7-Eleven signs lease to open store on South University Avenue near U-M campus

7-Eleven plans to open on the first-floor of the 14-story high-rise at 1300 S. University Ave. when it opens this fall.

The high-rise has room for about five retail spaces, with frontage along South University and South Forest. Ann Arbor’s Colliers International is marketing the space for lease for an annual $45 per square foot.

JJ Smith, executive vice president of development and construction for Landmark property owner Campus Acquisitions, said 7-Eleven will be located adjacent to and have access from the building’s lobby.

The space, he said, is roughly 2,500 square feet. Colliers’ Jim Chaconas said 7-Eleven will bring in a franchise owner to run the store.

7-Eleven spokesperson Margaret Chabris said the franchise owner has not yet been selected and interested parties can apply on the company's website.

Regarding the remaining retail spaces at Landmark, Smith said: “We are in the process of negotiating with several other quick-serve restaurants as well.”

This will be 7-Eleven’s third location in the downtown Ann Arbor area, after two stores opened in 2011.

The first opened in January 2011 at 318 S. State St. in the 5,500-square-foot former Ritz Camera building. The second opened in August 2011 at 704 S. Main St., just south of downtown.

The international convenience store chain, which has more than 44,000 outlets in 16 countries, has been expanding throughout all of Michigan in recent years.

Chris Benne, a 7-Eleven real estate manager, said the company is targeting Ann Arbor in particular because of the “population and the (University of Michigan).”

Chabris said 7-Eleven is interested in finding more sites in the Washtenaw County area.