Marketplace planned for northwest side building

A former Menard’s store at 8365 N. 76th Street on Milwaukee’s northwest side will reopen this weekend as the Mil-Town Marketplace, described as a “shopper-tainment” experience.
The 100,000 square foot building has been divided into a multi-tenant marketplace, which its operators say will be a shopping experience unlike anything else in the Milwaukee area.
“We’re filling (the space) with a new retail concept – part 7 Mile Fair, part big box store,” said Michael Short, co-owner and operator of the market.
The Mil-Town Market will feature multiple vendors, in spaces ranging from 100 square feet to several thousand square feet. It will feature new startup businesses, small retailers and existing retail chains who wish to open a closeout or clearance location, Short said.
Vendors will sell new overstock, closeout and discontinued items, and some booths will feature rummage and gently used items. The marketplace will also feature several food vendors and live music.
When it opens this weekend, the Mil-Town Market will occupy about 22,000 square feet of the building’s space and will feature about 100 retailers. The market will be open Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
While the Mil-Town Marketplace will open in a fraction of the available space, its operators are confident that it will expand significantly in the near future.
“We’re actively talking with several midsize stores such as clothing, electronics and mattress stores,” he said. It appears that we have tapped into something that there is an appetite for. Now it’s a matter of bringing it to life.”
The former Mendard’s store also features an 18-acre parking lot. Free parking will be available for Mil-Town Marketplace – and a portion will also be used for U-Sell Auto, the first for sale by owner auto marketplace in Wisconsin.
For a $25 fee, vehicle owners will be able to park their vehicles on the lot on Saturday and Sunday. A U-Sell Auto worker will also assist sellers with the sale process, Short said.
“This is a convenient, public spot with a lot of foot traffic volume,” he said.
The Mil-Town Market is a separate project from the Asian market that Pai Yang, Tou Vang and Thai Vang plan to establish at 6300 N. 76th St. They plan to establish the Asian marketplace in an existing 13,940-square-foot building on the 3-acre site and with a proposed new two-story, 69,888-square-foot building. That business will operate similar to a mini markets mall. Ten-foot by 10-foot stalls will be divided up in the buildings and will be leased to vendors, which will be charged a monthly fee. The existing building will have 65 stalls and the new building will have 375 stalls. The new building will also have a food court with 4 coffee houses and 8 restaurants.

Sign up for the BizTimes email newsletter

Stay up-to-date on the people, companies and issues that impact business in Milwaukee and Southeast Wisconsin

What's New

BizPeople

Sponsored Content

BIZEXPO | EARLY BIRD PRICING | REGISTER BY APRIL 15TH & SAVE

Stay up-to-date with our free email newsletter

Keep up with the issues, companies and people that matter most to business in the Milwaukee metro area.

By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy.

No, thank you.
BizTimes Milwaukee