Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

ALBANY – Take one quick drive around Albany and you’re sure to see new construction, “coming soon” and “open now” signs.

The Good Life City is seeing an uptick in business development since the COVID-19 pandemic. From May 2023 to June 2024 Albany’s Planning and Development Department saw 492 Occupational Tax Certificate applications come through, Angel Gray, the department’s planning manager, said. Nearly 200 of those businesses offer a new service that hasn’t been in Albany, Gray said.

“Albany is a hub and has always been a connector,” she said.

Gray said road developments, like the roundabout on Westover Boulevard and bridges on U.S. Highway 82, will make the region all the more connected.

Convenience stores, restaurants, retail, health care, bars, grocery stores, hotels, learning centers and more have sought out a spot in Albany. Just in the last two months, Albany saw the opening of Billows Cigar Haven on Gillionville Road, TCBY on Dawson Road, WingStop on Ledo Road and Discount Tire in northwest Albany. A Better Way Grocer’s opened a brick-and-mortar spot in downtown Albany on July 18 as well.

There are also proposed developments around each parcel near the Albany Mall, Tanner Anderson, one of the city’s planners, said, although, he couldn’t specify what they were.

Since the pandemic, the city began offering free predevelopment meetings to potential contractors and developers. Gray said she believes it’s making the city stand out as a place to do business. The meetings give potential developers a chance to sit down and meet with city departments to discuss zoning and other needs for projects.

The planning manager said it’s better to have these conversations at the front end of a project. The city also created an educational brochure called “There’s an ordinance for that.”

Gray said with Albany’s positioning as the metropolitan area of the southwest Georgia region, it’s always been the place to come and shop. Anderson said that while it’s common to point out that the population is decreasing in Albany, data show that the MPO’s population hasn’t changed. He said the population hasn’t decreased but has moreso shifted. While more people move into Lee County, there’s an increased daily traffic flow into Albany.

“People may not live here, but they’re coming here to work and do their business,” Anderson said.

Albany native, Rusty Skalla, is doing both.

Skalla recently moved back to Albany after 10 years. He opened Georgia’s third Slim Chickens location in Albany’s Tri Plaza on July 22.

He and his business partner bought the Tri Plaza center back when Kmart was still housed on the land parcel. He said Kmart’s status was “up in the air” when they purchased the center as the franchise closed stores across the country. This didn’t dissuade Skalla, however.

Tri Plaza is situated along the two most heavily traveled roads in the city, Skalla said. The center itself has six access points to bring people in and out of the plaza.

“We knew it was a great piece of dirt in Albany,” he said.

Skalla said he and his partner spent a “small fortune” redoing the center, but that it’s been worth it. In the last year or so, they’ve placed Harbor Freight Tools, Home Outlet, Big Lots and Roses Discount Store as tenants in the plaza. Skalla said the tenants have all been happy.

“In the long run, it’s (the investment) going to pay off,” he said. “It’s good for Albany because this place was an eyesore for a while.”

Skalla said Slim Chickens is one of the last phases of the redevelopment process. He said the restaurant fits in well with Albany’s consumer base.

“One thing about Albany is that people love to go out and eat,” he said.

There’s still space for one more tenant behind the new restaurant. Skalla said the developers plan to put something there but are waiting to figure out the last piece of the puzzle. For now, he said he’s happy to be back in his hometown, serving the people of Albany.

Albany’s development isn’t limited to new businesses. Some legacy businesses are expanding as well.

Rabbitman’s Footwear, a local shoeshine, repair and soon-to-be retail shop, has a history that can be traced back for generations. Keith Thomas’ grandfather shined shoes in the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s. Since 1996, Rabbitman’s has operated as a repair shop.

Next month, Thomas said, the business will shift its operations from its location at 125 College Drive to Broad Avenue.

Thomas said Rabbitman’s built a loyal customer base over the years, both locally and statewide. So he said he saw the opportunity to open up a shoe retail shop, but the shop’s current location didn’t feel adequate. The family closed on the Broad Avenue property in November of 2022 and began a lengthy process of demolition.

Today, the roughly 1,800-square-foot space is painted in dark tones with exposed brick and ceiling rafters, giving it an industrial, urban feel. There will be designated spaces for both a women’s and men’s department as well as a cleaning and repair spot with modern equipment.

Thomas said he’s looking forward to providing quality service with a family feel. He’s also looking forward to bringing the business’ annual end of school year event to the Broad Avenue block, and hopes to plan even more events.

Thomas said the building, like many downtown buildings, wasn’t being used to its full potential, and now, he said he hopes it will be. He said he’s excited to be a part of a growing downtown Albany network as the city works to revitalize some old downtown buildings and the Harlem Renaissance Project works to preserve Albany’s black business history.

For his family, he said the planned move brings them back to their roots.

“Downtown is where my grandfather started his operations, and to be able to expand back to our original place, brings it full circle,” Thomas said.

He said he hopes to bring people to Albany’s downtown to shop, eat and walk around, with his shop helping create a steady traffic flow.

Thomas said Albany’s inner-city already has the infrastructure to have a thriving downtown with retail, food and entertainment. It just takes those brave enough to commit to bringing their business there.

Staff Photo: Lucille LanniganStaff Photo: Lucille Lannigan