A big box store is absolutely unnecessary in this town. The simplicity of life here is what makes Blacksburg so attractive. Is it really that difficult to drive 5 minutes to Christiansburg? As the primary shopper in our family of 5, I will support our local merchants, and make that long, long trip to Christiansburg. Our money will not support any big box store.
Progress is to be expected, but I don't see how embracing large, discount stores is progress. We only have to drive five minutes to enjoy the progress and traffic!
There are certain things that make Blacksburg special in the New River Valley, and the relative lack of big box is a big part of it. Everyone needs to remember that and support our local businesses to keep them alive!
I like Walmart, but we have one 15 minutes down the road. Putting one in Blacksburg would just be ridiculous and could only hurt the local businesses. Think about the traffic woes this would present. We really don't need this. Try working on the parking in the area and keeping our local businesses here! This is just unnecessary. Our town is perfect the way it is.
While I think a SMALL shopping plaze would be nice, I don't think that is possible with a Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart will just become a big ugly box in the middle of B'burg.
Keep Blacksburg at least as attractive as it is. There is still a chance for this town to stand up against the campaign to ruin local business and community. Do not let the big box stores in! Instead, support initiatives to make our town different, interesting, pedestrian-friendly, growing the local economy.
Aren't there enough big box stores in Christiansburg already? Why screw up Blacksburg as well? We can't handle the traffic as is and laying new roads to accommodate the new building would ruin the town.
The Walmart and other "Big boxes" in Christiansburg adequately serve both the Christiansburg and Blacksburg areas and thus they are not needed in Blacksburg
The area proposed for this big box store is already a traffic hazzard. I bank at the FNB on the corner and turning into their driveway is already dangerous, this added traffic would make it impossible. We already have two Wal-Marts, a K-Mart and a Target...we DO NOT NEED more !!! The argument that any kind of sprawl and growth is "inevitable" or "can't be stopped" is insane. Of course it can be stopped, that's what we have zoning and a Town Council for. Progress is NOT growth-based anymore on a planet that cannot sustain itself. Learning to live smaller, not bigger, is absolutely critical to our survial as a species and as a planet. Start here and now, in Blacksburg. We were leaders with the Electronic Village, let's be leaders again and say no to irresponsible growth. Some development of the blighted areas of S. Main probably are an asset, this giant store and parking lot are not.
If Wal-mart comes to Blacksburg there is a possibility the used record industry and several other entrepreneurs in the town will not be able to compete with the low prices and be driven out. Also, the traffic and the parking lot for this Wal-mart, wherever it is placed, is sure to cause traffic and pollution.
I love Blacksburg's downtown. It has more character than anywhere I've lived. My hometown in North Carolina got a Wal-Mart a few years ago. Sure, it's convenient, but the whole surrounding area quickly exploded with other generic retailers. It might be anywhere else in the country. Yes, Wal-Mart might improve the tax base in the short term, but at what cost? I think in the long term, Blacksburg's character is its greatest asset. Let's stay a quirky, friendly, beautiful college town, not another McCity.
Wal-Mart will kill our already struggling downtown.Smart growth is the key to sucessful development.We don't want our town to be homogenized by the big box. Wal-Mart is only a "successful" business because it steals the ideas of the little guy and capitalizes it with large "american" size portions. No we do not want Wal-Mart in blacksburg.
We should not implement a culture of mass consumption just next to an elementary school. Anticipated traffic increase would considerably reduce the safety of the school children.
