Article Photos

HOUGHTON - A new mini mall shopping outlet is making a home in the Copper Country, located alongside Applebee's in Houghton.

The Superior National Bank branch currently located in the Copper Country Mall will be moving to the new location along with Maurice's clothing store.

The new Superior Bank location, which is approximately 2,500 square feet, will feature a lobby open six days a week including Saturdays, two drive-thru lanes and an drive-up ATM, Judy Usitalo, vice president of human resources said.

"We wanted to be able to give people a drive-thru facility and we weren't able to do it at our other two Houghton locations, one being in the Copper Country Mall and the second being in Econo Foods," she said. "So this way we are able to provide for our customers and hopefully new customers."

Along with drive-thru windows, there will be a new drive-thru ATM, she said. Currently, none of the eight local branches, including the main branch in Hancock, have drive-up ATMs.

The new branch of the bank is expected to open sometime in August, she said, depending on when everything gets completed with the complex. The Econo Foods branch will remain open but the Copper Country Mall branch will close.

Moyle Construction had been working on the project slated to be completed in August or September, Kevin Geshel, director of real estate development.

The new mini mall, which will be approximately 14,000 to 16,000 square feet, will have five to six units to house businesses, he said.

"Superior National and Maurice's are the only two confirmed businesses," he said.

Moyle Real Estate Development and Moyle Construction have both been a part of the mini mall's development, he said.

"We've been doing these retail centers since the early 90s," he said.

Other centers include the Quincy Center in Hancock, the Sharon Center in Houghton and the Razorback Center in Houghton, to name a few.

"We've done those types of centers across the U.P." he said.

Moyle has been in business for over 30 years and started as a construction company.

"The outside of this complex will be very unique," he said.

It will be a stone structure with some interesting architectural components, he said, including a clock tower and fountain.

"We've had a little bit of inspiration looking at some of the projects we've seen in other states like Minnesota," he said.

Each entity within the facility will have its separate identity and their own look.

"It's going to be a very nice looking complex," he said.

Stacey Ashcraft can be reached at sashcraft@mininggazette.com