Boone Mall lands

top business award
By Scott Nicholson
nicholson@wataugademocrat.com
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The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce’s “Business of the Year” has been around for a while as one of the faces of local commerce but was honored in large part because of its recent facelift.

The H.L. Libby Corporation of Pennsylvania was recognized for its renovation of the Boone Mall, undertaking a number of improvements and adding new businesses since purchasing the property in 2005.

The award was given during the chamber's “Business After Hours” Thursday, held at University Nissan in Boone. H.L. Libby representatives Barry Nicholson, Jim Libby and Rod Libby and mall manager Meredith Golden were on hand to accept the award.

New additions to the mall are the clothing outlet Old Navy and the eatery Panera Bread, which were part of a renovation to the mall's entrance and the construction of a 53-foot tower.

Mangia Buono, the popular Italian restaurant formerly known as Good Eats, opened at the mall last year.
T.J. Maxx has also signed a contract to open a store in the mall this fall.

T.J. Maxx specializes in selling brand name and designer fashions at up to 60 percent less than department and specialty store prices, as well as giftware, jewelry and children’s educational toys and books.

T.J. Maxx operates more than 800 stores in 48 states.