GASTONIA, N.C. — A long-time Gastonia business closed its doors this week to make way for a new development with hundreds of homes. Some are pushing back on the projects while others say it's a new opportunity.
Inside Mountain View Antiques, it's all about the past. For a while now, knick-knacks and curios dating back decades have lined the store's shelves. The owner, Craig Bauclm said each item carries a lot of history.
“You never see the same thing," he said.
While the shop is home to the old right now, he said he's embracing something new coming soon. A housing development is set to pop up just a few hundred feet from his business. B&B Antiques, a long-time Gaston County business, chose to close its doors this week for good, making way for the project.
But everyone isn't on the same page.
Some in the area told WCNC Charlotte they have concerns over Gastonia's growing pains. Some said the traffic is already bad given the current growth and this development will make it worse. Others said they have concerns over flooding from the construction.
Buaclm acknowledged that but said it's an opportunity.
"It's also about having exposure," he said, "not just 300 or more homes, but then the people they will reach, and if other people come to town and they like antiques, they will say 'hey let's go across the road there,'" he said.
This is one of the largest developments the city of Gastonia has seen to date.
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.