A rare event these days: A new department store opened in the Twin Cities

Von Maur opened quietly in Rosedale Center on Monday, becoming the first department store chain to add a new location in the Twin Cities since 2015.

The Davenport, Iowa-based retailer will have a grand opening for the store on Saturday.

Von Maur Chief Executive Jim von Maur said the company has waited nearly 20 years to get a store in the east metro. He was outbid in the late 1990s for the space in Rosedale that eventually went to Herberger's.

"It was frustrating that we could serve the west side of the Twin Cities but have no presence in the east," he said. "We're very happy to be in Roseville now. It's a wonderful part of the Twin Cities."

The store, which is two stories and 130,000 square feet in size, joins the location in Eden Prairie Center that Von Maur opened in 2001.

When Von Maur announced its new store two years ago, Rosedale embarked on a major renovation that includes upgraded finishes, lighting, seating areas and additional retail space near Von Maur. The remodeling is nearly complete but several new stores are yet to open.

Bon-Ton, the parent company of Herberger's, also completed an extensive remodeling of Herberger's after Von Maur announced its plans. It was completed a year ago, but Bon-Ton closed all of its stores in August due to bankruptcy.

Von Maur positions itself somewhere between Macy's and Nordstrom. It sells apparel and accessories for women, men and children, but does not offer bedding or very many home accessories.

"I love Von Maur," said Mona Dougherty of Roseville as she shopped Tuesday. "I've been watching and waiting, brick by brick, for this store to open."

Although discount department stores such as Target and Kohl's have opened far more stores than they have closed, the Twin Cities has lost many higher-end department stores in the last six years, including Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's and several Macy's stores.

Still, analysts say that, when done right, luxury retail is an asset. "I think Von Maur will be a destination and a key tenant," said Sanford Stein, a Twin Cities-based retail trend forecaster and author. "There's still a place for upscale department store retail, even more of a place than we might expect."

The last department store to open in the metro was Nordstrom, which opened a location in Ridgedale in 2015.

John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633