New Orleans, La. -
For nearly seven years the old Circuit City building at I-10 and Bullard has sat empty, along with many other buildings nearby.
But now, the newly-elected council member-at-large says she's put together a new plan that could bring new life to the old eyesore.
Nearly a dozen large and small stores sit empty near the intersection of Bullard and I-10, and Chrissy Bridges, the manager of Papa John's Pizza, gets a little lonely. Hers is the only store in a long vacant strip mall.
But all that may be about to change.
"There's a lot of pent-up retail demand, and as soon as that's filled that's going to be a great story to tell," Councilwoman Stacy Head says.
Head is no longer confining herself to Uptown issues in her old District B seat. She has cobbled together a deal to bring in a new 'Big Lots' store, to take over the long vacant Circuit City location at Bullard and I-10, an area that's flush with vacant, big box retail buildings.
That's welcome news for shoppers like Krishna Lewis, who head out of the city at least once a week to spend money.
She's not alone -- a recent study showed that as much as 30 percent of sales taxes earned by outlying parishes came from New Orleans shoppers with nowhere else to go.
"I don't really shop in the east because there's no where to shop that I like," says Lewis.
Councilwoman Head hopes one retail success leads to another.
She's asking that council approval of the new 'Big Lots' be fast-tracked.
If all goes well, the new Big Lots could be making a big difference at this long dormant location in time for the Christmas shopping season.
