Franklin Aldi closed until mid-April

Remodel will remake store with wider aisles, more fresh foods, and more refrigerated products
by Tesha M. Christensen

TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Finding it hard to get to the grocery store since the Franklin Aldi’s closed? Get free delivery via Instacart, Aldi’s grocery delivery service.

Look for an updated Aldi at 1311 E. Franklin Ave. in mid-April.
The Franklin Aldi store closed on Jan. 28, 2019 for an extensive remodeling that will make the store over into one similar to the new Aldi that opened in the former Rainbow Foods at 2912 28th Ave. S. It will feature wider aisles, more refrigerated items and a wider selection of fresh foods.
“The new store layout will provide an improved in-store experience and features additional refrigeration space to accommodate even more fresh, healthy and convenient products,” according to Matt Lilla, Aldi’s Faribault division vice president. 
Compared to last year, 20 percent of the Aldi product selection is new — and the company isn’t finished.  In all, the company’s national growth plan calls for increasing its fresh food selection by 40 percent with many organic, convenient and easy-to-prepare options. 
With that model, Aldi hopes to double its sales again over the next five years.
The Franklin Aldi is one of 28 Aldi stores being remodeled and expanded in the Minneapolis-St. Paul and the surrounding metropolitan area in 2019. In all, Aldi is investing $1.9 billion to remodel more than 1,300 U.S. ALDI stores by the end of 2020. 
The remodeled store at Franklin will bump the size of the store floor from 10,000 to 13,000 square feet of sales floor space. 
Aldi buildings feature open ceilings, natural lighting and environmentally-friendly construction materials. There are only four or five aisles, and every Aldi has a similar layout.
“This is a significant investment in our stores, but it’s really an investment in our shoppers,” remarked Lilla. “We’re evolving to meet their changing tastes and needs.”
He added, “As one of the fastest-growing retailers with a long history in the U.S., we’re confident in our current business model. We’re always looking for ways to innovate but we don’t get distracted by what’s happening across the industry. We’re focused on providing people with outstanding value on quality food and products.”
Aldi caters to shoppers who are pressed for time and money.
“We pioneered a model that gives people more of both,” observed Lilla. “Our shopping experience is designed to make life easier for people and to offer high-quality food at affordable prices.”
SHINGOBEE PROJECT
The project is being managed by Shingobee, a nationally-acclaimed commercial construction and development company. With two offices located in Minnesota, Shingobee operates throughout the upper Midwest. It was founded in 1980 by Gae Veit, a Native American woman who retired in 2007. In September 2018, the Loretto-based company returned to its roots as a woman-led construction company when industry veteran and 14-year employee Nancy Samson became its new owner, president and CEO. She previously worked as the CFO and corporate secretary/treasurer.
Recent Shingobee projects include a Courtyard by Marriott hotel in St. Louis Park, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Woodbury, the Gardner School in Edina, and Crisp and Green in Dinkytown.
Shingobee Project manager Shane Johnson said they appreciate the business they get from Aldi. “Each project has its own set of challenges and it is rewarding at the end,” Johnson observed.
Food resources
• Messiah Lutheran/Community Bridge, 2400 Park Ave. S., 612-746-4108 or 612-871-8831. Tuesdays, noon: Free hot meal following community Bible study. It is not required to attend the Bible study, but the food will be served at noon and go quickly. Thursdays, noon: free hot meals except on holidays. Food shelf: second Fridays and fourth Saturdays, 8-11 a.m. 
• Community Emergency Services, 1900 11th Ave., 612-870-1125. Food shelf, Monday-Thursday; people start lining up at 10:30 a.m. Meals on Wheels, weekdays, noon: free hot lunch meal delivery service available to ages 60+ or people with limited mobility.
• MN Food Helpline, 1-800-936-1154, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Calls connect residents with resources like SNAP, food shelves, farmers markers, meal programs and discount grocery programs.
• Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors (NAPS), 651-484-8241 or 800-365-0270, box of nutritious food each month to eligible low-income seniors, 60 years and over. Boxes are distributed at many locations; call Second Harvest for more information about eligibility, applications, and delivery sites.
• Help at Your Door is a nonprofit offering a grocery delivery service for elderly and people with disabilities; people can use a printable product catalog to order food via phone or online. The service is available on a sliding scale from $5-$35 with a minimum order of $40. Participants can use EBT to pay for groceries, unless people get cash benefits on their EBT card. In the 55404 zip code, people would get called on Wednesday or Thursday for their order and then have groceries delivered the following Tuesday. More info at https://helpatyourdoor.org/services/,  (651) 642-1892.
• Fare for All is an organization that purchases fresh produce and frozen meat in bulk from wholesalers and manufactures, and then pre-packs the produce and meat into affordable food packages that range in price from $10-$30. It then sells the packages at delivery sites once a month. Cash, credit, debit and SNAP accepted; anyone is able to participate. No pre-payment or pre-registration required. Pricing and package details available at https://fareforall.org/pricing/. There is a current Fare For All pick-up site at Open Arms of MN, located .6 miles away from the Aldi  at 2500 Bloomington Ave S (https://fareforall.org/directory/listing/minneapolis-little-earth-of-united-tribes-2). Winter/spring schedule for the Open Arms site is Friday from 1-3 p.m. on March 22 and April 19.  
• Minneapolis’ staple foods ordinance (SFO) is a local law that requires grocery stores – including most corner stores, gas stations, and pharmacies – to stock nutritious foods in six basic categories (dairy/dairy alternatives, animal and vegetable proteins, fruits and vegetables, 100% juice, whole grains, and beans/peas/lentils). There are several stores located near Aldi and stocked most or all of the required staple foods when last inspected (summer 2018).

