By Adam Smith

The North Jefferson News



More than 100 residents turned out Friday for the grand opening of Best Buy at the Colonial Properties Promenade shopping center in Fultondale.

Flanked by yellow, blue and black balloons provided by In Full Bloom in Gardendale, store associates and management welcomed residents to the store and invited them to shop shortly after 10 a.m.

In addition to the small crowd, the ceremony also featured the Fultondale High School marching band, cheerleaders and members of the city council thanking the national electronics chain for choosing Fultondale.

“It’s a great day for us,” said city councilman Greg Morris. “We’re glad to have them open.”

Best Buy’s Friday opening represents the first opening of the shopping center’s anchor stores. Target is scheduled to open Oct. 10, with the grand opening of the entire shopping center slated for Nov. 2.

Morris said he expected that the first phase of the center would generate between $3 million to $4 million for the city in terms of tax revenue.

Another anchor store, JC Penney, is expected to open in August of next year and will complete the first phase.

Morris said a second phase could possibly include a Belk store. He said Belk had considered being a part of the first phase of the center, but backed out.

Fultondale Mayor Jim Lowery thanked Best Buy for choosing Fultondale and also thanked members of the city council for their part in the shopping center’s development.

“We know it’s going to be a big store for you and we know that the people in our region are very interested in shopping here,” Lowery said. “We’re very proud of it and we do appreciate you.”

Best Buy officials also gave back to the city at the ceremony. District manager Jimmie Johnson Jr. presented a $10,000 check to Christi Starkey, library director.

“Our summer reading program costs about $3,000 to $4,000, so I know we’ll use some of it [the donation] for that,” Starkey said. “We plan on doing a raffle this fall and we spend about $1,000 to buy prizes. We’ll probably buy those from Best Buy.”

Resident Tammy Westbrook said she was excited about the store’s opening because she would no longer have to travel to Hoover or Trussville.

“We always have to take a long journey anytime we buy electronics,” she said.