Yogi said:

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#2 because it will be in Lacy-Lakeview where the old K-Mart used to be.

Academy seems to be a good K-Mart replacement.

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A #2 building in a #2 part of town.

There was a Kmart in Lacy-Lakeview?!

BaylorHistory said:

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There was a Kmart in Lacy-Lakeview?!

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Facing 340 between I-35 and New Dallas Highway, behind the Burger King and Cracker Barrel. Closed as a K Mart 25 years ago or so, was sporadically a call center since then.

whitetrash said:

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BaylorHistory said:

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There was a Kmart in Lacy-Lakeview?!

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Facing 340 between I-35 and New Dallas Highway, behind the Burger King and Cracker Barrel. Closed as a K Mart 25 years ago or so, was sporadically a call center since then.

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I went to the Franklin/New Road location as a kid (had to get a popcorn just like at the old Target) but never even knew that one was out there.

Yogi said:

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#2 because it will be in Lacy-Lakeview where the old K-Mart used to be.

Academy seems to be a good K-Mart replacement.

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I think you're hinting at it, but the current Academy is what once was a Big K or Super K, right? I vaguely remember going in there once or twice as a kid before it closed down.

Beardown1919 said:

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Yogi said:

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#2 because it will be in Lacy-Lakeview where the old K-Mart used to be.

Academy seems to be a good K-Mart replacement.

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I think you're hinting at it, but the current Academy is what once was a Big K or Super K, right? I vaguely remember going in there once or twice as a kid before it closed down.

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Correct: the entire building was built as a Super KMart.

I do not remember a KMart out there behind Cracker Barrel. I know the building being discussed. I just do not have a memory of it being a KMart. That Super K across New Road from Lowe's wasn't there for long. I think it opened around 95 and closed around 01. I think the whole chain disappeared about that time.

PartyBear said:

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I do not remember a KMart out there behind Cracker Barrel. I know the building being discussed. I just do not have a memory of it being a KMart. That Super K across New Road from Lowe's wasn't there for long. I think it opened around 95 and closed around 01. I think the whole chain disappeared about that time.

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Could be wrong but I think it closed when the Super K opened, but could be wrong. Similar to how the old Walmart where planet fitness is now in Bellmead and where Tractor Supply is closed when the respective Supercenters open. I think the difference is it was just much further move.

whitetrash said:

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Beardown1919 said:

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Yogi said:

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#2 because it will be in Lacy-Lakeview where the old K-Mart used to be.

Academy seems to be a good K-Mart replacement.

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I think you're hinting at it, but the current Academy is what once was a Big K or Super K, right? I vaguely remember going in there once or twice as a kid before it closed down.

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Correct: the entire building was built as a Super KMart.

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Loved that Super K, it was close to my work and I frequented it regularly. They had the first Self-Checkout lines in Waco.

That police department is going to be VERY busy with shoplifting calls.

I worked at L3 for nearly 11 years, and I couldn't go to Walmart in Bellmead without seeing someone getting arrested out front.

In all seriousness, I'm glad to see businesses come to that side of town. I hope they do well.

Things could be changing in the medium term if the proposed $10 Billion Lacy Lakeview/ Elm Mott data center gets built. LL/Connally ISD tax base would be through the roof. The subdivision that is supposed to be in the process of being built in the triangle defined by the Brazos River, Lakeshore and MLK may also drive positive change in LL. School district for that development is Bosqueville.

there was def a k mart of some type there. I went to lavega so in that area all the time as a kid. we never shopped there as far as i recall.

But seeing some of these comments is fun. Yes where planet fitness in bellmead is was formerly a golds gym express which was a cheaper golds gym concept - it sucked compared to the main waco golds for sure and most golds for that matter. Before that it was Lacks Furniture. Best furniture store in town - they would finance for anybody lol......might be why they went out of business finally though haha. And yes the old school walmart with brown branding before the supercenter was built there in bellmead. What a day that was for the area

Atwoods was once a windixie that closed in the 90s and had a movie theatre next to it. that building stood vacant for years.

