The downtown location is already zoned for commercial use and the store would be able to offer residents products and services not currently available. Mayor Douglas Coleman said he hopes Wal-Mart will help stop the city's retail leakage, keeping residents in the city for their shopping needs as well as drawing east Mesa residents in. He sees the deal, expected to be completed in the next few weeks, as a major step in the city's progress toward retail self-sufficiency. City Council members said they are frequently stopped on the street by residents asking about Wal-Mart plans. For Councilman R.E. Eck Jr., location is the most important aspect of the deal.
Location is everything.
A downtown location could spur more growth in the area, as well as draw people to businesses already there, Eck said. Another difference between Apache Junction and other East Valley choices is the fact that there are other businesses in those cities for residents to shop, he said. Apache Junction doesn't have a shoe store, a sporting goods store or an electronics store, all things that Wal-Mart could offer. This is where the story abstract goes. All rights reserved.