New retail survey puts national chains on top. Some reject the results

A new survey of nearly 3,500 Buckeye residents puts national chains at the top of the new business wish list.

Some of these retailers are already on the way to Buckeye, according to the city, including at the upcoming Verrado Marketplace. While the survey was self-reported by residents, the conflicting response on social media was discrepant.

The 2024 Resident Retail Survey, conducted by the city’s economic development department, presented results in five categories: Top 10 Retailers, Top 10 Restaurants, Top 5 Desired Entertainment, Top 5 Retail Type and Top 5 Grocers.

The top retailers:

1. Target
2. T.J. Maxx
3. The Home Depot
4. Ross Dress for Less
5. DICK’s Sporting Goods
6. Nordstrom Rack
7. Marshalls
8. Kohl’s
9. Hobby Lobby
10. HomeGoods

The top restaurants:

1. Texas Roadhouse
2. In-N-Out Burger
3. Chick-fil-A
4. Olive Garden
5. RA Sushi
6. The Cheesecake Factory
7. Red Lobster
8. Raising Cane’s
9. Chili’s
10. Thirsty Lion Gastropub

The top grocers:

1. Trader Joe’s
2. Sprouts Farmers Market
3. Safeway
4. Whole Foods Market
5. AJ’s Fine Foods

The survey listed the most desired entertainment venues as a movie theater, bowling, mini golf, live music and nightlife. The top five desired retail offerings were specialty grocers, clothing and accessories, hobby and art supplies, grocery stores and sporting goods.

Buckeye Public Information Officer Dan Bronis said Target, Ross, Marshalls, HomeGoods, Raising Cane’s and Safeway are already on their way to the city. Ross has completed exterior construction on its 1.7 million-square-foot distribution site at Watson Road and Southern Avenue, Bronis said. There is no indication of a retail storefront.

“At this point, our economic development team is trying to work with some of these chains to bring them into Buckeye,” Bronis said. “We look at these results and see a pattern. What we are seeing is the city is needing a lot of these specialty stores or chains that people are familiar with.”

Bronis said the city is experiencing high growth in Verrado, garnering interest from large retailers. Included in this growth is the Verrado Marketplace, slated to open next fall. According to Verrado Marketplace’s website, the center will include the retail survey’s top retail brand, Target, along with the No. 3 grocer, Safeway. Harkins Theatres is another Verrado Marketplace tenant, filling the top desired entertainment spot on the survey. 

Some Buckeye residents reject survey results

Verrado residents represented 4 in 10 survey respondents. The remaining were 17% from Sundance, 13% from Sun Valley Parkway, 7% from Blue Horizon, 5% from downtown and 5% from Watson Estates/Corridor.

Ninety-three percent of respondents were permanent residents, 5% were seasonal residents and 2% were county residents.

Out of those who answered, one-third were over age 55, one-fourth were 36-45, one-fifth were 26-35, 15% were 46-55, 4% were 18 to 25 and 1% were less than 18.

The city published the data in an information graphic June 9 with the caption: “The results are in! Over 3,000 of you participated in the 2024 Resident Retail Survey! Your feedback helps us collect crucial data that drives the retail landscape in Buckeye. We’ve crunched the numbers, now check out the final results!” 

While the survey cites self-reported answers from residents, responses to the survey results showed conflicting messages. 

“The City of Buckeye doesn’t care what we residents say or think, they will do as they please regardless,” commented RJ Stine.

Jay Eff wrote: “All this information and they will add another car wash and fast food spot."

In response to the Top 10 restaurants, Denise Acquafredda Valenzuela commented, "We need some decent restaurants, not the same chain of garbage we already have in Goodyear."

Another frustrated resident, Logan Wild, said: “Copy and paste like every other city. You can move anywhere in Phoenix and find all these stores.”

Many more lamented Verrado residents were overrepresented in the survey, questioning if the results are truly representative of the city’s resident population.

A few, however, expressed support for the city or excitement at the results.

“This survey was posted over and over again to make sure everyone who wanted to participate could,” wrote Anastazia McMurray. “Now that it’s tallied up and not what everyone wants, it’s all negative. You will never please everyone. Misery loves company.”

The city’s last Retail Survey was conducted in 2020 with categories for top three desired services, retail, restaurants and restaurant types. The results mirrored those of 2024.

The 2020 top retailers were Target, Ross and Costco Wholesale.

The top three restaurants were also in the top 10 for 2024: Texas Roadhouse, which also claimed the top spot this year, Olive Garden and Chili’s. Since 2020, Costco is the only business on the list that has come to Buckeye.