Ames/Lowe's

Lowe's replaces Ames Ames sat vacant for over seven years. The "Town Plaza" shopping center also had a Grand Union (closed in 2007), a Chittenden Bank (moved into a stand alone location on the Town Plaza lot in the early 2000's), and a Fashion Bug, which was the last store to close (moved to another location in Essex) before Lowe's Home Improvement Center opened in 2009. Target was expected to move into the former Ames location in 2004, but was denied permits to build. Lowe's won permits and environmental permits to build and tore down the whole plaza in Spring 2009, and opened up in Fall 2009. As part of winning building permits, Lowe's had to agree to improve traffic flow on Susie Wilson Road where the plaza is located (add new traffic lights, signage, paving, sidewalks, etc... which cost the store tens of thousands of dollars to do).