Minnesota restaurant group expands during pandemic

At a time when many restaurants are closing during the pandemic, one group is actually expanding.

This April, Nova Restaurant Group plans to open a new restaurant, Hazelwood Food and Drink, in St. Louis Park.

In March, the group plans to remodel and reopen another restaurant in Tonka Bay.

Pat Woodring, with Nova Restaurant Group, said the pandemic won’t stop their expansion plans.

"We never wavered," Woodring said. "We decided to continue with the project. That’s how we are, that’s who we are, part of our culture, our thinking and just plow ahead, period."

Nova Restaurant Group owns seven restaurants in the Twin Cities and Rochester.