Things Fredericksburg Is Missing, According To Readers

FREDERICKSBURG, VA—Well, we asked what the one thing Fredericksburg is missing, and you answered. Boy, did you answer. In fact, the responses were overwhelming when we posted the question on Facebook.

From noon Friday to Sunday afternoon, the post got 141 comments (and they keep on coming). We went through each response to get a handle on what area residents want in their future, and had we counted likes and comments, the list would have grown substantially.

Readers expressed a strong desire for a Trader Joe's, that's for sure. Ditto for a Whole Foods and an Apple store. Also among the top items on residents' wish list was a yearning for an indoor ice skating rink and more venues for dancing/live music. One wanted "a downtown," which kind of leaves you scratching your head.

Anyway, less confusing traffic patterns and more places for children to play also were frequently mentioned. Patch will follow up with city officials and the like to check the feasibility of the aforementioned businesses and improvements.

The full tally is below:

25 - Trader Joe's

17 - Ice skating rink

14 - Dancing/live music

5 - Apple store

5 - Cheesecake Factory

5 - Climbing gym

4 - Whole Foods

4 - Affordable entertainment for kids

4 - Food Coop

3 - Professional baseball team

3 - Efficient traffic patterns

3 - Mellow Mushroom

1 - Fewer grocery stores

1 - Large international markets such as Global

1 - Drivers with common sense

1 - After-school hangout for kids run by volunteers

1 - Mexican food in the style of Baja

1 - A shoe show

1 - Botanical garden

1 - Already a perfect location for many activities within a 10-mile radius

1 - IKEA

1 - Our own local TV station

1 - Einstein bagels

1 - More places for kids to have fun

1 - Real soul food

1 - Entertainment course for ATV and dirt bike riders

1 - An excellent pizza place (editor's note: many folks swear by Benny Vitali's)

1 - We DON'T need all the tire and auto parts stores on Route 17

1 - More sidewalks and bike lanes

1 - Affordable housing

1 - Splash pad for kids

1 - Bull riding pen

1 - Zips dry cleaners in south Stafford

1 - A "real" Jewish deli

1 - Mercedes dealership

1 - California Pizza Kitchen

1 - Pro sports team of some kind

1 - Pottery Barn

1 - Kosher Deli

1 - Me

1 -US

1 - Drive-in theater

1 - Lexis dealership

1 - Chain gang to clean up litter along Interstate 95

1 - Community Rec Hall

1 - Good bagels

1 - Dave and Busters

1 - A coffee shop open after 9 during the week

1 - Jobs

1 - Waterpark

1 - I like it the way it is. Perfect

1 - Snow

1 - A downtown

1 - More homeless shelters

1 - More restaurants that aren't pork-centric, and serve kosher and halal foods

1 - More Aquasize classes

1 - Indoor shooting range

1 - Kroger

1 - A developed waterfront

1 - Massage Envy

1 - Goats?

1 - Activity buses for students

1 - Primanti Brothers

1 - Outlet stores

1 - Archery range

1 - The Gap

Photo: Skip Wood