MAHONING VALLEY Family Dollar to open at Super Duper site

Grocery store owners told the city they weren't interested in the site.
By DON SHILLING
VINDICATOR BUSINESS EDITOR
CAMPBELL -- A Family Dollar store will open in a Robinson Road storefront that has been vacant for about 10 years.
Byzantine Group, a Pittsburgh developer, is preparing the site so the discount store can open by Feb. 1, said James Wilding Jr., a real estate agent representing the developer. The site used to house a Super Duper grocery store.
Also, the developer intends to build more retail space in the parking lot next spring, Wilding said. The developer is looking for tenants to locate in the planned 2,000-square-foot space.
The number of parking spaces will be reduced from 70 to 50, but the developer thinks that will be adequate, Wilding said.
Wanted a grocery store
Mayor Jack Dill said city officials had hoped a full-line grocery store would open in the former Super Duper site, but they couldn't find any grocers that were interested. Grocers said it would cost at least $1.2 million to open a grocery store, and operators said they couldn't justify spending that much at that site, the mayor said.
He said he contacted the Pittsburgh developer after deciding the attempt to land a grocery store had failed.
The city took over ownership of the site years ago because the previous owner owed taxes and utility payments to the city.
Byzantine Group signed a five-year lease with an option to buy the property.
Wilding said the developer specializes in locations that are outside of high-traffic retail areas.
"Campbell is a market that has been underserved retail-wise. This is a diamond in the rough," he said.
The developer is spending between $300,000 and $400,000 to prepare the 11,500-square-foot building for Family Dollar, he said. It had structural problems and needed roof and heating system repairs, he said.
Family Dollar offers a variety of items, including clothes, health and beauty products, cleaning supplies and some food products.
shilling@vindy.com