Local Landscape: Eastfield is Taking Shape

Last year, we sat down with Kevin Dougherty for our Your Future Neighbor series to talk about Eastfield Crossing and what he hoped it would become.

One comment from that conversation feels especially relevant today:

“We have a responsibility to the community to deliver more than concrete and asphalt.”

At the time, most people knew Eastfield as a construction site off I-95.

Now it’s becoming something much easier to picture.

If you’ve driven through Selma recently, you’ve probably noticed the change. Parking lots are full. Cars are lined up at Chick-fil-A. Target shoppers are no longer driving to Garner or Smithfield’s residents aren’t making quite as many trips to Raleigh for certain stores.

For years, Eastfield was something people talked about. Today, it’s a place people are actually using.

What’s Open

The biggest addition so far is Target, Johnston County’s first location. BJ’s Wholesale Club has opened as well, along with a fuel center.

Several restaurants have joined them, including Chick-fil-A, Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse.

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When we spoke with Kevin last year, many of the businesses planned for Eastfield existed on site plans and leasing announcements. Today the picture looks very different.

In addition to the businesses listed above, Eastfield is now home to Academy Sports + Outdoors, Hobby Lobby, Old Navy, Ulta Beauty, Marshalls, Ross Dress for Less, Burlington, Five Below, Chase Bank and Men's Wearhouse. And the momentum continues in 2026 with additional businesses on the way: La-Z-Boy, Starbucks, Sheetz, Aspen Dental, Fiesta Taco, Great Clips, and Noire The Nail Bar. As Eastfield continues to grow, these new additions will expand the area’s dining, shopping, and everyday services, making it an even more convenient destination for Johnston County residents.

Taken together, it’s one of the largest additions of retail and dining options Johnston County has seen in years.

For many residents, the significance isn’t any one store. It’s the fact that so many national retailers chose Johnston County at roughly the same time. A decade ago, many of these brands would have looked first at markets like Raleigh, Cary, or Garner. Today, they’re investing here.

Whether you’re excited about the shopping, the restaurants, the jobs, or simply having more options closer to home, Eastfield is already changing daily life for many Johnston County residents.

“If you’re willing to invest in this community, this community will invest in you.”

The number of shoppers, diners, and visitors now passing through Eastfield each day suggests Kevin's vision was right.

Related Reading

Want to learn more about the vision behind Eastfield Crossing?

Read our Your Future Neighbor conversation with Kevin Dougherty, where he shares the story behind the project and what attracted him to Johnston County in the first place.