West Village stores prosper in new homes
Call it making lemonade out of lemons.
Four tenants in the Village West Shopping Center — Elegant Bridals, The Antique Market, Georgia-Lina Billiards and Coco’s Cabana — were forced to move out to accommodate a new retail store and training center for Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia and the CSRA.
“It was a blessing in disguise. We found this great place … we’re getting more traffic. We were kind of growing out of the old building, and we needed more room. So it’s been really good,” said Elegant Bridals sales consultant Marcie Ortt.
The relocated store opened at 2701 Washington Road on Oct. 27.
“There’s a new section that’s going to run behind CVS. We’re right there in what they’re calling the bridal aisle. They’re trying to gear this shopping center toward bridal,” Ms. Ortt said.
Merle Norman, a cosmetics retailer, moved in on Tuesday. Simon’s Tuxedo should open early next year, and a gift shop is also expected for the strip, she said.
The Antique Market is also experiencing positive results from the move, said owner Steve Fiegenbaum. The store moved to 106 Pleasant Home Road, and reopened Friday. It has been renamed Antique Market, Interiors and Gifts.
“George Snelling, the owner of the property over there, did everything he could to help us move. He had moving trucks that he offered free of charge to all the vendors to get over here,” Mr. Fiegenbaum said.
Mr. Snelling and AIK Partners LLC sold the shopping center in October to Goodwill Industries for $5.9 million, according to city records.
