Shallotte’s beloved “Big Lots” is meeting its last breaths, which leaves our town with an empty space to fill. This has sparked many ideas around the “Shallotte, NC Community” Facebook page about creating a better hangout spot for local teens.
However, the ideas quieted with the announcement of a Roses Department Store instead taking the place of what is now Big Lots, but the need for an improved place for young faces to flock to is still imperative in the Shallotte Community.
“We already have a Marshall’s, Bealls and Ross in the shopping center in Shallotte,” said junior Abigail Moore. “We don’t need any more stores like that.”
Despite the now lack of a location to host this “teen center,” there are still many ideas floating around about how we can give our teens a place to hang out.
“Something like a theater program or a sports center,” said local teacher Olivia Louise. “It could be changed into a place where teens in the county feel safe to go; hopefully, it could curb some of the illegal activity.”
However, some Facebook users’ ideas are more geared towards giving back to the community, rather than strictly being a place for teenagers to get together.
“Team up with the local 4-H club and start a veggie market,” said Facebook user Lance Wagner. “Kids can sell garden stuff and learn about business.”
No matter the different inputs, the idea is still to foster a safe space for the young members of the local community. Ultimately we want something that will draw the attention of local teenagers, somewhere that can become the iconic image of adolescence in Brunswick County.
There’s really nothing to do here,” said junior Chayton Cheers. “I’d love to see some go karts, or something ‘fiyah’ like a trampoline park.”
Though there are not any current plans for anything of this sort coming to town, the ideas have been thrown around and are in the minds of both the community and students alike. Though it may be a few years before we see anything come of these ideas.
“I’d like to see other options for teenagers to hang out,” said senior Addi Pounsberry. ‘It seems all we have is Planet Fun, and what we [teenagers] often forget is that we’re still impressionable and developing, and Planet Fun isn’t the stimulating positive place that this town needs.”
