Boyle Putting First Retail Center in DeSoto County

By Andrew Ashby
– Memphis Business Journal –

Boyle Investment Co. is making it’s first foray into DeSoto County with the 80,000-square-foot Southcrest Market at the north-east corner of Goodman Road and Interstate 55.

“With all of the retail development going on at that intersection, we thought it was a good location,” says senior vice president Cary Whitehead. “It’s one of the last vacant parcels left. It’s a regional retail destination.”

The retail center will have a 30,000-square-foot Best Buy on the site. Longhorn Steakhouse has signed on take a 7,000-square-foot outparcel. There is another open outparcel adjacent to it.

The center also has 16,000 square feet of retail space and a 20,000-square-foot inline pad available next to Best Buy.

Construction is scheduled to begin in the fall and could have occupants by next summer.

Nashville-based MJM Architects will design Southcrest, while Memphis-based Mid-America Construction Co. will be the builder.

Boyle purchased the project’s 15 acres in 2005.

“We’re always excited about any new development going on down here,” says Ginger Adams, executive director of the Southaven Chamber of Commerce. “In that Goodman Road and Interstate 55 corridor, that’s the original shopping area in Southaven.”

Southcrest Market will be near a Wal-Mart SuperCenter, PetCo and Lowe’s.

It will also be just north of Southaven Towne Center, a 400,000-square-foot open-air shopping center which opened a year ago.

Southaven Towne Center’s tenants include Dillard’s, JC Penney, Circuit City and more than 40 other smaller retailers. It also has a Red Lobster, an Olive Garden and other restaurants.

“I think it will complement the retail area very, very much,” Adams says. “As more and more of these different stores all open, it really gives our residents in DeSoto County another reason to live, shop and visit.”

Boyle has planned or developed several retail projects over the years, including The Village Shops of Forest Hill, which consists of 360,000 square feet of retail space on 40 acres with tenants like Target, Schnucks Supermarket, Marshall’s and Old Navy.

Boyle also developed the Regalia at Ridgeway Center, a 92,000-square-foot specialty center anchored by Oak Hall men’s store, Owen Brennan’s and Ruth’s Chris Steak House. It is a 22-acre, mixed-use development which includes an Embassy Suites Hotel and Regions Bank headquarters.

Southcrest will be the company’s latest retail project.

“It’s a continuation of our retail development efforts,” Whitehead says. “We’re very high on DeSoto County and are looking at other sites in DeSoto County.”