New Development

Even though I knew it was coming before the official announcement was made yesterday - you never what ends up being a rumor and what becomes true. Lowe's, the major home improvement retail store, will be building an outlet here in Marquette. It will be built across the highway from our other home improvement retailer, Menards. The building itself will be 139,000 square feet large, and I have no idea if that includes a lumber yard or garden center (but I don't believe it does - those will be separate). Needless to say, this will provide a major shot in the arm for the area as it will provide for new jobs and an increase to the tax base. In my opinion, Menards really is not doing an adequate job providing affordable buidling supplies to the area. I also believe their customer service is very poor. With a major competitor just across the road from them, I think this will help them to be more competent and they won't take advantage and over price their materials like they can now. Otherwise you know what people will do then. Head across the highway to Lowe's.

Over the years as I've lived here in Marquette or nearby, I've heard many different rumors regarding retail stores and restaurants potentially locating here. Five or six years ago, Home Depot was supposed to build a store right where Lowe's will be building. Even our local newspaper included a big write-up on the front page. But that never materialized. In today's paper in the article that mentions the new Lowe's store, Home Depot was brought up again as having interest in the past at building a store behind the Westwood Mall. Since it seems that Lowe's will definitely be locating here, Home Depot seems to be the odd man out. I just can't imagine having all three major home improvement retailers here in a town of 20,000 people. But then again, we did have a K-Mart, Target, and Wal-Mart for awhile before K-Mart closed.

About three years ago, I heard the rumor about Costco buying Super One (a grocery store) and the Superior Lanes (a bowling alley) and building a store on that parcel of land. That never materialized. Another rumor involved the popular restaurant the Olive Garden locating in Negaunee Township across from the old airport where the new casino will be built eventually (they've been saying that for the past five years now, though). There's also been talk about a Dairy Queen (which would be awesome), Old Navy, and an Arby's coming to town over the years, but those have never materialized. And yes, even a Sam's Club was mentioned as possibly locating here at one time. But the problem with a Sam's is that they are usually located directly next to Wal-Mart. Our Wal-Mart (which is always crazy busy) is land-locked on both sides of it. Menards happens to sit next to Wal-Mart and if it should happen to close, you better believe that Wal-Mart will look very closely at building a Sam's there.

The latest "rumor" flying around involves Walgreen's building a store here. But that one will pay a price if it goes where it's been rumored to go. Shunk's Furniture and JT's Shaft would be bulldozed in favor of a Walgreen's. Those two businesses are long time establishments of the area and it would be a shame to see them go. Walgreen's is a very popular drug store (in case you're unaware) and would also affect Shopko quite heavily because their pharmacy is very popular. Shopko would be directly next to the new Walgreen's, if it should happen to go there. It could very well be the final nail in the coffin for Shopko which has been hurt by Wal-Mart and Target here. And that would truly be a shame for me, because Shopko is probably the store I shop at the most, and I know I'll really miss it (and it happens to be two blocks away!!!).

The one thing I am truly happy to know is that Perkin's will finally be here in town. It's probably one of my favorite sit-down style restaurants and it's going in where Timbercreek used to be (actually, the Timbercreek building is being completely renovated into a Perkin's). Perkin's is a restaurant we always seemed to go to on our family vacations and trips to Wisconsin. They always have great food and finally we'll have one in Marquette.