Holt Plaza

Northeast Corner of Holt and Aurelius Roads

Status: Still Standing / Open

Opened: 1966

Architect: Unknown

The Holt Plaza was developed by William Thorburn of Mason, Myron Ballard of Marshall, and Robert Holmes of Marshall, on 17 acres of land they purchased in 1961. A sign was placed by Thorburn announcing the “Holt Shopping Plaza” at the corner of Holt Road and Aurelius Road. The three men had no experience in development. Thorburn enrolled in a course at Michigan State University on “management and development of shopping centers.” By 1962, the three men secured a mortgage from a Grand Rapids banking firm. They next sought to line up a key tenant - a chain store or supermarket. The Lansing-based supermarket Schmidt’s Supermarket became the first tenant to sign on and one of the longest lasting. By early 1965, eleven stores and a gas station signed on to leases.

Delhi Township issued the building permit in January 1966, valued at $350,000. The ultimate cost of construction was fifty percent over the estimated cost. Construction commenced in November 1965 and by March 1967 the complex was mostly complete. The grand opening was held in April 1967.

The founding tenants were Schmidt’s Supermarket, D&C 5 cent to $5.00 Store, Herb’s Enco Service Station, Kwast Bakeries, Highlander Laundromat, Lavender ‘n Lace Style Shop, Bob Peterson’s Barber Shop, Sprague’s Salon of Hair Design, State Farm Insurance Claim Office, and Watkins Shoes for the Family.

Schmidt’s Supermarket closed in 1993 when the chain was sold to L&L’s Shop-Rite. L&L transitioned the Holt Plaza store into their branding and continued operation in the Plaza through 1998. When L&L acquired Goff Supermarket chain in 1998, L&L closed the Holt Plaza location and made the former Goff store in the Delhi Village Square Plaza the Holt L&L location. L&L Food Stores closed in 2010.

Holt Plaza was renovated and received a new façade in 2001. Additions of two new buildings were made in the former parking lot space along Aurelius Road. The initial north building was constructed around 2007. It was joined by a second building just to its south around 2013 for a Sparrow Medical Group office.

In 2008, the former gas station site on the corner of Holt Road and Aurelius Road was cleaned and developed using brownfield grant funds creating park space. Delhi Township built the triple arched path down the center of the Holt Plaza Park, which includes public art, a digital sign, and Holt’s 9/11 Memorial.