When AutoZone identified Wilmington’s Oleander Drive corridor as a desirable location for a store, Swain & Associates conducted an exhaustive analysis of available land in the marketplace. Despite extremely high barriers to entry in this submarket, Swain negotiated and purchased .91 acres proximate to Whole Foods, Independence Mall and Hanover Center. To ensure the project’s long-term success, Swain worked with several adjacent property owners to secure

strategic access to the 39th Street traffic signal. At the time, the Wilmington zoning code would not allow an auto parts store in the zoning district, so Swain built consensus with the Planning Department and City Council to revise the code via a text amendment. The zoning request received unanimous approval at City Council and allowed the development of Wilmington’s fifth AutoZone.