AHOSKIE – Residents who shop at the nearby Eckerd’s in Ahoskie will soon be parking down the road at the nearby Lowe’s Foods shopping center parking lot.

No, the company isn’t initiating a new physical fitness requirement for its patrons by forcing its customers to walk a country mile to get their prescriptions filled they are simply in the process of relocating.

Eckerd’s is slated for construction of its new facility on the corner of Memorial Drive and Kiwanis Street adjacent the Lowe’s shopping center. The company would be moving from its current location in front of Movie Time off Memorial Drive.

In Tuesday’s meeting of the Ahoskie Town Council, members paused from their normal business to enter a public hearing session to discuss a request to rezone the area to accommodate the relocation.

The request for the proposed ordinance, made by John R. McAdams Co. for JDH Capital, would change the status of the property, currently home to Brittenham’s Rebuilding Service, from Light Industrial (I-L) to Commercial (B-2) to allow for expanded parking.

The ordinance would give provision for the demolition of the Brittenham property, adjacent to Lowe’s and located at 600 Kiwanias Street to create adequate parking for the two companies, as the construction of the Eckerd’s facility would encroach on existing parking spaces at the Lowe’s location.

Whether Brittenham’s will relocate their business or close their doors is not known.

The Planning Board was presented with the request to rezone the property on January 21 and after reviewing the information, reached the conclusion to recommend its acceptance to the Town Council.

According to an excerpt from that meeting, Town Manager Russell Overman stated that no inquiries or comments supporting or rejecting the approval of such an ordinance were voiced.

Support from adjoining property owner, David Ray Cooke Sr. was recorded from the January meeting.

The time frame for the construction of the new facility has not yet been determined.