The rumour mill is alive and well in Sault Ste. Marie as ongoing developments at the Station Mall's former Sears outlet have sparked the obvious question: Is a new tenant moving in?
A Monday morning social media post made by the mall’s Facebook administrator teases that locals are “in for a surprise.”
“Something exciting is happening at Station Mall!” the post reads. “If you've noticed the blocked-off area in the parking lot near the old Sears location, you're in for a surprise. Big changes are underway. Stay tuned for more updates!”
For the past several weeks, construction crews have been working in and around the building, with lots of attention focused on the rooftop. The parking lot to the side of the former Sears store is also completely blocked off.
Closed since October 2017, Sears was in operation at the Station Mall for 43 years.
Cushman and Wakefield, an international company providing global real estate services, has been the property manager for Station Mall for nearly a year now.
As SooToday first reported last July, the property was sold to a Markham-based company for $30-million ($12-million in cash, and an $18-million mortgage to be paid back to the seller, Algoma Central Corporation).
It is not known if construction is making way for one or more tenants to operate inside the two-storey building.
SooToday is awaiting comment from Station Mall marketing coordinator Jesús Beltran-Ruiz for more information on the contruction and potential tenants.
Meanwhile, Station Mall Merchants Association board member Rodger Rosset — who is also co-owner of Savoy’s Jewellers — confirmed their group will be gathering for their annual general members meeting this evening.
Rosset says he’s heard loads of rumours about what could be going into the former Sears, and he’s hoping the association receives more information tonight on what’s happening there.
“We’re an association that makes decisions on how we should market the mall,” he says. “As far as decisions about who comes, who goes, that’s not us. Until the deals are signed, they don’t say a word.”
SooToday will update this story as more information becomes available.