We lost Kmart, but we’re gaining a Lowe’s. Lowe’s is buying the lease at the former Kmart on St. Augustine Road and will renovate the property into a home improvement store and garden center. The new store will open before Christmas with 175 employees.

This will be a great addition to the retail scene in Valdosta, helping to solidify our position as the shopping mecca for South Georgia. Lowe’s is the second largest appliance retailer in the United States, and the 14th largest retailer overall.

Lowe’s already is a good corporate citizen in Lowndes County with a local distribution center. The new retail store should boost tax revenue by bringing more business to Lowndes.

The busy real estate market is creating legions of new homeowners who spend thousands of dollars on their new homes after moving into them. This market is expanding, and Lowe’s obviously wants to participate in our burgeoning economy.

We also want to recognize Lowe’s for being one of the two premier sponsors for the recent Jimmy Carter Work Project in Valdosta, which built 27 new homes in seven days.

Welcome, Lowe’s.