Lunds Set to Open in Downtown Minneapolis

Lund Food Holdings Inc. expects this month to open a new Lunds grocery store in downtown Minneapolis, seven years after purchasing the site for the store.

A grand opening is scheduled for June 14 for the 20,000-square-foot supermarket and an adjoining 4,100-square-foot liquor store in a historic building at 1201 Hennepin Ave.

After considering several different plans, including a multilevel store, Lunds decided on a single-level market that required a 10,000-square-foot addition to the 100-year-old structure. The building will also offer 15,500 square feet of office space for lease on the second and third floors. The store will be Lund’s smallest location; the grocer’s average supermarket is about 40,000 square feet.

More than seven years in the making, the new Lunds store reportedly will follow the urban model set by its 26,000-square-foot store at University Avenue and Central Avenue in northeast Minneapolis, which opened in 2006. The full-service grocery store will have an emphasis on prepared foods for grab-and-go customers.

Lunds said its new store "will bring convenience, expertise and quality to the residents and work force of downtown Minneapolis." The store will feature "an impressive selection of foods produced locally and sourced from around the world, including dry-aged beef, sustainable seafood and an impressive selection of prepared foods." Additional amenities will include a Caribou Coffee and floral arrangements from Bachman’s.

The new store will also feature USDA-certified organic produce, as well as a wide variety of locally grown produce. "This new store will proudly display a banner announcing the company’s Minnesota Grown Retailer of the Year award from the state’s Department of Agriculture," the company said of the award, which it recently received for its commitment to partner with and promote Minnesota growers.

The grocery store is housed in a building constructed in 1912 by the Reno Motor Co. Floor-to-ceiling windows that once showcased shiny new vehicles will now show off delicious food offerings.

“We know many of those in downtown Minneapolis have been waiting a long time for the opportunity to shop at a full-service grocery store without having to leave the area. That wait will soon be over,” said Tres Lund, chairman and CEO of Lund Food Holdings Inc. “Whether you live, work, or play in the downtown area, we hope you’ll take time to visit us.”

As part of an effort to reduce the store’s environmental impact, Lunds Hennepin Avenue is creating an on-site rain garden, using recycled materials in the construction process and installing more energy-efficient lighting and refrigeration systems. Also, two of the approximately 80 free parking stalls on-site will feature electric car charging stations for plug-in-hybrid vehicles. As a result of these efforts, Lunds is in the process of applying for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification.

Lunds Wines & Spirits will feature a representation of new- and old-world wine producing countries, including Argentina, New Zealand and Italy. The wines and spirits shop will also include a tasting bar, walk-in cold beer vault and a microbrews room with rows of craft beers, many from Minnesota.

The wines and spirits shop, previously known as the Sturr-Bullard Motor Co. building, was built in 1914 and served as a showroom for Nash and Ford vehicles. Large carved oak panels, once admired while showcasing new Ford Model Ts, will continue to adorn the ceiling due to extensive restoration and preservation efforts.

“There’s a rich history to these buildings, and we’re looking forward to preserving their retail heritage while providing today’s urban residents and workers with a shopping experience that’s second to none,” said Brian Kopp, general manager of Lunds Hennepin Avenue.

The grand opening celebration will continue after June 14 with complimentary samples, food demonstrations, giveaways and special appearances.

The grocery store will be open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to midnight. The wines and spirits shop will be open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Lunds also plans to open two additional Lunds stores within the next three years. The first store will be part of The Promenade of Wayzata, a new five-block multi-use development being built on the site of the former Wayzata Bay Center in lower Wayzata. This 17,000-square-foot-store will complement the existing Wayzata store by providing residents with food services not offered at the current Wayzata store because of space limitations. This Lunds is expected to open by spring of 2014.

The second Lunds will open in the future Penfield development at 10th and Minnesota streets in downtown St. Paul. It will be part of a new multilevel housing development, with Lunds on the ground level. Lunds is currently in the process of creating a design plan and timeline for this future store.

Meanwhile, Texas-based Whole Foods Market plans to open a store nearby in fall 2013, in addition to other area locations in the works. Whole Foods recently opened its fourth Twin Cities-area store in April at a location just a few blocks from a Byerly’s store in Edina.

Lund Food Holdings operates 10 Lunds stores and 11 Byerly’s markets in Minnesota, most located in or around the Twin Cities.