Vacant Marsh in Bloomington to become sporting goods store
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The site of a former Marsh Supermarket has long sat vacant in an area of Bloomington blossoming with new housing and steadfast with business. However, after years of confusing residents as to why the property hasn’t been snapped up, it’s poised to become a sporting goods store.
A zoning board packet broke the news that Academy Sports + Outdoors is looking to move into the 51,200-square-foot building. The proposal was approved Sept. 21, allowing the developer to sidestep a parking space clause that could have required it to remove spaces since the nature of the establishment zoning changed.
Academy Sports has 270 stores in 18 states with over 22,000 employees. It has six locations in Indiana, including one in Westfield that also was the site of a former Marsh.
“Academy will expand on Bloomington’s existing economic activity, which will resonate throughout the community,” it said in a letter to the board. “Academy looks forward to being a part of the Bloomington community.”
An Academy spokesperson told Inside INdiana Business the company did not have any further comment on the new store. They also did not provide a potential investment total or estimated staff numbers.
The building closed after the supermarket chain filed for bankruptcy in 2017. The site is owned locally but has been leased by Kroger since Marsh left town.
The property is valued at $3.4 million, according to county tax records.