MARSHALL — Marshall’s Market Street Mall has a new owner and there are plans for new businesses to open at the property. This week, Cal’s Motor Group lawn mowers, UTVs and other outdoor equipment were seen lined up near the former Hallmark store location on the east end of the mall.
Dan Karevig said he plans to expand his business, Cal’s Motor Group, in Marshall. Karevig said he hopes to purchase the Market Street Mall property this summer and open a Marshall location for Cal’s Motor Group soon.
“Marshall has always been a town that always seems to be growing.” Kalevig said. “I thought it was a great place to start a business.” He said he sees mall real estate as an opportunity for expansion.
Kal’s Motor Group has not yet opened an official store in Marshall, but Kallevig said some of its inventory, including golf carts, lawn mowers and snow blowers, is in operation.
Kal’s Motor Group is based in Wadena and sells automobiles through Kal’s Kars and golf carts, ATVs, ice houses and more through Kal’s Motorsports. Mr. Kalevig’s father founded Cal’s in his 1975 year and the business has been in the family ever since.
“I grew up in the car business and the motorsports business.” Kalevig said. As an adult, Dan worked in manufacturing, but several years ago purchased Cal’s from his brother, John Karevig.
Karevig said he plans to use the mall building for Cal’s Motor Group. However, this business does not occupy the entire mall. Karevig said he will keep the mall’s current tenants and look for new tenants.
“It would be great if we could add more tenants.” Kalevig said. He said he would also like to have some kind of food court at the mall.
Moving into a mall also means doing some construction work to the building. Kalevig said he would probably start small. “And don’t attack everything at once.”
Kallevig said the plan is for Kal’s Motor Group to eventually sell everything from vehicles to motorsports equipment to ice fishing shacks at its Marshall location. Kal’s Motor Group also has outdoor power equipment and construction equipment.
Market Street Mall, which opened in the mid-1970s as Marshall Square Shopping Center, has lost retail tenants over the past two decades. By 2021, Morris was the last retail store in the building. Other current tenants include the U.S. Department of Agriculture Service Center and the offices of the Southwest West Central Service Cooperative.
In 2015, the former owners of the mall property had proposed redeveloping the building into a strip mall surrounded by additional commercial space. However, that proposal never moved forward.
EDA Director Lauren Deutz said the Marshall Economic Development Authority will complete a site analysis and redevelopment plan for the mall in 2022 and is working with the bank that owns the property to find a buyer. But Kalevig worked directly with the bank to acquire the mall, she said.
“While we were not involved in that process, we will now assist Dan in attracting additional tenants to the property.” Deuts said.