How about another Fire Station?

I would love to see a realty great restaurant go in there..no chain dining though

I would like to see a Starbucks go in there.

How about a cinema, Chunkys?

How about wecfill what is currently empty? The old Rite Aide? Novel Cafe?

How about none of the above, because a new fire station is less than a mile down the street. Another non chain restaurant will be added to the very long list of restaurant and you need a spelling lession. There are three Dunkin Donuts and a Starbucks within two miles of that location, use the gas pedal. Chunky's Cinema really?

We desperately need another strip mall. In the strip mall, I'd like to see a Chinese restaurant, liquor store, and another place where people can play Keno. This complex will just add to the ambiance of this town. Maybe there should even be another smoke shop so people can get their GPC's at a discount. The one thing I would recommend is that the Keno place have a monitor in the window so people can sit in the cars, take hauls off their plastic vodka pints, smoke their GPC's with ther children in the back seat all while scratching their numbers 77, 35, 12, 16 scratch tickets while simultaneously trying to hit it big at Keno. The store must accept EBT cards though.

I would like to see a fenced in dog park. That is what Tewksbury is missing. We have enough stores but a nice dog park would bring people and thier dogs together.

I agree because prime real estate on a main road is a great place for a dog park. We might also want to consider a play ground or a skate board park.

Justin, any suggestions from you rather than criticisms? Thinking you may need a spell check also.

I think the traffic of Main Street would be too dangerous for a dog park.
A clothing store would be nice. A craft store. I would love to see a successful book store.

Maybe something to beautify the area. An area with some shelter & benches, trees but not large pines, a dog walking area, but then it would need a security camera so when people leave their trash thrown everywhere we can identify them. It's so nice to ride by the country club and not see the usual.

How about a Dairy Queen ? I know we have Dandilions and Mac's but Dandilions is not open after Columbus day until early spring . Although I like Macs , I tend to think he is somewhat overpriced . I always have loved Dairy Queen . Grew up on it as a kid . Perfect spot for one . Their shops are not immensely large , which would make it a good fit for that location .

I agree with Kim, I would live to see a Chunky' s go in either there or maybe in the spot where Subway was due to be built. Though I would like to see a dog park as well, I do think Main Street is too busy of a road for that.

How about a shooting range? Occasionally a patron from Maverick's may get hit, but in the end that may be a form of drunk driving prevention.

I agree with Debbie & Kelly. It is so depressing seeing all of these closed businesses and all these vacant lots.

Tewksbury isnt supporting the existing restaurants. Just look at all the closings in recent years. Some of the suggestions wont fit in a lot that size. Chunkys in Pelham takes up a lot more room. Maybe some of these small lots could be sold to abutters to increase their parking areas

Please just dont build a building and leave it empty...would rather just drive by an empty lot...

How about another Haffener's so people don't have to take difficult left turns like they do out of the one we have now?

we really need at good named restaurant down this end of town something more family friendly like and olive garden or a Texas road house people want something that looks good on the outside and will taste great on the inside! enough with the pubs and bars and coffee places, and smoke shops! no matter what you put there the traffic is going to be the same!

I got it, Tennis Courts.

Lazercraze!!!!!

Another big ugly cell phone tower.

Something that wont raise my taxes.....again.

Lets face it, the demographics of Tewksbury,especially South Tewksbury, just can't support anything up scale. The strip mall ambiance that has been allowed to exist the length of Main St. screams "LOW RENT" so that's all we're ever going to get until there are planning and zoning changes.

Isn't this question exactly what the planning board is supposed to be looking at. I do know that it seems that every year candidates for the Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board talk about bringing businesses to Tewksbury. I think that the bottom line is that businesses have a difficult time surviving in Tewksbury. I do not know where Tewksbury consumers spend there money. People outside of Tewksbury would have no reason to come here for a restaurant. I just think that it would be quite a challenge to try to open a business here. On the positive side, I believe that Tewksbury is a great place to raise a family.

any kind of Taj Mahal that would raise my property tax 100 dollars a month or more would be an excellent idea...

I am a life long resident of Tewksbury and have always thought about a Fresh Seafood Restaurant and wholesale store fresh daily right from the docks in Boston??? I am 4th generation in the commercial fishing industry and have been working the docks in Boston for 25 years. My Dad and his best friend used to own GJ's where the annex at Dracut appliance is if anyone remembers. Any feed back will help me decide if it would be good idea. It wouldn't get any fresher than that folks!!!!!

Come on people. You were asked a legitimate question. Can't we be serious? A nice fish place would be nice. We just got back from Sunday Dinner at Good Thymes in Lowell. Great Place!! They just expanded they do such a wonderful business. They serve everything. From Good Fish. Roast Turkey.
I wondered if anyone had seen the for sale sign at the old Direct Auto Supplies lot?
Maybe I have just now seen it, but I was surprised. Looks like the owner is bailing.

Great idea Jim, go for it!

A fresh fish place is a wonderful idea. I winter in Florida and eat shrimp and fish from the store where the fishing boats dock, The gulf of mexico has the best shrimp!!! Read the labels on backs of shrimp bags and you will see Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, etc., also the fish in the cases. I have bought this fish and shrimp, although good I would personally like to buy fresh fish from the docks of boston and support the fishermen around here!!

