Local retailing trends show some signs of economic turnaround
Upper Providence — A two-hour wait for a table at Olive Garden on weekends and insanely long checkout lines at Wegmans on any given Saturday might indicate that the economy has finally gone from bust to boom in the last year.
Besides those industry behemoths, the still-evolving metropolis known as Providence Town Center in Collegeville is home to LA Fitness health club, Best Buy, Dick’s Sporting Goods and PetSmart, which, to the casual observer, all seem to be claiming their share of the apparent retail boom going on since their recent openings.
“I wouldn’t call it a boom,” said David Waterman with a soft chuckle. “Retailers across the board reported strong March sales from what I’ve read. I know that Olive Garden has enjoyed tremendous success at Providence Town. But in this business we always remain optimistic and though we are seeing signs of economic recovery, I think we’re cautiously optimistic at this point.”
As leasing executive with Berwyn-based Brandolini Companies, owners of the mega shopping center, Waterman’s business is landing the right tenants that will attract shoppers.
“There are more tenants out there now who are looking for good deals, and relocations looking to upgrade their existing locations,” he said. “We’re offering incentives to tenants coming in to the shopping center today to make it a little more attractive for retailers to come in and do business at Providence Town Center.”
