Black Gold Plaza in Hazard sets opening dates for four stores
T.J. Maxx, Five Below, Hobby Lobby and Dollar Tree were set for Black Gold Plaza, bringing more than 200 jobs and new shopping options to Hazard.
Black Gold Plaza Shopping Center in Hazard put opening dates on the calendar for four national retailers: T.J. Maxx for May 17, Five Below for May 22, Hobby Lobby for June 8 and Dollar Tree for June 18. The lineup added clothing, home goods, variety items, crafts and discount essentials to Black Gold Boulevard, while the project was expected to bring more than 200 jobs to Perry County.
Hobby Lobby later said it opened in Hazard on June 5 at 284 Black Gold Boulevard. The 51,000-square-foot store became the chain’s 24th location in Kentucky, and Joyce “Maxine” Music was named as the store manager.
For Hazard shoppers, the mix filled several common retail needs in one place. T.J. Maxx gave residents another off-price option for apparel and home goods, Five Below added a low-price stop for impulse purchases and gifts, Hobby Lobby brought a large crafts and home decor store, and Dollar Tree added a national discount chain for household basics. That combination could keep more routine spending in town instead of sending Perry County customers to other markets for the same purchases.
The development also followed a longer buildout that local officials had been tracking for months. In November 2025, construction at Black Gold Plaza was described as advancing daily, with the four stores expected to open in May 2026. Perry County government calls Perry Plaza the county’s newest development area and says an early social-media rumor about a shopping development along Highway 80 had people talking before the project got new life. The Hazard-Perry County Chamber of Commerce says its mission is to promote new business and commercial growth, along with the retention and expansion of existing businesses.
That tension is built into retail growth in a small market like Perry County. A cluster of four chain stores can draw shoppers to Black Gold Boulevard, create new jobs and increase traffic for nearby businesses, but it can also compete with local stores that sell similar clothing, hobby and discount items. For residents in Hazard and across the county, the practical change is immediate: more places to buy everyday goods without leaving town, and a new retail corridor that is now part of the local shopping map.
This article was produced by Prism’s automated news system from verified source data, official records, and press releases, then run through automated quality and moderation checks before publishing. The system is built and supervised by the people who set the standards it runs under. Read our full AI policy.
Did this article answer your question?
