City planner says developers are showing interest LOOK AROUND. A lot of commercial property available. Big properties. Namely: Shopko, Office Max, Marquette Mall, Valle's, Gander Outdoors, Frei Chevy (purchased but undeveloped), the old hospital site (potentially commercial). And that doesn't include the aging and ... Continue Reading
Merry (yawn) Christmas at Westwood Mall, a Downtown Mystery, a Hopeful Synagogue, and More Cheers for the UP Winter
Where are all the shoppers? TWO O'CLCOCK TUESDAY afternoon. Eight days before Christmas. The chronically struggling Westwood Mall in Marquette Township has nearly 200 cars in its snowy parking lot. Well, that's encouraging. Maybe the mall's making a comeback. You walk inside, shake the snow off your boots, and ... Continue Reading
Westwood Mall: A Progress Report
SO IT'S BEEN nearly six months since the main part of the Westwood Mall (not Kohl's) was sold to the Kohan Retail Investment Group out of Great Neck, New York. What followed was hope that this languishing mall would finally be revived. Well. Okay, there are new signs outside. Nothing jazzy...just new. Then you ... Continue Reading
Burgers, Hotel, Bank, Coffee, and More
SOMETHING NEW ON Marquette's culinary scene. Queen City Burgers on US 41 (across from Frei Chevrolet) opens next Monday, pending a final inspection this week by the county mechanical inspector. Local businessmen Dave Guizzetti and Eric Curtis have put a lot of work and money into it. "It's not fast food," Guizzetti ... Continue Reading
Westwood Mall Buyer: a Few Red Flags
OKAY, WE'RE ALL excited. Finally someone has bought the dying Westwood Mall! Well, we might want to take a moment to tap the brakes. Just a bit. Kohan Retail Investment Group, which just bought the main part of the mall--not the Kohl's property--has been on a buying frenzy nationwide in recent years. The group, out of ... Continue Reading