BUTTE - The new owners of the Butte Plaza Mall are expected to announce next month or early July that a major retailer will be locating here. This is just one of many developments that economic leaders in Butte say are happening along the Harrison Avenue business corridor.

“I see a lot of companies coming into Butte that years ago probably wouldn’t have thought of coming in,” said Jim Woy, the Chair of the Harrison Avenue Urban Revitalization District Board.

The Harrison Avenue Urban Revitalization board learned recently that Dickerhoof Properties, which purchased the mall last year, should be ready to announce this summer what grocery store will be located there. The developer plans to demolish the former Herberger’s store on the north side of the mall to make way for the new grocery store.

They also plan to convert the current mall into a strip mall-style plaza.

“It’s so important, it’s off-the-charts important for our community because it’s been a thing that I think our community has focused on as a negative for us, the mall is not where it should be, it should be more vibrant, there should be more going on there, well, it’s coming,” said Butte Community Development Director Karen Byrnes.

Also coming to Harrison Avenue is a new Tractor Supply Co. store on a 7-acre property at the corner of Harrison and Elizabeth Warren Avenue. The home improvement and ranching supply store has more than 2,200 stores across the country and will be located at a busy intersection.

“It’s one of the most highly coveted corners in terms of traffic counts and retail corridor to have that developed is huge,” said Byrnes.

Development continues at the Cornerstone Plaza on South Harrison Avenue, which will include a Chick-fil-A restaurant, a Chipotle restaurant, a Planet Fitness and other businesses.

“There’s the domino effect as we land one important, new business to Butte, the next one is on the doorstep,” said Woy.