Former Country Markett in East Lansing may get new use

The East Lansing Planning Commission will soon hold a hearing to consider allowing a Bagger Dave's restaurant to open in a portion of the vacant East Lansing building that used to house Country Markett. The building has been unoccupied since 2007.

According to excerpts from the story:

Bagger Dave's Legendary Burger Tavern is being proposed to occupy a portion of the former Country Markett building in the Brookfield Plaza at the corner of Grand River and Hagadorn Road.

The East Lansing Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to consider a site plan and special use permit from Krieger Associates Architects, LLC for vacant space at 1367 E. Grand River.

Country Markett closed on New Year's Eve 2007, and since then there was a failed grass roots effort to attract Trader Joe's to the site, and the East Lansing Food Co-op eyed the building, but decided against relocating from its site on Northwind Drive in Meridian Township.The proposed restaurant is planned to occupy about 4,500 square feet of the former grocer's 20,000 square-foot space.

If approved, the East Lansing restaurant -- which would serve alcohol -- would be the fifth in Michigan, after locations in Ann Arbor, Berkley, Novi and Brighton. The property is zoned B-2, Retail Sales Business District.The menu features many Michigan-made products, from the ground turkey for the chili and burgers to the Alpena-grown potatoes for their fresh-cut fries to the Koeze Cream-Nut peanut butter from Grand Rapids to the Detroit-baked buns in three styles -- plain, sesame and honey wheat.

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