VIDEO: Outlets Will be Boost to the Region

Following a tour of the Merrimack Premium Outlets on Thursday, Town Council Chairman Tom Mahon said the opening of the open air shopping mall will be a boost for the town of Merrimack, but the rest of the region is bound to benefit from the people who will come to town for some of the best shopping in the area.

"The recognition of Merrimack as a destination, is a piece of it,” Mahon said in terms of what he's looking forward to.

Most people breeze through Merrimack on their way to or from somewhere else, Mahon said, but the Outlets will give people a reason to stop in town as well as a reason simply to travel to it.

The Outlets, are nearing completion as builders busy themselves putting the final touches on the exterior of the buildings and around the expansive courtyards, while construction teams for the merchants are busily building out their various retail spaces.

Merrimack Premium Outlets Manager Elaine Devine lead a small contingent of people, including Congressman Frank Guinta Thursday, pointing out where some of the stores will be located and showing the area of the food court where indoor and outdoor seating will be available along with an outdoor fire pit and a children's play area nearby.

Devine said the project was designed to reflect the character of New Hampshire in its architecture, pointing out that the awnings over the walkways look similar to New Hampshire's covered bridges, among other touches.

The $100,000 million project is being done in at least two phases, the first of which is the one nearing completion. The second phase includes the possibility to build out to make room for several more stores and building a couple hotels and restaurants on a pad near the entrance to the property.

Another tract of land between the entrance to the property and the entrance to the mall is currently being discussed at the planning board level. The Thurloe Kensington Corp., who acquired the land from the Merrimack Premium Outlets parent company Simon Property Group, is seeking to A drive up bank, and one building that houses a drive-thru coffee shop, a sandwich shop and another to be determined restaurant.

Mahon said the nearing completion of the Outlets appears to already be having an effect with a number of plans in the works for new jobs, including the recent announcement that from the mall at 40 Continental Boulevard. Another restaurateur is pursuing construction of a Dunkin' Donuts across from the mall on Continental Boulevard.

Merrimack can now be known for its beer, its high-tech jobs and its shopping, Mahon said. And he thinks Merrimack won' be the only one to feel the positive ripple effects.

“It's a boost for the whole region, too. It doesn't affect just us,” Mahon said.