<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693592962319.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By JAMES BELL Hays PostArea residents will soon have another option for their auto
parts and accessories with the planned opening of an AutoZone location in Hays.The store has signed an agreement with Big Creek Crossing to
lease an outbuilding that had been the home of the Habitat for Humanity of
Ellis County ReStore for several years. Previously, the building was the long-time
location for G&amp;L Tire, now at 201 E. Eighth.The building originally was a part of the shopping center’s JCPenney
location, said Big Creek Crossing property manager James Younger.He said AutoZone will control the entire outbuilding and be responsible
for renovation, but the shopping center will retain ownership.“Their plan is to remodel the
building,” Younger said. That remodel will include
interior and exterior work, including the removal of the canopy and a redesigned
parking area.Younger said he expected
work to begin in the next 30 to 60 days. “There have been engineers and
architects, things of that nature, that have already been showing up over there,
kind of poking around the building,” he said. “So, we imagine that we'll see
something pretty quick.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693593037402.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Younger also said he expected
an opening in late 2023 or early 2024.Big Creek Crossing marketing manager Branson Hoffman said he thinks the addition of AutoZone will help diversify the center’s shopping experience.“We're
excited about that,” he said.While
there are already several similar automotive stores in Hays, Younger said AutoZone will complement those locations with a more regional focus.“AutoZone has their own logistical
things that they run that they look at. They find Hays to be a very viable
location,” Younger said. “A lot of people don't know that these parts
stores are in town. They are just looking at Hays on a consumer level.”“On a commercial side of
things where you're supplying independent auto shops here, they can supply
obviously shops over in Ellis. They can supply shops in Victoria, down to even
like Schoenchen, the La Crosse area and on up into Plainville. So, when these
auto parts stores come in here, they're obviously thinking about more of like a
regional reach.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693593001567.jpeg" alt="Photo by James Bell/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Photo by James Bell/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A mall reimagined</h2>As shopping trends change, Big
Creek Crossing has worked to embrace those desires of shoppers, morphing the
building to include more exterior store entrances rather than ones inside the main
corridors.Adapting the building has allowed
the center to utilize more space.“By total (gross
leasable area), I think we're definitely going to be up towards like 90ish
percent,” Younger said. “We're definitely up there.”More changes to the facility are
planned in the coming years.“Priority No. 1 in our company is to lease space,” Younger said. “Looking forward
to where we're going to go from here, there are going to be major changes
that will come along.”“This is genuinely what tenants want, and this is what we're doing to make it happen.”

AutoZone coming to Hays