When the mall concept arrived in Rice Lake in the mid-1970’s, taking three of the four “big boxes”, the downtown merchants refused to concede defeat. With the help of a Business Improvement District and the Main Street Association, downtown has transformed itself into specialty shops and professional businesses creating a viable place to shop and do business.
Joining Cedar Mall on the south side have been K-mart, Wal-mart, Shopko, Office Max, Farm and Fleet and many others, along with a number of smaller shops and several restaurants, making that area the new shopping mecca. The south access, Highway O, is now lined with businesses such as Menards, Applebee's, Super Walmart, Link Brothers Motors and other businesses including service, retail and restaurants surrounding the interchange. That, in turn, has brought thousands of new shoppers to the city, aiding the changing downtown as well.
A new Rice Lake Business Park opened on the north side in 2003 and the city also has a CedarSide Technology Park on the south side now being developed. That facility is adjacent to the WITC Campus and UW-Barron County Campus.
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