City and county officials broke ground on Cookeville’s new Willows Shopping Center Thursday morning.
Home Depot and Target will anchor the center, expected to open by 2027. CHM Development’s Mike McGuffin said the two retailers expressed excitement about Cookeville since the initial building pitch.
“It’s a void in their store count in this general area,” McGuffin said. “So the region was very attractive, and they needed a location here.”
McGuffin says both retailers have been good to work with. He said neither showed concern about building with the current economic state.
“I think they take a long-term approach to building stores,” McGuffin said. “There’s always going to be ups and downs in the economy, so they’re taking the long term approach.”
City officials said the stores should boost the local economy with millions of dollars in sales tax revenue. In addition to the two anchor tenants, several outparcels and restaurant spaces are currently being marketed, McGuffin said. No leases have been signed.
“Once it’s up and operational and both anchors are up and operational, we’re estimating 350 to 400 jobs,” McGuffin said.
The Willows Center, at the corner of I-40 and Willow Avenue, projected to open in October, 2026.
