In the last year, Monroe has gotten many new businesses and is getting even more every day. Over the last summer alone Monroe has gained Menchie’s, a second Taco Bell, Kikus and Dollar General and is expected to get a Panda Express, a second Jimmy John’s and a second Monroe’s Original.

The Panda Express is currently being constructed on N. Telegraph Road, next to Buffalo Wild Wings.

There is already a Panda Express in Monroe located at N. Dixie Highway. The first location is pretty successful, with a 4.2 customer review on Google.

The second location is moving closer to a busier side of town, which will surely increase sales, as it’s in a more convenient spot.

Another of the newest restaurants is a second Monroe’s Original hot dog stand on Laplaisance road.

A lot of these places are second locations of businesses that have already been in Monroe for a while.

Some of Monroe citizens are skeptical whether or not these remakes of the older restaurants and stores will be successful or not, due to the fact that we already have them available here in Monroe

This could be the case as Monroe over the summer has lost a bunch of stores as well as gained them. Some we have lost includes Rue 21 and the Shoe Department.

“I think that the hotdog stand will be the least successful of the new places. We already have a lot of those here,” said freshman Haley Campbell

As of lately it seems that Monroe doesn’t exactly have a great track record when it comes to keeping businesses as even stores that have been opened for over 50 years are closing.

The Kmart in Monroe is joining the already extensive list of stores that closed.