Temporary 'community stores' to open at Lake Street, Broadway Ave Cub locations

Cub has announced it will rebuild its Broadway Avenue and Lake Street grocery stores damaged during recent unrest in Minneapolis.

In an update Friday, a store spokesman said while the work is being done to repair the stores, "temporary community stores" will be set up at each location.

Those pop-up, 13,000-square-foot community stores will sell fresh produce, meat, dairy and over-the-counter medicines.

At the Lake Street location, contractors have been working since last week, building shelving and moving refrigeration equipment into the space. Cub is planning to have the pop-up open on Wednesday, July 6th.

A spokesperson said the company is still assessing the damage at its Broadway Avenue store and would have a temporary option in place by the end of July.

Those wanting a more traditional store option will have the chance to take a free shuttle service to an alternative Cub store in the area. Those who visit the Broadway Avenue location will be shuttled to the Cub store on 36th Avenue in Crystal and those who visit the Lake Street location will be shuttled to the Cub store on New Brighton Boulevard in Minneapolis.

The shuttles will run seven days a week, picking up customers on the hour between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

"Cub is actively involved in our communities and it is our responsibility to roll up our sleeves and find solutions to help meet the needs of our neighbors, family and friends while our Broadway and Lake Street stores are under construction," Cub CEO Mike Stigers said in a statement. "We know that even though these two stores are closed, life events, activities and special occasions continue to take place and the community needs its neighborhood grocer to be there providing access to essential food and grocery items."

Meanwhile, as the rebuilding process takes place, the Cub spokesman said there will be community input sessions held, to allow local residents the option to share ideas and suggestions for what they want the new stores to bring to the neighborhoods.

Additional information on those sessions is forthcoming, the spokesman said.

Community members, like Renee Williams, said it's a relief to learn the grocer is planning on coming back.

"Not having this grocery store here is a disservice to the community," Williams said standing outside of the boarded-up Broadway Avenue location.

She explained many people in the North Minneapolis neighborhood the stores serve have been forced to turn to food pantries and other distribution avenues for essentials.

"We don’t want things to go back to the way they were," Williams said. "We want them to be better. And in order for it to be better, the service has to be here. The people have to be here."