Menards eyes Canadian border town

Menards plans to open a new superstore in Port Huron, Mich., putting the home-improvement retailer right on the U.S.-Canadian border, according to an article in the Times Herald. 

The Port Huron Area School District is selling the Wisconsin-based retailer a former middle school property for $3.4 million; the deal is expected to close in November. 

The new store will be built as a 240,000 sq. ft. unit, according to the real estate broker for the school district. He added that the company anticipates serving Canadian as well as U.S. customers. “[Menards] believes strongly in the Canadian traffic coming over the (Blue Water Bridge),” said Steve DeLacey. 

Some of the issues that still need to be resolved are the environmental impact of the store, rezoning the property and working with the Michigan Department of Transportation because of the site's proximity to the expressway.