GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Downtown Green Bay welcomed another new business Friday afternoon. It’s the latest in a series of recent openings after several storefronts emptied at the start of summer.
When longtime Reader’s Loft employee Amy Mazzariello recently purchased the business, she knew she wanted to move it from Bellevue to downtown Green Bay.
“This just seemed like a good fit because of everything that goes on,” said Mazzariello.
Now operating as the Lion’s Mouth Bookstore, on the first floor of the City Deck Landing Apartments, Mazzariello tells FOX 11 business in the first two weeks is better than she expected.
“Having our Reader’s Loft customers coming in and then having all these new customers coming in, it’s just been really great.”
“This is part of the plan is to create a downtown where there is something for everyone,” said Jeff Mirkes, Downtown Green Bay, Inc Executive Director. “A business like this that is open beyond 5 pm adds vibrancy, open until 8 pm.”
Businesses like Polito’s Pizza, Cover 2 Sports Bar, and Fox Heights recently closed on Washington Street. However, it didn’t take long for Diamond’s American Diner, Black Saddle Tavern, and Brow Beauty Bar to move in and start picking up the slack.
“So quite a few of the vacancies that appeared in early summer are already filled, which is great,” said Mirkes.
One of the recent vacancies that remain is the old Children’s Museum.
Mirkes tells FOX 11 there is serious interest in the space, and the interested party will be touring it next week.
“Retail is the most likely (use). That is not what is looking at it at this point and time, but it’s still so early in the planning that I can’t really disclose at this time what is looking at it.”
Mirkes hopes the new businesses like Lion’s Mouth, will help show this is the area to be.
“It’s fun to be at a point where we’re celebrating now more than ever before.”
