A signage application from the corporate owners of TJ Maxx has been withdrawn, according to town officials. The department store chain had filed an application for signage at the former Walmart location on Route 1. Though town officials could not confirm with the parent company of TJ Maxx that it was even close to a deal to take over the site, they did confirm the managing corporation of the site is still seeking a new tenant, which could still potentially include TJ Maxx.

Walmart closed its doors in May of 2022, to the surprise of shoppers and town officials. Though Walmart officials never confirmed the rationale behind the store closing, it was the smallest square footage of any Walmart in the country, and the closure was seen as a simple bottom-line decision by the corporation.

TJ Maxx owns several brand names, including Marshalls and HomeGoods. Marshall’s and TJ Maxx are known for selling men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel and shoes, toys, bath and beauty, accessories, and home products ranging from furniture to kitchen utensils. HomeGoods sells furniture, linens, cooking products, art, and other home accessories, according to the company’s public relations department.

Town records state that on March 3, the sign application was filed with the Planning and Zoning Commission by the property owner, J.R. Daly & Sons, 900 Boston Post Road. That application is the one that has been withdrawn, according to town officials.

Residents have obviously observed the standalone Chase Bank project at the same site along Boston Post Road is well underway and is expected to be completed by the end of the summer. That project is not affiliated with the former Walmart site, and is not expected to impact any deal or negotiations with entities interested in moving into the building.

According to Guilford’s Economic Development Director, Sheri Cote, the overall town economy remains healthy, with numerous projects both planned and underway.

“Guilford’s business climate is healthy and pretty robust, and we continually see new businesses come to town. (T)he new Chase Bank being built at the Shoreline Plaza, and a new 4,300-square-foot dentist office has been approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission at 397 Church Street that will be coming soon. The Central Hospital for Veterinary Medicine has received approval to expand to approximately double their current size,” Cote said.

Cote said there are issues facing area merchants, such as lack of a reliable employee pool; however, overall, indicators point to positive trends for local businesses.

“Our businesses are very busy and need more help. Finding employees is still a challenge. The merchants around the Green are seeing such an uptick in visitation that we’re seeing the need to address parking concerns. The summer season is upon us, and Guilford is such a beautiful tourism attraction, we’re expecting it to only get busier,” according to Cote.