South 14th becoming retail magnet

By BRIAN BETHEL

and DOUG WILLIAMSON

Staff Writers

South 14th Street has become one of the strongest retail magnets in Abilene, its financial force pulling in thousands of customers each day.

The stretch running west from Barrow to the Winters Freeway is the most active.

On an average day, more than 20,000 vehicles drive on South 14th between HEB and the Woodhaven Shopping Center. In that 20-block stretch, thousands of other vehicles cross South 14th traveling north or south.

But it wasn't always that way. From humble beginnings grew what has become one of the most sought-after locations in Abilene.

"South 14th is probably past due happening," said Realtor Scott Senter. "It was (originally) developed prior to its own time."

Ken Knox, retired station manager of KRBC-TV, has seen the growth of the South 14th Street area over four decades. The station moved to its present location at 4510 S. 14th in 1954.

"There wasn't much there at all," he said. "We were the end of the line, really. We were the only business west of the creek. Now, we're surrounded."

Housing came up to the creek, but there were no businesses, he said. There were some homes north of the station that were just beginning to be built. The Winters Freeway was not even a dream.

Food + folks = funds

History may prove it was a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread that helped lay the groundwork for the boom of South 14th. Many observers say the opening of HEB in November 1991 ignited the revitalization of the area.

"HEB brings lots of traffic," Senter said. "Those customers bring other businesses with them."

Abilene attorney Woody Weir, who owns Southwest Park Shopping Center at 14th and Barrow, credits grocery stores in general for the changes.

"HEB and the other grocery stores, United and Albertson's, become big focal points," he said. "From there, you'd naturally see growth in those traffic areas" around neighborhood grocery stores.

M System was the first major grocery on that stretch of the street. It opened with the River Oaks Shopping Center in 1956. Today, it is a United Supermarket.

Paul Johnson, an Abilene Realtor who has handled several major pieces of property along the stretch, said the most recent improvements, including building a new McDonald's and a new Wienerschnitzl along with the expansion of Southwest Park Shopping Center, have helped revitalize that end of South 14th.

Increased customer bases mean more potential for a new business, which explains why so many want to locate there, he said.

Jeff Armstrong, senior planner with the city of Abilene's planning and zoning office, said the influx of business really didn't amount to much new construction.

"I would call it more of a re-development," he said. "I don't really see a lot of new development in that area. The real key was the revival of the Woodhaven shopping center, which serves as a real anchor in that area.

Tony Conder, president of Musgrave Enterprises, said it's not accurate to call the influx of businesses on South 14th the past few years a "boom."

Rather, he said, it's a natural progression that fits in perfectly with everything that's commonly observed about Abilene businesses.

"In Abilene, the development has for years radiated out from the Mall of Abilene," he said. "South 14th is a natural progression when you remember that's the way things have been headed for a while."

Traffic: A major factor

Traffic flow is the staff of life for any business. The more vehicles passing by a store, the more opportunity to attract and sell.

All Brenda Burton, owner of the "Reading Habits" bookstore at 4617 S. 14th, had to do was watch the cars.

"When I was looking for a location for my shop, I would sometimes sit and watch traffic in major areas," she said. "I knew when I saw the traffic flow here this was the place for me."

Since she opened her store about two years ago, she's already to "Year Five" on her business plan.

"This was definitely a right decision," she said. "We have a very open area, enough parking for customers and a great location. Also, because (the road) is so well-traveled, that helps with security."

Many of her customers live in the area, some stop in just because they were driving by and others work at Dyess and travel the road on their way home.

"We get customers who say they saw us from the road and decided to pull in all the time," she said. "We're in an excellent location, and I couldn't be more pleased."

Barbara Lee, manager of the new Card & Party Factory in Frenchman's Creek Shopping Center, said her business fills a niche many have wanted - and that South 14th was the best place for it.

"The traffic and this building were major considerations," she said. The business is housed in the former Hastings location abandoned when the book and media store moved across the street.

"We've been open for about three weeks, and when we initially didn't advertise we still had plenty of customers come in who saw us by driving by. We were entirely running on on-sight customers and word of mouth," she said.

Even since the shop began advertising, Lee attributed its initial success to its location on South 14th.

"This is a very good location, and we're happy to be here," she said. "It ensures a lot of people will see and hear about us."

Johnson said the traffic count at South 14th and Winters Freeway is close to that of the city's busiest intersection - Winters Freeway and Buffalo Gap Road.

"North-south streets like Sayles, Barrow and Willis have been widened, allowing for more traffic to easily access the area. Obviously, the Winters Freeway on one end provides a steady flow." said Senter.