I also believe this academy location yall speak of was a blue cross blue shield building for many years but maybe that was an adjacent spot. And yea, good to see something big coming to that part of town. Vacant commercial real estate is never a good thing and that entire area needs more employers like this. No idea how many jobs it will create, nor why they are actually building there, but still good to see!

I didn't say it was not a KMart. I was just saying I have no recollection of that. I did not drive down that street much at all in the 90s (is that really part of 340 or does 340 end technically at the interstate there?) I don't really now actually. I do recall a Blue Cross Blue Shield office there or near by however.

PartyBear said:

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I didn't say it was not a KMart. I was just saying I have no recollection of that. I did not drive down that street much at all in the 90s (is that really part of 340 or does 340 end technically at the interstate there?) I don't really now actually. I do recall a Blue Cross Blue Shield office there or near by however.

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its technically 340 until you hit 77 then it becomes industrial Blvd then once the split comes back together it is lakeshore dr lol

Also, Atwoods began life as an Apple Tree grocery store, which supplanted the Safeway grocery store next door.

Seems like a good spot in terms of distance away from the other one. Not sure about location for that side of town or crime like someone else mentioned.

I like seeing the Waco area grow enough for a second store of many different types over the years. Home Depot, Atwood's, etc.

Sort of surprised Lowe's has never opened a location on the north end of town. I'm sure they lose a lot of business to people going to Home Depot because it is closer.

Funny side story. I just had a sort of argument with a coworker this last week that refused to accept there is an Atwood's on the south side of town. She is older and lived in Waco all her life and was adamant there is only one. Even after I told her the street, what was in front of it, next to the Walmart (which she seems to not remember it was even there) and that I drove past it every day coming home from work she still wanted to act like it wasn't there.

cowboycwr said:

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Seems like a good spot in terms of distance away from the other one. Not sure about location for that side of town or crime like someone else mentioned.

I like seeing the Waco area grow enough for a second store of many different types over the years. Home Depot, Atwood's, etc.

Sort of surprised Lowe's has never opened a location on the north end of town. I'm sure they lose a lot of business to people going to Home Depot because it is closer.

Funny side story. I just had a sort of argument with a coworker this last week that refused to accept there is an Atwood's on the south side of town. She is older and lived in Waco all her life and was adamant there is only one. Even after I told her the street, what was in front of it, next to the Walmart (which she seems to not remember it was even there) and that I drove past it every day coming home from work she still wanted to act like it wasn't there.

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That is actually indicative of Waco's relatively slow growth. Waco is the slowest growing metro area in Central Texas and will one day be the smallest in the area.

What concerns me in terms of numbers is that McLennan County has an older, poorer population as well compared to other Central Texas metros.

As Brazos, Bell, and Hill countird become stronger economic competitors to McLennan, it concerns me for McLennan's economic and population demographics going forward.

It one day may no longer be a suitable home for Baylor University.

McLennan County needs positive economic and population growth, but it's just coming along a little slower than most of its economic competitors.

Yogi said:

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cowboycwr said:

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Seems like a good spot in terms of distance away from the other one. Not sure about location for that side of town or crime like someone else mentioned.

I like seeing the Waco area grow enough for a second store of many different types over the years. Home Depot, Atwood's, etc.

Sort of surprised Lowe's has never opened a location on the north end of town. I'm sure they lose a lot of business to people going to Home Depot because it is closer.

Funny side story. I just had a sort of argument with a coworker this last week that refused to accept there is an Atwood's on the south side of town. She is older and lived in Waco all her life and was adamant there is only one. Even after I told her the street, what was in front of it, next to the Walmart (which she seems to not remember it was even there) and that I drove past it every day coming home from work she still wanted to act like it wasn't there.

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That is actually indicative of Waco's relatively slow growth. Waco is the slowest growing metro area in Central Texas and will one day be the smallest in the area.

What concerns me in terms of numbers is that McLennan County has an older, poorer population as well compared to other Central Texas metros.

As Brazos, Bell, and Hill countird become stronger economic competitors to McLennan, it concerns me for McLennan's economic and population demographics going forward.

It one day may no longer be a suitable home for Baylor University.

McLennan County needs positive economic and population growth, but it's just coming along a little slower than most of its economic competitors.

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Once that older population starts to retire/ die out and has less influence on the city is when the growth will happen.