The first wave of big-box retail is officially bound for Mueller. Best Buy, Bed Bath & Beyond and Marshalls have been named the initial tenants of the I‑35 Regional Retail Center, a new shopping hub planned along the neighborhood’s eastern edge. For residents, the announcement promises more everyday options close to home — and fresh questions about traffic, timing and what kind of growth comes next.

“Securing these well-known retailers is a critical step in enhancing the retail landscape within Mueller,” a Mueller Central spokesperson said in a recent announcement. “We are committed to meeting the diverse needs of our growing community while ensuring sustainable development.”

Where the shops will sit

The retail center is planned along the I‑35 corridor within Mueller, leveraging highway visibility and access to serve both neighborhood shoppers and the broader regional market. The frontage on the corridor gives the project a larger catchment area than a typical in-neighborhood center, drawing commuters as well as nearby households.

Mueller itself — the former airport redeveloped as a mixed-use district — has matured into a dense community of homes, parks and shops. City demographic estimates for 2022 put the neighborhood’s population around 10,000 residents, a base that retailers say can support a mix of convenience and destination-oriented stores.

What’s coming — and what it could bring

The three anchors sketch a familiar retail profile:

  • Best Buy’s electronics and appliances are expected to anchor tech and home-office needs. Early company projections indicate the store could hire roughly 50 people locally; that figure is a projection and may change as build-out advances.
  • Bed Bath & Beyond would broaden home-goods options, from cookware to linens.
  • Marshalls, part of the TJX Companies, typically attracts value-focused shoppers with off-price apparel and home goods.

Developer representatives and city officials say the center should boost jobs and local spending. District 9 Council Member Paige Ellis called the project a potential civic as well as commercial anchor: “The new retail presence in Mueller will not just cater to shopping needs but will also become a gathering place for our diverse community. This is a great example of private investment contributing to public benefits.”

Urban-economics research on comparable projects suggests retail clusters anchored by national brands can lift employment and sales in nearby retail by roughly 10–20%. Analysts also note anchors often catalyze ancillary businesses — cafés, services and specialty shops — that feed off increased foot traffic. That dynamic can also spur investor interest and rising property values, a benefit for the tax base but a policy challenge if housing costs climb faster than local incomes.

Traffic, parking and green-space worries

With more shoppers comes more movement. Residents and planners have flagged congestion, parking spillover and pressure on green space and walkability as top concerns. Mueller Central says it is working with the city on solutions.

“We are aware of the concerns and are actively working with the city and community leaders to ensure that the development enhances quality of life,” the spokesperson said. “Our aim is to balance growth with sustainability and community well-being.”

Transportation experts and city planning guidance point to a package of tools that can help manage impacts:

  • Smart, adaptive traffic signals and coordinated timing along I‑35 frontage intersections
  • Strong transit connections and stops integrated into the site plan, plus potential microtransit links
  • Protected bike lanes and safer pedestrian crossings that tie the center to nearby homes and parks
  • Parking demand management, including shared parking, phased supply and pricing during peak periods
  • Green stormwater infrastructure — bioswales, permeable pavement and native landscaping — to limit runoff and heat

These measures, applied early in design and permitting, are widely recommended to keep mixed-use neighborhoods safe and walkable as retail activity grows.

Timelines, engagement and how stores may operate

The developer has not released firm opening dates. Public statements describe openings “in the coming months” as tenant build-outs proceed. Earlier corporate materials for individual retailers referenced tentative windows, but those should be treated as provisional; schedules for retail projects often shift with permitting, construction and hiring. Mueller Central says it will provide updates as milestones are set.

To align the project with neighborhood priorities, planners and retailers are discussing community engagement steps that include town halls, listening sessions and online surveys focused on traffic, open space and the desired retail mix. Best practices for community benefits under consideration typically include local hiring targets, workforce training partnerships, and opportunities for small local businesses through pop-ups or affordable kiosk leases.

On the operations side, national chains increasingly lean on hybrid models:

  • Omnichannel services such as buy online/pick up in store and curbside pickup to reduce browsing trips and shorten dwell times in parking lots
  • Localized assortments and seasonal merchandising tuned to Mueller’s family- and professional-heavy demographics
  • Energy-efficient store design and waste-reduction programs to mirror neighborhood sustainability goals

Taken together, those strategies can speed convenience, soften traffic peaks and knit big-box brands more tightly into a walkable district.

As the I‑35 Regional Retail Center takes shape, the promise is tangible: everyday goods closer to home and a boost for the local economy. The open questions are just as real: when exactly doors will open, how traffic and parking will be managed at scale, and what mix of additional shops will cluster around the anchors. The answers will emerge in the next round of design decisions, permits and public meetings — and in how well the project matches Mueller’s long-term vision for a connected, sustainable neighborhood.

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