Strip Mall Thriving In Highland Park
HIGHLAND PARK (WWJ) - Look around Detroit and you don't have to look far to see plenty of vacant store fronts. Businesses say they're being driven out by high rent and low foot traffic.
In Highland Park, however, there's been a ribbon cutting on a new Dollar Tree store located in a popular strip mall. WWJ's Vickie Thomas reports that the developer has been having no problem filling the store fronts, located at the Shops of Woodward Place on the old Sears site.
Developers of the relatively new strip mall recently held a ribbon-cutting to celebrate the opening of the Dollar Tree store. "I'm excited. It's a good time for it to be here," said one woman who attended the store's grand opening.
With the grand opening, the mall is nearly 100 percent occupied. "We are thrilled. We are 97 percent occupied now, which is a great number in this economically tough time, said Michael Curis, the developer. "We're thrilled for the city of Highland Park because we've created lots of jobs ... created a tax base and created a beautiful redevelopment here."
Curis says, the secret to success is quality of construction, tenants and management.
