Fuquay-Varina officials have named the first wave of businesses set to join Target at Gold Leaf Crossing, the sprawling 800,000-square-foot shopping center rising on more than 106 acres along North Main Street. The town announced the lineup on its Instagram account on September 14, and it includes Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, Alpaca Chicken, Mezeh Mediterranean Grill, Super Chix – Chicken and Custard, Paris Baguette, Nothing Bundt Cakes and First Horizon Bank.
A Long-Awaited Retail Hub Takes Shape
The development has been in the works for eight years, according to reporting by The News & Observer, and was formerly known as Bellchase before it was rebranded Gold Leaf Crossing. The Charlotte-based developer behind the project is FV Retail, LLC, and the News & Observer reports the shopping center carries a development value of $150 million. Town records describe the project as an 800,000-square-foot retail development on 106.77 acres, according to the Town of Fuquay-Varina.
Construction on the first phase began in April 2024 and is proceeding in stages, per the same town account. That opening phase covers 234,000 square feet of retail buildings and 960 parking spaces spread across 48.23 acres, the town notes on its dedicated Gold Leaf Crossing project page. The center sits at 1920 North Main Street, directly across from Marquee Station, though the News & Observer's reporting lists the address as 2901 Wallace Adcock Blvd — a discrepancy that hasn't been reconciled in available records.
Target Anchors the First Phase
Target opened its doors at the site in March 2026, marking the national chain's first store in Fuquay-Varina. The store occupies 148,000 square feet and functions as the project's major anchor tenant, per the town's economic development page. Inside, shoppers will find a CVS pharmacy, a Starbucks cafe and a Disney shop, along with order pickup, drive-up service with 24 pickup lanes, and both same-day and next-day delivery options.
The town's communications director, Susan Weis, said the retail push reflects the area's rapid growth. “As Fuquay-Varina’s residential population has grown, so has the demand for high-end retail and commercial amenities,” Weis said. The town board has made recruiting high-end commercial retailers an economic development priority while also focusing on providing development opportunities for residents, according to town officials.
More Growth Planned Nearby and Down the Road
Fuquay-Varina's population has swelled in recent years, reaching an estimated 46,317 in July 2024, up from 34,152 in the 2020 Census, according to Hendren Realty Group. That population boom helps explain the appetite for projects like Gold Leaf Crossing, which the same source separately describes as a planned 800,000-square-foot retail center anchored by Target.
Construction on the next phase of Gold Leaf Crossing is anticipated to start in fall 2026, with businesses expected to open in summer 2027, the town's project page states. Separately, the News & Observer reports that Panda Express and Gunthrie's Chicken have each been proposed for sites on the other side of Main Street, with both requesting buildings smaller than 3,000 square feet and 26 parking spaces apiece.
The retail expansion comes as the town navigates other development decisions. Fuquay-Varina recently approved ball fields at Hilltop Needmore Town Park, a move that faced significant resident opposition, according to the News & Observer's reporting.
