City officials: TSC opening reflects Starkville growth
August 31, 2011
By STEVEN NALLEY
citybeat@bellsouth.net
Plans for Tractor Supply Company to open a new location in Starkville reflect the city’s recovery from a national recession and its ability to attract businesses, city officials said Wednesday.
On Tuesday, TSC representative Rob Hoskins and Century 21 realtor Spencer Bailey announced plans for a new location adjacent to Greta Lane, south of railroad tracks near Walmart on Highway 12 in West Starkville. Hoskins said the 19,097-square-foot store should open toward the middle or end of January and provide 12-17 full- and part-time job openings.
Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman said TSC’s arrival in Starkville is exciting news because the store will increase local purchasing opportunities for citizens.
“It means more jobs for our community,” Wiseman said, “it means more money being spent in our community (and) it means more sales tax dollars that become city revenue.”
With the announcement, TSC joins a series of businesses that plan to open new locations in Starkville, including Newk’s, Trustmark and Renasant Bank. Starkville’s success in attracting businesses over the past few months has resulted from two factors, Wiseman said.
“First, it’s the result of some momentum this community is experiencing right now, as evidenced by our 2010 census returns,” Wiseman said. “This community’s population is growing, and population growth is conducive to increased business opportunities.”
Second, Wiseman said several projects in Starkville stalled by the national recession are now joining in the national recovery.
“Generally, you’re seeing more projects moving in the retail area than you have over the last couple of years,” Wiseman said. “I’m not pointing as much to tangible examples as I am to a general slowdown that’s been experienced everywhere beginning with the economic collapse in 2008.”
Lynn Spruill, chief administrative officer for Starkville, said TSC, like other West Starkville businesses, will draw shoppers from as far away as Winona.
“Louisville folks come up here to go to the movies, for example,” Spruill said. “We’re quite delighted that we’ll have a business that will attract people to come to town and shop and also enjoy the restaurants and other amenities that Starkville has.”
