New Retail Center Takes Shape

Development at Kiawah, Seabrook entrance secures tenants More than two-dozen businesses have signed on as tenants in Freshfields Village, the largest commercial development yet to serve the growing sea island communities of Kiawah, Seabrook and Johns islands. They're all hoping that the upscale retail and office center, set to open in mid-February, will draw area residents as well as the thousands of tourists who visit the islands each year. Located at the entrances to Kiawah and Seabrook, the 175,000-square-foot complex will be anchored by Newton Farms, a gourmet grocery store being built by Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co. Confirmed tenants include a drug store, a restaurant, a coffee shop, clothing stores, art galleries and a bank. Many locals are excited about the new shopping center, saying it will bring much-needed stores and services to the area. The reaction of nearby merchants is mixed, with some saying the new complex will be an asset and others suggesting it could put a dent in their business. Among the shops headed to Freshfields is Indigo Books, an independent book store that's now located in the Island Center shopping plaza about three miles away. The 32,000-square-foot plaza is home to a Piggly Wiggly supermarket, several home furnishings stores, a real-estate office and a hair salon, among other businesses. Book store owners Nat and Linda Malcolm decided to relocate the business they've run since 1997 for fear they'd lose customers to the new center. "Our choice was to move or fold," Nat Malcolm said. Linda Malcolm added: "We're looking forward to it (the move) in a deer-in-the-headlights kind of way." The couple hopes the new location will mean increased sales to help offset the steeper rent they'll be paying there. They also could benefit from the developers' marketing of the center. Freshfields Village will be built to look like a Lowcountry village that took shape over time, rather than a master-planned development, said Edward Camp, Freshfields marketing manager. With a nod to the area's agricultural heritage, the property will be lushly landscaped, with tree-lined sidewalks and fields of flowers. The center also will host an occasional farmers market. Piggly Wiggly Carolina designed its new grocery store, Newton Farms, to fit in with the surroundings. It's the first of its kind for the Charleston-based Piggly Wiggly franchise and is named after its owners, the Newton family. Construction is about half complete and the 35,000-square-foot store should open this spring. Resembling a weathered green barn, the supermarket will have a European market feel, with a made-from-scratch bakery, fresh local produce, a variety of wines and cheeses, and a cafe. "Fresh, fresh, fresh is the key," said company spokeswoman Rita Postell. If the store is successful, the company may open more Newton Farms stores in the future. Two Piggly Wiggly supermarkets are within 10 miles of Freshfields Village: a small one in Island Center and a larger one at the corner of Maybank Highway and Main Road. Over the years, residents have dubbed those Johns Island stores the "little Pig" and the "big Pig." With the opening of Newton Farms, the fate of the smaller Piggly Wiggly remains to be seen, company officials say. It depends on whether the area can support the two stores, Postell said. "A lot of people have grown accustomed to the little Pig." Locals have already come up with nicknames for the gourmet supermarket, including "Posh Pig" and "Pig Newton." The owner of Island Center, Lorenz Klein-Breteler, said he's confident Piggly Wiggly will stick around and that the shopping plaza will continue to flourish. "I don't think they (Freshfields) are going to be competition to us," Klein-Breteler said. "I think there's room for both of us to do well." The 15-year-old center has developed a loyal local following, serving both middle-market and upscale patrons. Newton Farms "can't be a common man's supermarket like the Piggly Wiggly is," Klein-Breteler said. What's more, the center has carved out a niche in the home furnishings market, an asset in a growing area with many new homes. Island Center is already home to furniture, cabinet and tile stores, and could add a bath and kitchen store. "They (the tenants) are very happy to be where they are," Klein-Breteler said, adding that many can't afford the higher rents at Freshfields. The shopping center also has room to grow, with a 25,000-square-foot piece of undeveloped property nearby. However, others see Freshfields as a direct competitor. Sidi Limehouse, owner of the nearby Rosebank Farms farmers market, said he's bracing for Freshfields' arrival. In business 15 years, the market sells seasonal produce, seafood, fresh flowers and baked goods, among other products. Rosebank Farms caters mainly to upscale clients, the same target market as Newton Farms. "They're gonna take some of that business from us," said Limehouse, a native Johns Islander who remembers when the area was nothing but dirt roads and everyone knew their neighbors. To compete with the new development, Limehouse said he plans to strengthen his business by offering a wider variety of fresh products. He's also brought in some farm animals, such as chickens and ducks, to wander around the market, figuring they'll attract families with children. As far as kids are concerned, he said, "they don't want to go to Freshfields. They want to go to 'that farm.' " Limehouse also pointed out that it can be a challenge to run a business in a tourist area, especially during the slow winter months. In the summer, Rosebank Farms can pull in $10,000 a day, compared with about $500 during the off-season. Freshfields developers are confident in the area's customer base. Kiawah, Seabrook and Johns islands are home to almost 15,000 permanent residents and more than 4,500 second-home owners with an average annual income of $65,000. The area's population jumped 18 percent during the 1990s. That's not to mention the more than 1 million people who spend short-term stays at Kiawah and Seabrook islands each year. Kiawah Island resort operators say shopping is one of the top guest activities, ranking with dining and recreation. There's more than 18,000 square feet of retail space on the island, including The Shops at West Beach and stores in the new Sanctuary hotel. "Freshfields' opening represents an additional reason for people to come to Kiawah," said Prem Devadas, managing director of Kiawah Island Golf Resort. Residents, too, say they look forward to Freshfields' opening. "It's going to be great for all of the residents and the vacationers," said Kathy Stover of Seabrook Island, who was shopping at Island Center recently. "We just desperately need it as far as I'm concerned." Especially needed, she said, are restaurants, a coffee shop, a drug store, a bank and medical offices. With Freshfields nearing completion, other retail improvements are taking shape nearby. At the entrance to Seabrook Island, 33,000 square feet of retail and office space at the Bohicket Yacht Club is undergoing a major face lift. A largely local investment group bought the deepwater property (formerly called Bohicket Marina Village) last fall and plans a redevelopment of the boating, retail and office complex. The makeover is scheduled to be finished by early next year. BUSINESSES JOIN IN Among the retail businesses that have signed leases at Freshfields so far: Angelwing Stationers BC Liquors & Wines Carolina Clay (pottery) Charleston Marble & Granite Vincent's Drug Store Gallery at Freshfields (art gallery) Hege's Bistro (sit-down restaurant) Indigo Books Island Mercantile (specialty goods) Isola (shoes) Java Java (coffee shop) Leap Frog (children's shop) McCutcheon's (men's clothing) Newton Farms (supermarket) SeaCoast Sports (sporting goods) The Resort Shop (Lilly Pulitzer clothing)   FRESHFIELDS VILLAGE AT A GLANCE   Location: At the entrance to Kiawah and Seabrook islands, at the southern end of the Betsy Kerrison Parkway Size: 60 acres Commercial space in first phase: 175,000 square feet Project cost: $29 million (for the first of three project phases) Planned opening: Mid-February, with a grand opening in late March Web site: www.freshfieldsvillage.com Developers: Kiawah Development Partners

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