Last week, a new Old Navy location opened in the Kirksville Commons Shopping Center, shortly after a Five Below store opened in the same shopping center. Assistant City Manager Ashley Young said the businesses will bring new retail options for those in the Kirksville community and surrounding areas, as well as more employment opportunities.
“Kirksville is a regional hub for education, industry and healthcare,” Young said. “You’d have to go to Columbia or Ottumwa, Iowa for something similar to what we have here.”
Kirksville has four CIDS — the North Baltimore CID, the South 63 Corridor CID,
the Baltimore Commons CID and the Franklin Street CID. The Kirksville Commons Shopping Center is part of the North Baltimore CID and has a 1% additional sales tax to offset the costs of building the strip mall, saido Young.
Junior Tahli Gray, a Kirksville resident, said the new businesses allow additional options for finding affordable and fashionable clothing for families in and around the Kirksville area and allow families the opportunity to bond and shop together.
“[The new businesses bring] college students a little bit of home, in my opinion,” Gray said. “Most people going to school here are from Kansas City or St. Louis, so they have access to stores like Five Below or Old Navy. I think it helps distract students from the daily stresses of school. It’s nice to be able to grab friends and go shop.”
“The arrival of Five Below and Old Navy means that college students have more options to choose from in terms of clothing and fun, unique items,” said junior Megan Mocker. “Before they were here, the only options were Marshall’s, Gliks and Walmart, which can be very limiting, especially after four years of living here. I’m just excited to see the growing diversity of shopping outlets here in Kirksville, especially for the college student demographic.”