This comment was received from a reader via e-mail.

"How very disappointing for the community of Chaska to have a Kohl's as the anchor in the new Hazeltine Plaza shopping area. The first articles read that the shopping experience would be much like the Maple Grove up scale Arbour Lakes shopping . Now you tell us Kohl's is the main store, you don't use the words up scale and Kohl's in the same sentence."

(Mollee Francisco is a staff writer for the Chaska Herald. She can be reached at [email protected].)

I know that a clothing/department store is needed in Chaska but why Kohl's. They are more prevalent than Target in this area. There has to be other options. As far as the smaller retail spaces go, I would hope it's something that isn't available one town over.

Two words: Burger King. How this town has gone this long without it is beyond me. Chaska's the most populous town in the county for pete's sake.

Agreed.

Kohl's and upscale should NOT be used in the same sentence. I can only hope the remaining retail spaces in the center will not be wasted.

Blockbuster is a very welcomed addition. A national chain, with recognition...a HUGE upgrade from the pile of junk that is Movie Gallery.

If Chaska is hoping to draw more residents, they need to entice them with better retail than what is currently in place.

Lets hope they don't make the same mistake with the proposed changes to the intersection of Hwy 212(downtown)and 41 at Fireman's park.

"The Chaska City Council works tirelessly to promote our city as a place with affordable housing. A city that emphasizes its push for affordable housing is not going to attract the kind of upscale retailers that many Chaska residents wish for. When a city puts its development focus on the bottom quarter of the housing market, it will attract the low-priced big box retailers; it will never attract higher-end retailers. Look at the census/demographic information, Chaska's median household income and median home value lag substantially behind our neighbors and the retailers know that. There will never be a Pottery Barn in Chaska until the Council realizes that they are only hurting the city's long term economic growth potential by focusing too much energy on affordable housing and too little effort on creating higher-end developments that will lure more development money into the city. Even now as the Heights of Chaska are being planned out, the City continues down this path of economic suicide. They continue trying to squeeze affordable housing places it does not fit in an effort to bring in more outside aid--that only hurts the City's long term economic outlook but no one on the Council gets it."

--Reader comment received via e-mail

(Mollee Francisco is a staff writer for the Chaska Herald. She can be reached at [email protected].)

More wishes for new businesses in Chaska. This came in via email from a "proud Chaska resident:"

"Just wondering if any more info on what will be in the
new Hazeltine Plaza development. I wouldn't mind
Chili's, maybe a Panera, how about Olive Garden. If I
may comment on some of the comments on the Herald
website, I think Kohl's is a good store to anchor the
site as it has a broad appeal across economic lines.
You don't alienate any shoppers with a store like
that. It is a good place for a growing Chaska to start
with larger retailers entering our market. Much like
Target is a store that caters to all consumers, Kohl's
is very similar in that way and I believe will have
the broad appeal to support our community. As far as
Red Lobster, leave the more expensive restauants and
stores to Eden Prairie. We are already losing our
small town feel, no reason to jump into restaurants
that are more of the special occasion type. We need
functional, practical stores and restaurants that can
be supported by our residents. Not to say that they
should all be discount type stores like Kohl's but it
is a good start before welcoming the sort of higher
end stores that Arbour Lakes has. Thank you for your
time reading this."

(Mollee Francisco is a staff writer for the Chaska Herald. She can be reached at [email protected].)

Red Lobster? Burger King? Hardees? Don't any of you have any working taste buds? Why not work to create businesses that are not chain stores or big box retail? A little originality goes a long way, and the suggestions so far, are anything but original.

The city should work to get private, or locally owned, businesses rather than mundane, poor-quality, chain stores. Otherwise Chaska will simply be another cookie cutter suburb.

MAZ
Downtown is where it's at, you can walk the streets and not get mugged. You can walk a few blocks, see a movie, stop for ice cream, then scoot over to the fireman's Park and feed the ducks. Turn to go back downtown and stop at the Chaska Garden Center and inquire about new plants and smell the flowers. Go to the light, cross and pick up your meds at either drug store. Stop at Subway for a soda, continue back across the road, pick up some picnic supplies from Coopers, back around to the bank lights, cross again by the movie theatre, down 2-3 blocks, take a left and walk down to the courthouse, around the lake in the back or go down Stoughton Ave. via the trail system. Not a dime in the gas tank and a treat for the heart as well. While your going in the downtown direction take a look at the new path across the river. Absolutely beautiful. It will take you to Shakopee if your in the mood. Take your fishing pole and wander behind the Best Western and take in some fishing. Take your shoes off and play in the creek, it's fun, even more fun with kids. If you take the underpass you can walk all the way down to the Athetic Park (which by the way will be having State tournaments in 2008). You can take the levie the whole way, never mind parking and traffic, take a walk or ride your bike. Along the levie you can check out local gardens, check out the height of the river, breathe.The downtown area is nice. Yes, there may not be alot of new money in the area but the neighbors can't be beat, the porches are used, the fences are used to chat over, everybody knows who owns the big gray and white cat the wanders about and welcomes him to rid their yard of mice and other river creatures. The kids could use another playground but when you have the trails, the extra expense doesn't make sense. The yards are big, the allys walked in. Not money, but TIME is spent downtown, calm time, peaceful time, family time. The downtown welcomes you, come on down. You don't have to have alot of money, there's nothing UPSCALE about it, it's what Chaska is about.