I know a lot of people won't like my suggestion, but how a bout a gun shop. Maybe even have a small indoor range in the back. The shop in Lowell has closed and I believe the closest gun store is in Woburn.

A Slot Parlor / Bingo Hall would be good for this spot. There must be someone in this town with Wamesit blood in their veins that can get reconized by the Feds to pull this off.

A strip club. This will create jobs for Tewksbury High drop outs. Also, we can cross train Mavericks waitstaff so they can work at both places.

I like the fish market idea. I also would like to see a bowling alley and Billiards place. Maybe a youth recreation center or Library.

Well with all your suggestions and no it all people go for it. See how easy it is to run a business in your beautiful town.

A fish market/restaurant is a perfect addition to the town. There is no place near by to grab quality fresh fish for dinner. My family eats much less fish since we moved to Tewksbury four years ago. We crave a good piece of salmon, swordfish on the grill, or seared scallops and have no where to get it. I would be absolutely thrilled!

Excellent fresh fish can be found at Haven Seafood on Main St. in Reading Center. It is by far the best fresh fish we have ever had. Worth the trip!!

Joe Bill,

Though I can understand your disappointments? with the development in our neighborhood, question is what we all can do to make it better. There are quite a few good developments happening in our town and bringing positive suggestions to the forum might help.
We have new HS opening that has potential to turn this town around, we have an economic development team working to 'successfully' bring new businesses to the town ( though I would like to see some thing big out of them than celebrating? achievement like bringing in the Oceans Job Lots), I-93 interchange project that wood be a boon for our town in addition to the the Lowell Junction project ( its making a VERY slow progress though).

I see so many reasons to the positive for our town ( also remember people from the other town do read these open forum posts).

Gordon P.,
There are quite a few upscale restaurant in the Wilmington Plaza on the same Rt38 that passes our town too and I do not see many up scale residents in that part of the Wilmington. Just like we go to Andover,Wilmington and other towns, we can expect people from other town visiting our businesses in addition to quite a few people from the south Tewksbury.

BTW, I would like to see something like Bertucci's or Legal Sea foods.

--BK

It would be nice to put stores where there are already buildings for lease in this town. We all travel to Wilmington or Salem NH & help build their towns economy. Why not fix our own town. For example, the old Osco Drug/ Rite Aid complex on 38. What a shame. That would make a great Target. How about all the property on Livingston Street, state property going to crap. There is your place for a dog park, there's plenty of room there. What about the Pollo Loco building near Walmart? There's your Dairy Queen spot. The book store near the Jade East, put your fish place there. It would make a nice spot for that. How about where Cusano's was, across from John Ryans pub..fish place...sure. That place has been for lease for years. And the holy grail of land for lease.....The Miniature Golf course across from The Tewksbury Country club! Are you serious? 2 million dollars for that place? It is a dump & the whole thing about the 1 trucking company on that side road that doesn't want anyone to use their road...poor baby...suck it up. Imagine what could go there? When the batting cages & go karts were there, it was a great place for the kids to go. Surely alot better than kids hanging out at Mcdonalds, or in front of CVS. C'mon people..what a croc of crap..all this empty buildingless land for lease in town. Lets get the land & building owners who already have property to lease on the ball! Come back from your winter condos in Florida & get back to work on our town!!!

How about a comedy club. Seems the town of Tewksbury has an abundance of wanna be comedians that could use a place to perform.

I'd love to see another restaurant in the Cusanos location. There is plenty of parking there, so some one with a good business plan could succeed there. A seafood restaurant would be a great idea!
Most of the ideas suggested here(like Chunkys) need a location as large as the Rite Aid Plaza to support them. A lot of the vacant buildings and lots are pretty small.
I'd like to see some feedback from the teens in town. What to kids really want that they can afford?

We had a wonderful haddock dinner at Jon Ryan's. Waitstaff was friendly, got our food in a timely manner and the fish very fresh. We will be returning to try other menu items. Welcome to Tewksbury Jon Ryan's!

How about something for teens so there not out in the streets

Tony D, they call what you have "keyboard courage". You sound like a lonely miserable man running all the kids out of your yard or off your street. Based on your Patch comment history over the years, it only worsens. Must have been tough growing up in your house you being so perfect and all! Bet your kids were perfect too. You have nothing better to do than complain. Get a life!

Tewksbury needs a good old fashion New Jersey Style Diner. A Family style restauranrt satisfying all appetites. With plenty of parking and the all day breafast. The add on bakery would feed the hungry monsters no matter what their desires; along with a rapid take-out capability. I have the appetite if some om has the time, desire and money required to pull it off.

I would like to see something that benefits the children as well as adults. Maybe a Chunkys or an Arcade, Bowling Alley, maybe a Play it Again sports so all of the athletes can buy or trade equipment without having to go to North Reading or maybe a Dicks Sporting Good would do well here. The MVP is a great family place; but, we need more! I'm not a fan of this up and coming Gun Shop especially near a school!