Amherst, N.Y. (WBEN) - This weekend saw the opening of Dick's House of Sport on Ridge Lea in Amherst. Up next is Costco, and the leader of the town's Chamber of Commerce says a business boom is happening.
A.J. Baynes of the Amherst Chamber of Commerce says it was exciting to see Dick's House of Sport open Friday.
"It's the 36th store of that footprint that they've opened across the country here, and they're employing over 200-plus people right there," said Baynes in an interview with WBEN.
Next up is Costco, with construction ongoing and an open date set for later this summer.
"What we're hearing is hopefully, at some point, late summer, that project will hit its completion and continues to build on the momentum of the development that is happening in-and-around that Boulevard area there," Baynes added. "We'll continue to complement the work that's happening throughout the entire Town of Amherst."
Baynes also adds if you go down Sheridan Drive, you'll see progress on Station Twelve.
"While that project has had some starts and stops, they have a furniture store on the footprint as well," Baynes noted. "It's a project that is going to be coming online sooner than later, but if you go by there now, I think everybody would be pleasantly surprised to see the buildings are coming into their own there. And there's an addition being completed over there.
Whole Foods has been open in that area for almost a decade now.
Baynes says these project, plus the redevelopment of the Boulevard Mall, could lead to benefits beyond the town line.
"This also will benefit the surrounding areas, whether it's the Town of Tonawanda or the City of Buffalo," Baynes said. "And most importantly, when you think about the higher education universities that are in-and-around that area - whether it's the University at Buffalo not too far away and then Daemen University right in the heart of the Town of Amherst."
Baynes admits retail is a challenging industry.
"If you're creating a different experience for the consumer, people still want to go out, they still want to shop. They still want to bump into people, they still want to see the merchandise they're looking at. And I think with these types of projects that are going to be coming online - whether it's Dick's, Costco, Station Twelve - and the product that they're putting together, or what's going to take place on the Niagara Falls Boulevard in the old Boulevard Mall spot, which will essentially be a mix of retail, as well as residential component will be in there as well," Baynes noted.
Seven Brew recently opened on Maple Road, and Raising Cane's chicken finger restaurant is also set to open on Maple Road.