For the third time, Hy-Vee has pushed back the opening of its Spring Lake Park store.
Hy-Vee delays Spring Lake Park store opening because of coronavirus
Construction pending on five other Twin Cities locations, but plans have not been canceled.
August 12, 2020 at 4:37AM
The West Des Moines-based supermarket chain also has no updates on the timelines for other planned Twin Cities area stores.
The 76,000-square-foot Spring Lake Park store at 8155 NE. Central Av. with a restaurant and liquor store was originally set to open late 2019. Hy-Vee then delayed the opening to spring and then late this year.
The newest opening date is spring 2021. The building's exterior is completed, but Hy-Vee is not expected to complete interior drawings until September and will then submit them to Spring Lake Park officials for approval. For now, large piles of sand rest on an undisturbed dirt floor inside.
"I've been waiting for Hy-Vee to open since last year," said Spring Lake Park resident Michael McBride as he filled his gas tank at the Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh Express next to the main store. "I'm looking forward to the restaurant, bar — and just a nicer grocery store."
A changing supermarket scene intensified by COVID-19 has more consumers ordering online and using delivery or curbside services. That has supermarkets rethinking new stores, especially larger ones.
Tina Potthoff, senior vice president of communications for Hy-Vee, said there are no updates to proposed stores in Blaine, Columbia Heights, Chaska, Farmington and West St. Paul.
"No locations have been canceled," she added, but none are under construction. The Blaine location was supposed to start construction this year with completion in 2021.
The Fast & Fresh Express convenience store and gas station in front of the main Spring Lake Park store opened late last year. Online orders for Spring Lake Park residents can be picked up at the Aisles Online kiosk located behind the convenience store. Orders are being selected from the Brooklyn Park store.
A new Hy-Vee is opening Tuesday in St. Peter. The new store in a former Shopko is about 36,000 square feet. The former Shopko pharmacy is already operating.
Hy-Vee has added 12 stores in the Twin Cities since 2015. When the St. Peter location opens next week, the grocery chain will have 274 stores in eight states.
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The governor said it may be 2027 or 2028 by the time the market catches up to demand.
