Business Update: Movie Tavern and Big Lots

The City is aware of the unfortunate closing of two of its larger businesses within Bedford – the Movie Tavern and Big Lots. Both businesses served the community well for many years and are an unfortunate sign of the changing business landscape for retailers and movie theaters.

Please know the City is doing all it can on its end to work with the property owners of both developments. City staff have been in contact with the owners and learned there IS interest in both sites already. However, no one has signed a lease yet and it could potentially jeopardize those deals if we shared which businesses have expressed interest.

All businesses deeply analyze a potential new location prior to choosing to locate there, and their ultimate decision is based on certain criteria that they deem must be met in order for the business to be successful, such as rent prices, lease terms, site visibility and access, population within certain distance from the site, the spending habits of that population, the vicinity of other existing similar businesses, and the market demand for the type of use/competition, to name a few.

Please note, whatever future business opens in those locations will be a market-driven decision and the City does not have control over what that will be if it aligns with the existing commercial zoning of these sites, which allows all standard retail, restaurant, and entertainment uses that would complement the other nearby businesses.

However, the City does have control over a future tenant in those spaces if the business looking to locate there has a use outside what is allowed there by current zoning for the property. If that is the case, it would require City Council approval. As an example, any uses that are a little more intense than a standard retail establishment, such as a banquet or meeting facility, indoor amusement center, restaurants with outdoor seating, mini-golf/batting cages, any type of vehicle, boat, or equipment sales and service, building materials/lumber yard, any use requiring outside storage, mini-storage facilities, or medical clinics. 

When the City is notified of a new tenant for these spaces, through the permitting process, we will release that information. We are grateful for both the Movie Tavern and Big Lots’ time in Bedford and look forward to celebrating the next business for these locations.