A group of residents recently were together and the talk turned to the desires for Crestview.
Interestingly enough, there was quite a cross-section of people; some newcomers and some who have lived in the area over 40 years. The common complaint was the poor traffic flow. I come from Los Angeles, home of the big parking lot also known as the freeway, so I know about terrible traffic.
Ever since my husband, Jim, and I moved here, there have been talks and traffic studies for a by-pass, but nothing is accomplished. This may be due to land restrictions or other issues, but we definitely need traffic relief.
The wish list for Crestview comprised:
•Retail stores so that one doesn't have to drive to Destin, Fort Walton Beach or Pensacola to shop. The main stores brought up were Kohl's, Hobby Lobby and Target. Having retail locations such as these would keep a portion of the sales tax here in Crestview.
•Large chain restaurants, such as Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Longhorn Steakhouse, Carrabba's and Golden Corral.
•No more fast food, banks or vape shops.
•Traffic relief.
It is sad that sit-down restaurants are closing. Ryan's, which had a huge capacity, has closed and Chick-Fil-A is taking that geographical location. While I love Chick-Fil-A, it isn't the same as a large-scale sit-down buffet.
The north end of town is exploding and there are not many services. We have the Winn-Dixie Plaza and David's Catfish House, but not much else. A new Publix is being built along with a Wendy's, but as far as I know, no sit-down restaurants. Walmart is planning on building a store across from Johnny O'Quigley's.
Some stores don't want to come to Crestview, as they don't think we have enough residents, but stores that are already here don't mind expanding with second locations, so obviously we have enough people to patronize new businesses.
Downtown Crestview was also discussed. The major complaint was parking and that the businesses close so early. If we could get some top-notch restaurants in that area I believe many people would be delighted — some ideas for us to ponder.
What businesses would you like to see in Crestview?
Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Some wishes for Crestview