Camden Commons: A new era of retail and commercial growth in Hope Mills

By Eddie Velazquez, posted Apr 2, 2026 on BizFayetteville.com

Nearly 80 acres of commercial development are now underway in Hope Mills. With Target serving as the anchor tenant, Camden Commons will bring a dynamic mix of retail and commercial opportunities. Land clearing and grading are underway at the site developed by Fletcher Bright Company, a 100-year-old developer from Chattanooga, Tenn. Photo provided by Fox Johnson.

A new massive commercial retail campus is coming to Hope Mills. Local officials hope the project can not only attract interest from area shoppers but also become a linchpin of the town’s strategy to grow its tax base, spur other development, create jobs that will keep people in the town and attract tourism that will help local businesses thrive.

The project, named Camden Commons, features a sprawling mixed-use development campus ready-made for new business at the intersection of Camden and Rockfish Roads. A Super Target store has been announced as one of the anchor tenants on the site.

Land clearing and grading are underway at the site developed by Fletcher Bright Company, a 100-year-old developer from Chattanooga, Tenn.

“Fletcher Bright has experience across a broad range of development types, including single-tenant retail, grocery-anchored centers, big-box retail, larger regional shopping centers and residential development, including multifamily, condominium and single-family land development,” said Fox Johnston, a representative of the company. “Comparable projects have included developments in Hickory, Mooresville [and] Monroe in North Carolina, and Summerville, South Carolina.”

Johnston said the vision behind the project is to create a high-quality, convenient shopping and service destination for Hope Mills and the greater Fayetteville area.

The project is meant to accommodate a mix of uses, including largescale tenant anchors, junior anchors, shop space, restaurants and others.

“The current site plan reflects flexibility, with a 120,000-plus-square-foot anchor, two 50,000-plus-square-foot anchor spaces, multiple shop buildings and several outparcels,” Johnston said. “We are focused on assembling a thoughtful mix of national, regional and complementary local users that fit the market and the long-term vision.”

Target is the announced anchor tenant for the project, but Fletcher Bright is in discussions with national and regional retailers, restaurants and other users who would be a good fit for the space, Johnston said. Target is likely to start construction on its new mega store in Hope Mills in the summer, he added.

“The site’s appeal is driven by its location, access, visibility, surrounding residential growth and connectivity to the broader Hope Mills and Fayetteville trade area, including direct access to I-295 and convenient linkage to I-95,” Johnston said.

Developers haven’t quite yet calculated the job generation impacts of the site, but said that any estimates are preliminary, given that leasing and phasing are still underway. Johnston noted the site could generate several hundred jobs.

As a major employer, Target alone generates more than 415,000 jobs across its more than 2,000 locations in the U.S., Johnston said.

“Its presence should create a meaningful employment base at Camden Commons,” Johnston noted.

The development is set to become a significant part of Hope Mills’ future. Chancer McLaughlin, the town manager, said the development will significantly increase the tax base due to the new businesses being established. The sales of those businesses also contribute to the local economy through sales tax, he said.

“We’re talking about a significant influx of revenue from commercial sales tax,” McLaughlin said.

The project also has the potential to have deep ramifications for planning for the town’s financial sustainability going forward.

“We’re cognizant of preserving the small town character of Hope Mills, and those are your small mom and pop restaurants,” McLaughlin said. “We’re hoping to enhance them even more. We’re doing a lot of different layered things at the same time to get the focus on bringing large-scale businesses here that will serve as job creators and increase our tax base. That’s the one key thing that will happen as a result of all this commercial development: it will allow us to have some revenues coming in where we can actually expand our services without hitting the general fund and raising people’s taxes.”

The development will ideally work in conjunction with more industrial sites that create jobs and give people reasons to move to Hope Mills, McLaughlin said. Then, residential, higher-density development can help the town keep people in Hope Mills by providing quality housing choices. Camden Commons fits into that vision by providing entertainment and commerce, while also helping the town’s financial outlook, he added.

“I hope Camden Commons becomes a catalyst for Hope Mills that shows that we can grow as a town to provide commercial and retail uses to our residents,” McLaughlin said. “This quality development can spawn interest in people wanting to come into Hope Mills while we’re cultivating the quality of life of people who already live here.”

Developers say it is still too early to provide an indication as to when the project will have leases signed by all of its prospective tenants.

“Our current goal is to have the first phase substantially leased and under construction by the end of 2027, while continuing to advance the remaining phases in a disciplined way based on market demand and the right tenant mix,” Johnston said. “We are focused on long-term quality and fit, not simply speed.”

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