SOUTH CAROLINA SITE FIGHT: WAL-MART ADDRESSES NEIGHBORS’ CONCERNS

Wal-Mart addresses neighbors’ concerns [Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Sun News]

Wal-Mart is modifying its plans for a Supercenter on the Garden City Connector in Murrells Inlet to address some traffic concerns.

The company’s engineers are working with the state Department of Transportation to limit access to U.S. 17 Business, which has been a point of contention with many nearby residents concerned about the megastore’s effect on the already busy roads.

Wal-Mart’s engineers will resubmit drawings for the center soon, and a timeline for the center is dependant upon the company’s progress, said Horry County Principal Planner David Schwerd. Company officials say the store is projected to open in fall 2008.

Some residents say they’re excited about the prospect of a Wal-Mart in their neighborhood because the closest Supercenter at U.S. 17 Bypass and S.C. 544 is frequently packed with vacationers and other patrons.

“I’m sure all residents here would welcome the discounts at a closer Wal-Mart store,” said Shelby Waller of Murrells Inlet, a resident of the 650-home Jensen’s Residential Community for four years. “Some [area residents] are elderly and have problems with driving long distances to reach the closest Wal-Mart.”

Other residents say they’re more conflicted.

“The convenience of having a Wal-Mart in my backyard is enticing. Traffic, however, is already terrible on U.S. 17 between the Garden City Connector and Atlantic Avenue,” said Michael Singleton, who lives in Jasmine Lake off Jamestown Drive.

“I can’t see how a Wal-Mart could fail to make the situation worse. If there was a sincere commitment on the part of the county and Wal-Mart to improve the roads, I think I could look forward to the store, but I don’t see that happening,” he said.

Singleton said he thinks the typical Wal-Mart appearance is unattractive. He said sufficient landscaping and a brick exterior would ease his concerns.

Plans for the 184,109-square-foot center call for a grocery area, a garden center and a tire lube express, between Jamestown Drive and the Garden City Connector, beside Wild Wings and Krispy Kreme.

The company will also lease out space in the front of the store, likely to a restaurant, salon, bank or optical center, said Wal-Mart spokesman Eric Brewer said. Those leases will probably be signed six to eight months before the store opens, he said.

The project needs approval from county staff members, which could take several months, but doesn’t need approval from any county board. The development plans were submitted at the end of April.

Wal-Mart has five locations in Horry County, one in Georgetown County and three in Brunswick County, N.C.

In other retail news

As part of its preparation for Friday’s iPhone launch, AT&T has hired 2,000 additional employees nationwide, with about half of those additions permanent, said spokeswoman Della Bowling.

The iPhones’ arrival at stores “will be on a super secure delivery process” with armed guards likely, she said.

One store on the Grand Strand - the AT&T store at 1281 N. Fraser St. in Georgetown - will offer the cell phone at 6 p.m. Friday.

Customers in line when the store sells out of iPhones will still be able to pay for the phones, and they will be shipped iPhones as soon as they become available, Bowling said. She didn’t have a timeline for availability.