How much do you shop and dine in Kinston?
Every time a person spends money outside Lenoir County, the taxes are paid somewhere else — and they add up.
That’s a loss to not only the city and the county, but to the many business owners trying to make a living in a rural community.
“People in Lenoir County need to be customers of the businesses in Kinston,” Vernon Park Mall Manager Mike Ingalls said. “There’s a lot of quality businesses, not only at the mall, but throughout the city of Kinston.”
The mall had certainly seen some dark days but, lately, business has picked up. There are about 40 businesses, including the four anchor stores — Belk, jcpenney, Sears and Goody’s.
“In 2013, we did much better than 2012,” Ingalls said. “We actually leased to nine (new) tenants. That’s a big increase for the year.”
That was the net increase. Currently, the mall is negotiating with two new prospects, one of which is a restaurant, Ingalls said.
Jan Parson, director of special projects, Visit Kinston at Kinston-Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce, said much brainstorming and hard work went into keeping the mall open through a difficult period of time.
Plaza perks
The Plaza area, too, had seen better days. But recently, some new shops have moved in. Xpress Yourself, a trendy clothing store, and sweetFrog, a premium frozen yogurt shop, are two of the newest.
Parson said the Plaza’s new shops are attracting younger adults. She also mentioned the notoriety of some of the shops at Kinston’s western end of U.S. 70.
“Even in Kentucky, they know about King’s barbecue,” she said.
When asked what types of businesses Kinston is missing, Parson suggested clothing stores for children and more restaurants and other businesses to keep young people here.
“I think we need places for nightlife for young couples,” she said.
Michelle Herring of Kinston was shopping at It’s Fashion Metro at the Kinston Plaza Shopping Center on Wednesday.
Herring said she does much of her clothes shopping in Kinston.
“They have a variety of clothes,” she said about Fashion Metro, “and it’s closer to shop.”
But she expressed some disappointment in the variety of name brands, sizes, styles and businesses in Kinston, especially downtown.
“I would like to see more businesses, more jobs, more opportunity,” she said.
Junseok Rim is manager at Beauty World. He said Kinston needs more transportation, including a train station, large industry to bring in jobs, an interstate highway and a university, as well as more remodeling downtown.
Destination Kinston
Why shop in Kinston?
“You not only get a product that’s quality,” Pride of Kinston Director Adrian King said about small local shops, “but you also get service.”
What helps Rim’s customer base remain steady is the store’s customer service, special ordering and prices, he said. And what attracts people to Kinston is the friendliness of the people, he added.
Tuesday’s Holly Day Celebration brought a lot of people to the downtown.
Odessa Edwards of Kinston said it was the first time she has looked inside a downtown shop.
“Really, there’s not a lot of shops here,” she said. “Everything’s nice, but pricey.”
She was hoping there would be a children’s store so she could buy toys for her nieces and nephews.
Her husband, Jerome Edwards, said he and his wife drive to surrounding cities and Raleigh to do most of their shopping.
“We normally drive all the way to Goldsboro just to go to IHOP,” he said.
Ronnie and Cindy Ingram of La Grange also wish there were more name-brand stores and restaurants in Kinston. While they do shop quite a bit at Walmart, Cindy Ingram said she also supports the local shops.
“I don’t really think anything is missing,” she said about types of businesses. “I think the support is missing.”
Ronnie Ingram said the shops need to be open during hours when working people are able to shop.
Jeff and Pam Davis of Kinston said the city is doing what needs to be done to bring in business and industry and attract tourists. They said they try to do most of their shopping in Lenoir County.
“I don’t know of anything,” Jeff Davis said, “that if I want it, we don’t have it.”
Margaret Fisher can be reached at 252-559-1082 or Margaret.Fisher@Kinston.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MargaretFishr.