Mariner Retail & Business Center Looks to the Future

Shopping center encouraging manufacturing, office, and warehouse businesses to fill vacancies

SUPERIOR, Wis. – The Mariner Mall in Superior is no longer a mall but a retail and business center.

As stores to continue to close across the country and in the Twin Ports, the one-time shopping center is making the transition into an office and manufacturing space.

The Mariner Retail and Business Center has been moving in a new direction for the last four or five years. Staff believe the new model is the way their new direction for the last four or five years.

“This mall I almost have to say fortunately had this problem quite a few years ago and they at least realized that there’s more than just stores that can go into it,” said Cindy Fennessey, owner of New Horizons Children’s Center Superior, a Mariner tenant.

The halls of the business center were once filled with retail stores and shoppers.

Now, building officials hope to fill the vacant spaces with new kinds of businesses.

“We’re focusing on office space, on light manufacturing, warehouse, that type of thing,” said property manager Suzyn Cragin.

In the last year, Younkers closed and Ravin Crossbows moved.

Now, fifteen-year tenant Diamond Royal Tack has announced it’s leaving the Mariner in March.

“Stores in general are shifting more to a boutique style store where it’s a little harder to work where there’s not as much walk through traffic,” said Diamond Royal Tack manager, Amanda Crist.

Current center occupants tell us the building always seems to bounce back.

“There’s been times when we thought it was worse than this and it rebounded so we think it’s possible it still will,” said Senior Advantage owner, Adam Gundry.

The future of the space will likely include things like call centers and warehouses.

Cindy Fennessey says the Mariner has been perfect for her child care center.

“I’ve loved every minute that I’ve been here,” said Fennessey. “They’re very accommodating, I love all the parking.”

She hopes more businesses will start filling vacancies.

“And then there’s always the possibility of having other clients for me because people have to work those jobs and why not have childcare right next to where you work?” said Fennessey.

Building owners have no plans to close the Mariner and believe the space, if used properly, has a lot of potential.

“We’re right in the center of the city, there’s a lot of amenities around us, it’s easy to get to, the lease rates are very, very low or comparable to every other place in town,” said Cragin.

Center officials are now working with the City of Superior to re-zone the property with the hope of attracting light manufacturing companies to move in to vacant spaces.