Are five more stores coming to Gateway Commons?
Is Gateway Commons about to get bigger?
The owners of the shopping center, Gulfstream Commercial Services, posted a map on Facebook showing Boot Barn, Buckle, Old Navy, Sierra Trading Post and HomeGoods “coming summer 2025.”
The site is between the main strip center and the site where Publix has announced plans to build a supermarket next year.
But the company said it had no comment about the post.
Sierra and HomeGoods are part of the TJX companies, which includes TJ Maxx.
Buckle is a fashion retailer.
Boot Barn is a western wear chain.
Old Navy has been rumored to be coming to Owensboro since 2000.
But so far, it hasn’t made it here.
• The National Retail Federation is predicting modest holiday sales growth.
They say Christmas spending should grow between 2.5% and 3.5% over last year.
That would mean between $979.5 billion and $989 billion.
• The Kentucky Department of Insurance says that workers’ compensation insurance costs are decreasing for Kentucky businesses for the 19th consecutive year.
The annual filing insurance carriers use to develop rates for workers’ compensation coverage shows an average reduction of 8.4% in loss costs.
• Kentucky businesses shipped $40 billion in exports last year for the first time.
Now, the state is getting $400,000 in State Trade Expansion Program funds from the U.S. Small Business Administration to help more companies increase their presence in exports.
Eligible Kentucky businesses may receive up to $15,000 in reimbursement grant funding.
If you’re interested in applying for funding, go to kyexports.com.
• The Lane Report says a survey by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce found that two-thirds of Kentucky CEOs say the area is a place where businesses can succeed and nearly as many, 63%, say Kentucky is a place where consumers want to live,.
It added that fewer are looking to hire this year — 31%, down from 40%% last year.
But 78% say Kentucky does not have an ample supply of workers.
• The Sazerac Company, which owns Glenmore Distillery in Owensboro, was recently named the American Whiskey Producer of the Year at the 2024 International Spirits Challenge for the fifth consecutive year.