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First-Class Retail Opportunities

Shoppers from all over the region continue to take advantage of Joliet’s exciting retail opportunities. The city is spotted with shopping destinations, from neighborhood convenience centers and commercial corridors to unique lifestyle centers and a thriving downtown district.

The Joliet shopping experience continues to diversify, with both new and longstanding businesses located within various retail outlets. Major commercial corridors are discovered along Jefferson Street, Larkin Avenue, Collins Street, Essington Road, Route 30/Plainfield Road and within downtown Joliet.

The downtown district remains a leading activity center in the region, experiencing much in the way of new development and improvement projects over recent times. The resurgence of the heart of Joliet includes the incorporation of new residential spaces, expanding entertainment and cultural avenues and exceptional business opportunities. A variety of current development projects are underway in downtown Joliet, as well, bringing enhanced vitality to both businesses and visitors.

Downtown Joliet isn’t the only retail place experiencing recent revitalization efforts. The indoor Westfield Louis Joliet Mall has been a fixture on Mall Loop Drive since the 1970s. More than 100 shops and restaurants line the walls of Joliet’s largest indoor mall, positioned at I-55 and Route 30. The mall continues to adapt to keep up with the times, having invested in renovations and major additions over the last few years. In 2009, the mall unveiled its new, 14-screen Cinemark movie theater, offering first-run films in a modern, comfortable environment. Westfield Louis Joliet also added a new adjacent lifestyle center, Joliet Commons, in recent times.

O&S Holding Corporation plans to build a large-scale retail lifestyle center, the Bridge Street Town Center, which plans to break ground at the northeast corner of I-55 and I-80. This super-regional development will be comprised of approximately 1.2 million square feet of retail commercial space and will feature an old downtown look with department stores, a cinema, hotels and restaurants. The plans also call for open public areas and beautiful parkland. Construction is pending on this exciting addition to the retail landscape of Joliet.

Even in a troubled economy, Joliet is making progress. The various redevelopment projects to existing locations and new additions such as the Joliet Commons and the forthcoming Bridge Street Town Center are important aspects of economic growth in the area.

The interest in retail development in Joliet can only help local businesses, which have grown with the community—some for nearly a century. The community’s established businesses, along with many others, reap the benefits of Joliet’s status as America’s 14th fastest growing city. The Bridge Street project and Westfield Louis Joliet Mall expansion may provide extra competition for local businesses, but the creation of additional jobs and rising population will provide plenty of opportunities to go around for newcomers and longtime members of Joliet’s business community.