Prominent family-owned Peoria shopping center has been sold

The Metro Centre, which opened 52 years ago on North University Street, has been sold, according to now former owner Eric Brinker.

Brinker’s grandfather Marvin Goodman opened the shopping center in 1972 and it has been family owned and operated ever since.

The 166,290-square-foot complex has been anchored by local businesses for years and has been one of the city’s healthier shopping centers.

“After 52 wonderful years, the time came for our family to make the decision to sell the Metro Centre,” Brinker said in a statement. “We are excited to see Metro thrive under new ownership for many years to come. We are incredibly proud of what we have built, the relationships we’ve established and the friendships we’ve formed with our tenants over the years.”