It's time for an update!

Hello fellow readers! Sorry for the delay in posts! The retail scene has really slowed down regarding announcements in Duluth and elsewhere in my life things have picked up pace! But don't worry, I'll always make some time to post! So here is what is new!

The Gold Guys have completed their move to their new space in the Miller Hill Mall (as of a few weeks ago). Their new space is located next to Old Navy in the space that formerly housed Knight's Formalwear. It's good news for The Gold Guys as it means business is doing well and it also means that we finally are home to their new prototype store that debuted a few months ago at the Mall of America.

Noodles and Company's construction is going strong (although it may not look that way from the outside). The inside work is moving along quite quickly as it needs to being they are shooting still for an end of the summer opening.

The former Blockbuster space on Central Entrance is becoming the new home for an Auto Zone location. The space which became available back in the end of March when Blockbuster closed will receive a $300,000 renovation to update and configure the space to suit the needs of Auto Zone. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the chain auto store, picture Car X, Discount Tire and Advanced Auto Parts all coming together into one store and that's basically what Auto Zone is. It's another auto shop for an area that is already filled with them and it will be conveniently placed directly across from it's competition too (Advanced Auto Parts). Let's hope this ends with the success of all of the stores and not the closure of the weakest.

And yes, sadly due to the strictness of the city and the local opposition of neighbors, the plans for the ZMC Hampton Inn and Suites on the corner of Joshua Avenue and Maple Grove Road has been scraped. Even though the developers were willing to work with the residents to create a buffer between the development and use lights that would emit low amounts of light, the neighbors, along with the city, still did not feel comfortable with the development. So feeling their opposition, the developers chose to not pursue the plans for the development and scrap their plans all together. Sad news from the area and even worse news for the city of Duluth when it comes to the image people have of it not being welcoming to businesses. Hopefully ZMC can find another suitable site in the area, but as of right now their plans seem to stop at the Joshua site. Even worse, it was revealed that the development also would have included a well known national restaurant.