Those HyVees . . . they just keep coming!

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With Eagan now open, that brings the current count to five stores, including New Hope, Oakdale, Lakeville, and Brooklyn Park.  Six sites that are either in construction or in planning include Cottage Grove, Robbinsdale, Maple Grove – two sites including 101 & 10, and Maple Grove Parkway, Savage and now Farmington.   Whew!

 

Children’s Learning Adventure in Maple Grove

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Childrens Learning Adventure has opened in Maple Grove.   This mega childcare center offers infant, preschool, afterschool and summer camp programs, and includes such activities as Imagination Island, complete with miniature shops, a science center and planetarium, a mock TV studio with video cameras, a garden, library and art studio.  The Maple Grove location is at the corner of I-494 and Bass Lake Road, taking over the site from the vacant Allygators bowling center that had been vacant there for many years.  Childrens Learning Adventure has a second location under construction in the Twin Cities in Chanhassen at Highway 5 and Galpin Road.  Stef Meyers from Mid-America represents this retailer. 

 

More HyVee News

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HyVee has now purchased 40 acres at Bass Lake Road and Highway 101 in Maple Grove at a cost of $10.6 million or almost $6.00 per square foot, per Finance & Commerce reporting.  This would give HyVee enough room for one of their 96,000 sf supermarkets, their convenience store pad site and up to 100,000 of additional retail space.   Maple Grove has given them approval to develop their store here, along with the gas station, car wash and liquor store.  No word on timing of any construction.

Just Ice – Think Twice

Rita’s Italian Ice, the world’s largest ritaiceItalian Ice brand with more than 600 stores, will welcome its newest Rita’s Café location in Bloomington in April. The company announced the testing and introduction of a new Rita’s Cafe concept earlier this spring as an exciting evolution of the brands’ beloved frozen treat offerings, which will now include fresh donuts, coffee and specialty drinks in addition to its signature Italian Ice and famous Frozen Custard. Edina locals and Minnesota area developers Angela and Adam Ailloni are proudly bringing the new cafe concept to the area — one of just five Rita’s Cafe locations in the U.S.

“Both Adam and myself are from the East Coast and have been lifelong Rita’s fans,” said Angela Ailloni. “After opening our first location in Eagan in 2014, we have seen a tremendous amount of growth in the area and we’re thrilled to continue that trend with this new and exciting Cafe offering. We can’t wait to introduce our local Rita’s fans to our expanded menu featuring fresh donuts and coffee!”

In addition to Rita’s signature Italian Ice and Frozen Custard, the Rita’s Cafe of Bloomington will feature organic, single-origin Dunn Brothers Coffee under its “Proudly Pouring” program, and its menu will include unique donut creations such as Maple Walnut and Cotton Candy Confetti, as well as create-your-own options — customizing a freshly made Vanilla Cake Donut with a variety of icings and toppings of choice. Rita’s Cafe of Bloomington will also offer new items that combine fresh donuts into frozen treats such as a Donut Blendini, and specialty beverages combining Rita’s award-winning Frozen Custard with Dunn Brothers Coffee.  Rita’s Café will also offer a full line of hot and cold coffee and espresso drinks.  The location is also planned to be Kosher through MSP Kosher supervision.

“Rita’s Cafes are an exciting new way for us to serve our guests from morning until night by offering delicious products that naturally fit within our fan-favorite frozen treats,” said Eric Taylor, chief development officer at Rita’s Italian Ice. “Angela and Adam have already done a fantastic job developing the state of Minnesota and we’re thrilled that they have chosen to bring the new cafe concept for locals to love and enjoy.”

The new Rita’s Cafe is located at the corner of France Ave. and Old Shakopee Road in the new Park Place Plaza and will feature indoor and plaza outdoor seating.

Rita’s locations in Minnesota are in Eagan, Valleyfair, Stillwater, and Maple Grove.  Others are opening soon in Apple Valley and a second store in Eagan.

With more than 30 years in business, Rita’s Italian Ice has been aggressively expanding across the United States and internationally, with locations now open in Canada, the Philippines, Middle East and Caribbean.

Another Total Wine store opening in the Twin Cities

Total Wine came to the Minnesota market in 2014, totalwinephotoopening up four stores in Roseville, Burnsville, Bloomington and Woodbury.   Maple Grove followed last year in 2015.  Their sixth store is under construction in Chanhassen, and should open in this spring.  And now Eagan will see Total Wine coming to the Central Park Commons development.    This market has been very successful for Total Wine, despite a rocky start with getting the governmental approvals they needed to get some of their stores opened.  The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal quoted Ed Cooper, Total Wine’s Vice President of Public Affairs, saying “There are others (locations) out there.  I don’t know that we have finished building out our capacity in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area.   Minnesota stores are particularly well performing for us and they reinforce our decision to come to the state.”   So stay tuned!

Total Wine stores get approval in Chanhassen and Maple Grove

Total Wine & More has now gotten liquor licenses approved by Maple Grove and Chanhassen officials. The Chanhassen City Council voted 4 to 1 Monday, in favor of Total Wine and 3 to 1 last week by Maple Grove’s elected officials.

Total Wine has 117 stores in 16 states, four of which are in the Twin Cities, and another planned for Minnetonka.

To read the full article, visit the Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal.