Due to an influx of chain stores and restaurants, Boone may not be the small college town taken over by local businesses much longer.

Construction of new businesses have been sprouting up throughout Boone, including Michael’s Arts and Crafts, CVS Pharmacy, Chili’s Grill & Bar and the largest construction of all—Super Wal-Mart.

Chain stores like Michael’s, set to open Sept. 17, bring new retail options to the area.

“There’s really not a whole lot of arts and crafts stuff in Boone,” Michael’s operations manager Amanda L. Slocum said. “Boone is a crafty town, so I think it’ll do well here.”

Boone residents seem to be welcoming new additions to the town with open arms, Slocum said.

“A lot of people are already walking [up to] the door,” Slocum said.

Chili’s opened its doors Monday to a slew of hungry customers and the completed Super Wal-Mart will hold its grand opening Sept. 8.

New business construction in Boone must meet standard ordinances and zoning approval, said David Graham, development coordinator for the Town of Boone.

The protocol for new construction varies by business, he said.

Michael’s took over Goody’s, another retail store, so it only needed zoning approval in order to come to town.

A new CVS Pharmacy is still under construction but already serves as competition for Walgreens, another major drugstore chain, which sits directly across the street.

Some speculate that chains not only bring competition to the area, but might also hurt local businesses.

A well-known local restaurant like Boone Drug, which opened in 1919, said it has not been affected by new chain businesses in town.

“[Boone Drug] is happy when new businesses come to the area,” Scottie Prevost, Boone Drug store manager, said. “[New businesses] are good for the economy.”

Boone Drug’s business stays strong through heavy visitor traffic and a unique experience as customers step back in time while dining at the restaurant’s old-fashioned lunch counter.

“We are blessed with a great location in the middle of downtown,” Prevost said. “We also love when ASU students come to experience Boone Drug just like their parents did, or even their grandparents.”

The growth of new stores and restaurants is inevitable in Boone, though specific chains to come to the area are unknown.

“I haven’t heard of any,” Graham said.

While some residents are hesitant about expansion and the potential threat to local businesses, some believe it is the right step into the future.

“It’s progress,” Slocum said. “You can’t advance without new things.”

Story: BARBARA ADAMS, News Reporter