Superior Street Mercantile (SSM) opened its doors to customers on December 31, 2021. The vision of a local food market in the heart of our Albion community was the brainchild of partners/owners Shaheen Development of Saginaw and ACE Investment Properties of Albion.

The building housing SSM at 217 S. Superior Street was acquired by the Albion Reinvestment Corp (ARC) in 2019 as part of the non-profit’s commitment to support redevelopment along the downtown corridor of Albion.

ARC was also a key driver in the development of the Courtyard by Marriott, now located on Superior Street. As this significant addition to downtown was completed in 2018, it was clear that the view of a dilapidated liquor store across the street would not help draw customers to our community. At that time, ARC worked to purchase SSM’s future home with the vision to support future development.

The SSM team worked with Driven Design of Battle Creek to create a physical space that would bring the vision of a local food market to life. They were tasked with designing a modern and warm space that was inviting, fresh and intriguing to the customers’ eye.

We believe that Cody Newman and his team at Driven Design met the challenge, transforming a once broken, dark, and disorganized space into a light, bright and welcoming space that captures all that is special about local markets.

Joe Verbeke, the Managing Partner of ACE Investment Properties and ACE Real Estate Services, was the project manager. In conjunction with MD Construction, he secured the space while building out the area just as we had imagined. Nine months of hard but satisfying work brought the space from uneven floors and a leaky roof to the space you see today — a state-of-the-art commercial space that will stand the test of time.

Then came the big day. With the transfer of the liquor license complete, the fixtures assembled and the coolers installed, the wines selected and the shelves stocked with merchandise, the doors opened on December 31, 2021.  Since then, we have welcomed new and returning customers daily. Some are shopping for a weeknight dinner while others are choosing our wares for special celebrations. Many who enter the space cannot believe they are in downtown Albion, as the designs speak more to what you may find in Ann Arbor, Lansing, or Kalamazoo.

We are proud of the work that’s been done, and we know that the journey has just begun. Building the space, while difficult, was the easy part. Now comes the mission of providing value by fulfilling the needs and wants of the community members and all other stakeholders. This will be an ongoing journey. Excellence at Superior Street Mercantile will be an aspirational goal.

The Superior Experience is… 

• Being welcomed by a knowledgeable and friendly staff
• An organized and clean space
• A variety of fresh, local, and high-quality products

We believe by fulfilling our commitment to the Superior Experience, all stakeholders are participants in building a better Albion.

We may never be perfect, and we will never stop trying.