Tractor Supply is coming to Buena Vista.
Kristina Ramsey, the city’s economic development director, announced at Thursday’s City Council meeting that the chain retail store will be going into the former FoxTrot Boots & Apparel store at 397 E. 29th St.
Ramsey said she and Tom Roberts, Buena Vista’s director of community development, have been working for months on closing the deal to bring Tractor Supply to Buena Vista.
If all goes according to plan, said Ramsey, “They’ll be getting started on construction this year and shooting for [a] mid-2026 opening.” She described it as a “huge win for Buena Vista in attracting big corporate businesses. … It is quite tough to attract those folks. We have to have the right traffic counts and pedestrian traffic coming by and so many more factors that go into it. And it’s a huge step in the right direction for BV to have corporate interest at all, and then for them to be opening here. So, really excited about that and happy to finally share after many months.”
Permits for the proposed partial demolition of the existing building, renovations of the remaining building and erection of a larger sign were to go before the Planning Commission yesterday evening, Aug. 12.
The 40,000-square-foot building, which originally housed a Food Lion and CVS, is on 6 acres of what was formerly known as the Green Forest Business Center, located off of U.S. 60 at the eastern entrance to Buena Vista. The portion of the building that is being retained and renovated constitutes about 25,000 square feet of floor space. The remaining 15,000 square feet of floor space will be a fenced-in outdoor display area.
The proposed use is by right in the mixed business zoning district. Because the site is located within the Seminary Hill District, a certificate of appropriateness is needed for the partial demolition of the building as well as the design of the renovated building, site and sign.
Tractor Supply sells lawn and garden, agricultural, home improvement and pet care products and supplies. The Brentwood, Tenn., company has 2,250 stores nationwide, including another local one north of Lexington in the College Square Shopping Center. Ramsey said the company plans to keep that store open as well Mayor Tyson Cooper pointed out that Buena Vista has landed two large corporation stores in less than 18 months, with the other one being a Dollar Tree, also on U.S. 60, just west of the intersection with U.S. 501.
“Yes, that’s excellent,” responded Ramsey. “It’s a big win and I think that corridor is the perfect place for it where we can keep the small town form in the main area [of downtown] and keep that [U.S. 60] corridor another good mix of everything. So, it’s wonderful. We’re happy to see it moving forward.”
