• Classifieds
•    Employment Ads
•    Word Ads
•    Services
•    Worship Directory
•    Place an Ad

• Viewpoints
•    Letters to the Editor
•    Close to Home
• Features
•    Humor Me
•    Recipe Box
•    Senior Focus
•    Restaurant Review
• Obituaries
• Announcements
• Sports
• Community Guide
• Cookbook

• Advertise With Us
• About The Observer
• E-mail a News Item

May 2, 2008

Future of Tall Oaks Center Discussed

By Leslie Perales Observer Staff Writer

A small group of residents gathered at the North County Government Center in Reston last weekend to learn more about the Tall Oaks Village Center and changes that may be coming in the next few months. Hunter Mill district Supervisor Cathy Hudgins said she wanted to provide community members with the opportunity to ask questions and provide input about the center prior to Fresh World's May 16 opening.

Fresh World was selected to fill the space vacated by Giant in November, and Dallon Cheney, KLNB Retail's principal broker, explained why KLNB selected that store serve as the center's anchor rather than another grocery store. Cheney said although the community had requested that Bloom fill the space, the store turned them down. He said KLNB had been in negotiations with Fresh World at the same time.

"If we weren't able to get Bloom, we were very fortunate to entice Fresh World to come," he said. Cheney said negotiations with most other grocery stores would have taken about a year or two.

Cheney said KLNB was very impressed with Fresh World's store in Springfield and they are confident that it will be a good addition to the community. He also said if the Reston store has the same sales as the Springfield location, they would be doing three times the business that Giant was doing and twice what a Bloom store would have done.

Cheney also addressed concerns about finding other businesses to fill the vacant spaces in Tall Oaks. He said they have been speaking with many coffee shops and other similar businesses, but so far they have not had any luck. However, he said they plan to revisit many of those businesses after Fresh World opens.

Cheney said they have also been attempting to negotiate with banks, a yoga studio and a golf store, and prospects are good for the golf store. "We're feeling very optimistic," he said.

Attendees at the community dialogue were also concerned that the shopping center may become a place for people to loiter and as a result turn into a place where people might not want to shop. Hudgins said it is crucially important that people support the store and make sure they visit Fresh World to ensure their business is a success.

Fresh World will not operate a pharmacy and Cheney said there is not sufficient room for a pharmacy within the store or in any of the surrounding vacancies. He said the average pharmacy is 11,000 square feet and the only available space they have is about 4,000 square feet. They will continue to search for an independent pharmacy to open at the Tall Oaks center, but he said it is not likely they will find such an establishment.

Robin Smyers, president of Reston Association and director for the Lake Anne and Tall Oaks districts, said she believes the center will be unique and wants residents to know they can also contact her with questions or comments on the shopping center.