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PROFILE OF MACON, GEORGIA’S RETAIL MARKET
Updated for January, 2009

The Macon retail market can be divided into 6 main areas:  North Macon, East Macon, South Macon, Macon Mall Area, West Macon, and Sub-South.  According to Fickling & Company’s annual survey of over 9 million square feet in Bibb County, the overall Bibb County retail market currently supports about an 80% occupancy rate.  However, a lot of the vacancy is attributed to big box buildings and poorly positioned centers with vacant anchor spaces.  Over the last few years, the retail segment has incurred substantial growth and the 2008 opening of the Shoppes at River Crossing, a 750,000 square foot development  in north Macon,  has spurred another round of retail expansion continuing into 2009 and beyond in the north Macon area.

Macon Mall AreaMacon Mall Area

Construction on the 500,000 square foot Eisenhower Crossing Power Center began in 2001, and its completion has been on-going with an 80,000 square foot addition completed in Fall 2006.  Major tenants in the addition include HHGregg and PetsMart. Other major tenants in that center include Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Best Buy, Michael’s, Kroger and Goody’s.

The most significant addition to the Macon Mall-Eisenhower Parkway market was the 2005 opening of Academy Sports at the Key Street /Eisenhower Pkwy intersection. Also, Save-A-Lot leased 31,000 square feet in the Macon Plaza Center located about ¼ mile west of Pio Nono Ave. on Eisenhower Pkwy.

The Wal-Mart located at Westgate Shopping Center at the corner of Pio Nono and Eisenhower Parkway (US 80) relocated to the I-475 interchange on Eisenhower Parkway.  Thus began the shift of retail to the Eisenhower Pkwy area, between Macon Mall and I-475.   In 2005, Home Depot, which was also located at Westgate Shopping Center, vacated the area to join the other major big boxes at Eisenhower Crossing.  There are currently over 800,000 square feet of vacant big box space along the Eisenhower Parkway corridor from Pio Nono Ave. to Bloomfield Road. 

It is believed  the opening of a significant amount of  retail  in the north Macon area will have a significant effect on the Macon Mall market.   The vacating of the area by Dillards, Parisian, Circuit City, and Steve and Barry’s during 2008 appears to be the beginning of a transition in primary use for the area.

North Macon AreaNorth Macon Area

In 2005, Bass Pro Shops announced the opening of a 130,000 square foot retail store to be located adjacent to its 430,000 square foot distribution facility near the Bass Road/I-75 interchange. The Distribution Center opened 2nd quarter of 2006 and the retail store opened in October 2006.  This ignited the area’s transition into what many believe will be one of middle Georgia’s premier destination retail corridors.  Jim Wilson & Associates in partnership with General Growth opened Shoppes at River Crossing, a 750,000 square foot retail development at the Riverside Drive/I-75 interchange located just south of the Bass Road interchange in March 2008.   Dillards  Barnes & Noble, Bonefish Grill, Cold Water Creek, Ann Taylor Loft, Gymboree, Christopher and Banks, Coach, Talbot’s, Belk, Ulta and DSW are a few of the stores in the development.   Dick’s Sporting Goods is currently under construction for a late Spring 2009 opening.

Meanwhile, the Bass Road/I-75 Interchange continues to add retailers to go with the new Bass Pro Shop store.  McDonalds, Piedmont Bank and Zaxby’s have held grand openings in Fickling & Company’s retail project, North Macon Plaza, which will total over 500,000 square feet when complete.  BB&T Bank, J. Christopher’s Restaurant and Drury Inns and Suites have locations under development in Fickling’s project.  Several restaurants and large retailers are currently in negotiations to join the project.   Publix has a large new store under construction across the interchange and Mellow Mushroom is building a restaurant nearby. 

West Macon AreaWest Macon Area

Zebulon Road/I-475 corridor also continues to add new retailers as the Kohl’s Department Store was added to that mix to go with Lowe’s, Wal-Mart and Kroger.

Additionally, significant development activity is taking place across the interstate.  CVS, Zaxby’s, and Auto Zone are occupying out-parcels in the front of Zebulon Corners, an existing 21,000 square foot strip center .  There is also a pad available that can accommodate an 80,000 square foot big box user.

 Ansley Village, a 294 unit apartment community is being located behind these retail developments.  A 13,000 square foot small strip center is under construction across Zebulon Road from Zebulon Corners. 

Sub-South Hartley Bridge Road AreaSub-South Area

The sub-south Hartley Bridge Road/I-75 Interchange has a major retail project in the beginning stages of development.  Zaxby’s and McDonald’s have opened in the project.  A bank and several  other fast food and retail users have plans to build in the project. 

The new developments mentioned in this overview, coupled with the restaurants and small shops that usually follow, have created excitement in the Macon retail market.  However, this growth will create vacancies as retailers reevaluate their positions in the market.

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