MARATHON CITY, WI (WSAU) — Residents of Marathon City who realize they’re out of grocery staples like bread and milk at inconvenient times have some relief on the way.
“We have a proximity to Wausau and a number of grocery stores, but we’re still ten miles away,” said Kurtz. “So when you look at that travel distance and you determine you need to get some cinnamon, that’s a little bit of a challenge.”
Village Administrator Andy Kurtz announced last week that plans for a new retail center designed to house a grocery store, hardware store, and pharmacy have come together. He says the building will reshape the city’s downtown and fill a gap in current retail offerings.
“We had a pharmacy that closed 20 years ago. We had a hardware store that closed probably within the last 7-8 years. And then our grocery store closed as part of what we had planned, but it’s taken longer to fill that gap,” he said.
The 24,500 square foot building and adjacent parking will occupy much of the city’s 400 block. The grocery store will take up 16,000 square feet, with the remaining space allocated for hardware and pharmacy.
Parking will be accessed off Main Street and 4th Street.
Kurtz says developers are not ready to reveal the names of the grocery and hardware chains that will occupy the space but did confirm that the grocery store will have full-service meat, dairy, produce, deli, and bakery departments.
A groundbreaking ceremony is planned for this spring. The building could be finished before the year is over.
