the new‚ privately owned Tanglewood Park. Offering more than 5‚000 acres‚ Tanglewood’s location is prime. The recently completed U.S. Highway 17 Bypass connection provides Tanglewood tenants with direct access to the Tidewater area of Virginia and its deepwater ports. Natural gas‚ water and sewer will be in place soon‚ and customized workforce training is available through the College of The Albemarle – a progressive community college with Elizabeth City hosting the main campus.
Farther down the bypass: the 350-acre Pasquotank Commerce Park. State Line Builders‚ a storage building manufacturer‚ is constructing a 30‚000-square-foot facility there‚ joining Pepsi’s 40‚000-square-foot distribution center‚ which opened in 2001.
Business diversity – including government‚ health-care and educational institutions – helps keep Elizabeth City’s economy on an even keel. The U.S. Coast Guard’s rescue and training base‚ for example‚ employs about 350 civilians in the repair of helicopters‚ jets and cargo planes. The College of The Albemarle and Elizabeth City State University are big employers as well‚ as is Albemarle Hospital. Lowe’s recently bought an old strip shopping center in town as the site for a new “super” store. It will be Lowe’s second local move – each time‚ the company has needed more space.
Pasquotank County Manager Randy Keaton points out that one measure of the city’s economic health is the fact that retail sales tax collections continue to hold up well.
“ They dropped less than 1 percent in 2002 compared to the year before‚” he says‚ “versus a 4 to 5 percent drop statewide.”
Story by Jim Sparks
Photo by Martin Bennett
