While the corporate giant plans to slash the number of new U.S. stores it will open in 2009 to fewer than 80 stores, from 120 last year and 140 in years past, the home improvement company is moving ahead with plans to open its Greenport store.
Corporate officials said on Wednesday that it will open the new 103,000-square-foot store in the third quarter of 2009, completing the initial construction phase of the Route 9 Widewaters Plaza in Greenport. Lowe’s corporate spokeswoman Maureen Rich told ccSCOOP that work on the store will begin in March. Construction of the Applebee’s restaurant and Wal-Mart Supercenter is already underway.
"The new Lowe’s of Greenport is on track,” said Rich. “We expect store construction to begin in March.”
Construction of the plaza—which is located on Greenport’s northern-most border with the town of Stockport—started in early 2008. Work on the footprints of the Wal-Mart Supercenter—which is located on the far reaches of the site—started in the summer, and work on the Applebee’s restaurant started in recent weeks. Two traffic signals were activated in front of the plaza this week—one blinking yellow and one fully functional.
When first announced two years ago, the plaza drew opposition from some sectors of the community concerned about further development in the town and the traffic impact. Still others, though, supported the project for the additional job opportunities, as well as sales and property tax revenues it would bring to the county.
Rich said that, when complete, the Lowe’s store will create approximately 120 new jobs and cap a $12 million investment in the county by the Fortune 50 company. As the store nears completion, Rich said the company will post available positions at www.lowes.com/careers, and individuals will be able to apply online.
Officials for the North Carolina-based mega-retailer recently announced plans to deal with the impacts of the recession and its impact on the housing market. Besides reducing expansion, the company is also reducing the size of some of its stores and implementing additional steps to tighten its bottom line.
The 63-year-old corporation touts sales of nearly $40 billion through more than 1,600 stores and its website.
