THIRD STREET BAGEL. It’s one of the most popular spots in Marquette and it remains open, but these days, it’s not exactly…uhhh…attractive.
Give it a month, says owner Christal Silta. That’s when the scaffolding will come down, the construction crew will leave, and we’ll all see the results of the bagel shop’s facelift.
“After thirteen years, it was time for an update,” Silta explains. “There was cracking in the stucco so we had to do something. I needed it and our customers needed it.”
Here’s what the new exterior will look like. Two thirds of it will be steel panelling that looks like wood–somewhere between bronze and terra cotta in color. The other third will be cream-colored stone.
In addition, there will be new steel awnings with planters on top, along with new signage and new LED lighting.
It’s something that she and architect Dax Richer came up with.
Silta’s time was fortuitous. She and Richer had been planning a redo back in January when suddenly they learned that the Downtown Development Authority, with money from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, was planning on awarding grants to businesses investing in facade renovations.
Perfect. They already the plans. They received a good chunk of cash to help continue with the renovation.
Silta, who’s owned Third Street Bagel for 21 years, says she’s not wealthy, not at all, but she’s been saving her money for the last several years to undertake the project.
It’s a necessary investment in her property, she says, and a show of confidence in the future prosperity of Third Street.
We can expect nine other businesses on Third Street and downtown who also got the grants to redo their facades in the months ahead.
Speaking of confidence in the future of Marquette, how about this? Fifty-two communities across Michigan applied to the MEDC for facade grants this year. Only three communities were given the grants. One was Marquette.