Convenience

Weir likes the convenience factor for businesses and customers, and that's something South 14th has in spades, he said.

Norma Brown, manager of River Oaks Shopping Center, said, "The land between the freeway and HEB is practically its own mall. A lot of retailers think the area around Mall of Abilene is too crowded. So, here we have a street with a lot of open space for shopping. It's a natural fit."

Brown said in the relatively few blocks that make up the most dense shopping areas, you can find virtually everything you need.

"There's a great variety of businesses to choose from," she said. "South 14th is a lot like a big mall itself. You have everything from food to clothing to bookstores to law offices ... So many choices."

Wier also mentioned getting away from the more crowded deep south part of the city as a consideration.

"It's a combination of many factors," he said. "Everything has sort of migrated this way. The traffic count is definitely higher, and we have seen a lot of new businesses come in that stimulate even more interest."

Other reasons

Location is the No. 1 consideration for businesses that choose to settle on South 14th, Conder said. Demographics create the second reason.

According to reports he has read, about 80 percent of Abilene's middle class wage earners live within three miles of South 14th and the Winters Freeway, Conder said.

That is a huge portion of the potential business customers in Abilene.

"You have ready-made markets," Conder said. "And so many businesses want to come into that area, we simply can't accommodate them all."

The location of the new Wienerschnitzl across South 14th from HEB was a corporate decision, said franchisee Mimi Jones.

"It makes a lot of sense," she said. "We have McMurry close, and HEB really increases the flow of traffic ... We do pretty good here, although it's been a bit slow during the summer months. But we've picked back up since school started. It's a great location."

Another benefit of the street's popularity: The stretch looks a lot better than it used to, Brown said.

"I think a lot of people are taking better care of their properties, and that naturally makes everything much more attractive."

Knox said there are plenty of characteristics that make South 14th an attractive option for businesses, so it was natural that development would occur there.

One of the most important is its connection to Dyess Air Force Base.

"Texas Avenue, which is nearby, is a back door to Dyess," he said. "Because it connects with South 14th/Highway 277, it's a natural route for many to follow."

In addition, the apartment and residential dwellings in the area provide an easy customer base.

"It certainly has changed over the years," Knox said. "There's a lot more here. We were at one point fairly isolated."

The mix of retailers provides interesting environments - and challenges - for large and small retailers alike, he said.

"Smaller retailers do have some difficulties competing against larger ones," he said. "A 'big box" retailer like Hastings or Hobby Lobby can pose a serious threat to a smaller operation. But there are some smaller businesses that manage to thrive in the face of such competition."

Increased value

Since HEB opened, the value of many parcels of commercial property has almost doubled. Some have more than doubled.

Figures, provided by the Central Appraisal District of Taylor County, on several pieces of commercial property showed increases ranging from 11 percent to 4,459 percent from 1990 to present values.

The average was 128 percent.

HEB showed the largest dollar increase, moving from a mid-construction value of $916,000 to today's $4.1 million. The property on which McDonald's was built at 3147 So. 14th, rose from $20,773 in 1990 to $947,109 today - a 4,459-percent rise. It formerly was a duplex.

First National Bank at Willis and South 14 had the smallest increase of 11 percent, or $86,000.

Values on the selected sites rose 9 percent and 8 percent the last two years.

Future expansion

There's not much property left on South 14th. For that reason, large new development is doubtful.

"The area's pretty well filled, so we won't see much more development if any at all inside the loop." city planner Armstrong said.

Conder agrees.

"The playing field will at least stay much as it is for a while. There's really no place for another large merchant to squeeze into."

Senter said there is another physical problem with the area.

"There is not much depth in the lots (along the street)." Senter said they may be 120 feet deep, but that's pretty shallow for retail property.

"When you look at aerial maps, you realize that there is not much you can do. There are not that many pockets west of River Oaks. You have high-dollar houses, they are planted," he said.

However, Johnson said a number of businesses have contacted him looking for space on South 14th

The developed areas are pretty full.

Woodhaven Shopping Center is more than 90 percent occupied and shows no sign of slowing down, Conder said.

Brown's properties, River Oaks and Southwest Park, are both at about 97 percent occupancy, she said. Southwest Park had been at 100 percent for years, before a recent expansion.

Frenchman's Creek is getting a new tenant. The city of Abilene has chosen an existing building, next to Alioli's Mediterranenan Grill, for a branch of the public library.

Conder said the next big growth areas will likely be Antilley road and U.S. Highway 277, an extension of South 14th.