Several store closures in Waycross in recent months have sent citizens to social media fretting about the health of the local economy.
Among the closures being bandied about are those of Big Lots, Pizza Hut, Staples and Hwy 55.
Rumors have been circulating about Pizza Hut, located at 1110 Plant Avenue, closing on January 20 due to corporate bankruptcy. However, franchise Chief Legal Officer Salvador Elias of EYM Pizza, which owns the local Pizza Hut, refutes the rumor.
In a phone interview Friday, January 10, Elias stated following a bankruptcy hearing Tuesday, January 7, the Waycross store is not on the list of stores being closed.
Big Lots, located at 1803 Knight Avenue Suite A2, is closing due to corporate bankruptcy filed in September.
Staples, located at 2250 Brunswick Hwy, is closing February 14. Executive Relations Specialist William Clarke issued a statement Wednesday, January 8 regarding the Staples closure.
“As customers shift online, we are taking aggressive action to right-size our retail footprint,” he said. “We are committed to providing great service and every product businesses need whether it’s in-store, online or through mobile. We are working to provide transfer options for associates where possible. Our customers in this area can continue to shop with us at our other locations and online at Staples.com.”
Despite a new standalone restaurant on Memorial Drive, Hwy 55 closed in December. The fast food restaurant, whose previous location was near the Mall at Waycross, failed to gain traction after moving north on the opposite side of Memorial Drive.
On the flip side, two new Wawa convenience stores are under construction at 1810 S. Georgia Parkway and 1725 Memorial Drive, respectively.
Construction has begun on a new Home 2 Suites by Hilton Hotel on City Boulevard behind the CVS. Lloyd’s Construction and Consulting, LLC of Jacksonville, Fla., is erecting the facility.
Bed’r Furniture and Mattress has taken up in the former Ashely Furniture location, 513 Tebeau Street. The new Los Comadre Mexican Taqueria will open at the corner of Pendleton Street and Carswell Avenue. Red Owl Coffee is opening a Waycross location at 1767 Memorial Drive in the former Taco Bell building.
There is also a new work force affordable apartment complex scheduled in the area of Brunell, Howe and Haines Streets near downtown Waycross after being rezoned by the Waycross City Commission.
