East Lansing lost one of its oldest shopping landmarks over winter break when Country Markett, 1367 E. Grand River Ave., closed its doors.
Robert Phipps, owner of the building, said he received a letter Monday notifying him the market was closing.
Country Markett closes, building to go up for lease
“(Country Markett) has been in business for some time,” Phipps said. “The last two owners ran it into the ground.”
Phipps said he plans on putting the building up for lease next week.
“Hopefully you can take a bad situation and make it bright,” Phipps said.
The store’s parking space and proximity to Grand River Avenue make it a prime location for another grocery store, said Tim Dempsey, East Lansing community and economic development administrator.
A higher-end grocery store like a Trader Joe’s would fit well, Dempsey said.
“Something of that caliber would be a great fit,” he said. “There’s definitely a market for that in East Lansing.”
Because the store is across the street from the East Village development, the owner is offered tax breaks, which the city implemented in 2006.
There are no businesses the city is ruling out for the area, said Jim van Ravensway, East Lansing’s department of planning and community development director.
The owner of Country Markett could not be reached for comment this weekend.
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