Stores, events and shoppers arriving at Pine Ridge Marketplace.
Moving in that direction, he says an art gallery has moved in, a tea shop will soon follow, and Black and White Cafe is expected to arrive in a few months.
“Excited is an understatement,” Lupo said about reviving the mall that he says has so much potential. “That’s what motivates us. I want the community to be encouraged to be involved with us. We want them to hear us, and we want to hear them.”
Lupo said as new owners, they are excited to bring Pine Ridge Marketplace to return to what it once was: a lively destination for the community to shop, dine and enjoy.
Officials expect to see growth with local, regional and national tenants.
Lighting and infrastructure are the first issues that Lupo addressed as part of a $2.5 million renovation. He replaced 2,000 lights with LED lighting and is installing new heating and cooling systems designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs. He has already improved striping in the parking lots to make them easier to navigate. Landscaping improvements are underway in the entrances and courtyard.
The Marketplace has been hosting holiday events, which have attracted attention and foot traffic. Prescott Cars & Coffee brings in car enthusiasts the fourth Saturday of each month.
“We want to see what other events the community would like,” he said. “We are already involved with blood drives, Girl Scouts, Prescott Chamber of Commerce and Priceless Proms. We’re open to anything the community wants.”
Lupo said he selected the Prescott location because he fell in love with the town. “It’s a tight-knit community. They are speaking in voices that you don’t often hear in other cities. It shows that they care. Both city hall and the residents have been very welcoming.”
Born and raised in California, Lupo has a local and national team working to improve Pine Ridge Marketplace. “It’s time to start marketing and that will be our focus for the next couple years.”
The new ownership is ZL Prescott LLC, headed by Lupo. Pine Ridge Marketplace is the only mall in Prescott for a 100-mile radius and has 600,000 square feet with 100 suites and a food court. QCBN
By Stan Bindell, QCBN
Shoppers can follow the ongoing improvements and new store announcements on the website, Instagram and Facebook.
For more information, go to
www.pineridgemarketplace.com.
Photo by Stan Bindell: The new owner is working to return vigor to the once bustling mall.
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