Home Depot Enters Clermont's Big-Box Battle

CLERMONT, FL-Big-box retailers have discovered Clermont, an Orlando bedroom community of 8,650 permanent residents, 25 miles west of Downtown, where land is still plentiful, relatively inexpensive and not far from major roadways. State Road 50 is the hot highway here.

The only problem is Clermont has also discovered the big-box players and not everyone here is putting out the welcome mat for them.

Wal-Mart tried and failed to become a good corporate citizen after three years of negotiations and a $2.3 million land investment. Target made the cut in February, but barely. Now Home Depot is stepping up to the plate.