Article printed in the March 2019 edition of The Alley Newspaper.

Updated Aldi opens

by Tesha M. Christensen

Tesha M. Christensen
Despite opening a second Aldi in the neighborhood along Lake St., the company does not plan to close the Aldi a few blocks away at the Hi-Lake Shopping Center, according to the owner of both buildings.

The former Rainbow Foods at 2912 28th Ave. S. has been transformed into a brand new Aldi with wider aisles, more refrigerated items and a wider selection of fresh foods.
“We are thrilled,” stated site developer David Wellington of Wellington Management, Inc. “Aldi is a world class grocer that is unparalleled in delivering high-quality food at a premier value. Their new, bigger store looks great in the space, and we think this updated format and layout is going to be great for the retail center and the neighborhood.”
According to Wellington, Aldi plans to continue operating the store nearby at the Hi-Lake Shopping Center in another building managed by Wellington. “We know of no plans to close it,” he said. 
Aldi is in the process of revamping its stores, but was not able to redo the store at 2100 E. Lake St. because “the building footprint, access, and layout were not conducive to the significant modification that was required,” stated Wellington.
Aldi is part of a second phase for redeveloping the site. There is additional retail space for lease next to the grocery store.
The first phase was the 19,600-square-foot, second-story addition built on the back side of the building for the K-8 Universal Academy Charter School.
The third phase will include 110 units of affordable housing for seniors and 15,000 square feet of retail space on the ground level. The construction of this mixed-use building on the northwest corner of the parking lot is behind schedule as Wellington Management works to put the financial pieces together to make it affordable. 
The Rainbow site, Cub land and Target property together represent the second largest piece of continuous asphalt in the city of Minneapolis, pointed out Wellington. They have worked to align their project with the the city’s plans for greater density in the area due to the nearby lightrail line.
“We appreciate the neighborhold’s collective patience as we’ve worked through the challenging redevelopment,” stated Wellington. “We are excited about the next few years for the site and think the future is bright for the area.”

Article printed in the February 2019 edition of The Alley newspaper.

Aldi will open in former Rainbow Foods site later this year

Charter school building complete; focus shifts to grocery store and retail as part two of redevelopment phase

By TESHA M. CHRISTENSEN
Aldi will open in the former Rainbow Foods space at 2912 28th Ave. S. in November or December.
The grocery store is part of a second phase for redeveloping the site.
During the first phase of Minnehaha Commons, Universal Academy Charter School used a section of the former grocery store during the 2017-18 school year while a 19,600-square-foot second-story addition for classroom space was built on the back side of the building. To accommodate the addition, a single-family home on the property was torn down. The addition was completed over the summer and Universal Academy moved into the new addition at the start of the 2018-19 school year.
Wellington has now shifted focus to the front of the building near the parking lot.
“We are excited to renovate a tired building and bring new life and energy to this block,” stated Wellington Management Director of Acquisitions and Development David Wellington. “After sitting vacant for several years, the project will once again be an amenity to the neighborhood by bringing jobs, a successful school, and neighborhood-serving retail to the Longfellow community.”
Renovation underway
Built in 1984, Rainbow Foods closed in 2014 after the store was purchased by Jerry’s Enterprises as part of a 27-store deal that reshaped the Twin Cities grocery scene. The building and 6-acre lot were purchased by Wellington Management Company two years later for $5.35 million, according to Hennepin County records. This is Wellington’s first foray into developing property on the east side of Hiawatha. The Minnehaha Commons project continues the efforts of Wellington that began more than a decade ago with projects such as Hi-Lake Shopping Center, the Greenway Office Building, Corridor Flats, Lake Street Station, and the Blue Line Flats.
Photo left: Work is now underway renovating the west side of the former Rainbow Foods building for Aldi and the adjacent retail. The entire west facade will be replaced. Various pedestrian improvements will be made adjacent to the new retail entrances including new sidewalks, a raised pedestrian crossing connecting Aldi to the parking lot, plantings and bike racks. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)
The total project cost, including acquisition, phase one (Universal Academy expansion) and phase two (Aldi/retail renovation) is approximately $18 million. This does not include additional tenant improvements being made by Aldi and future retail tenants.
Wellington does not own Schooner Tavern, just north of the Rainbow building at 2901 27th Ave. S. and it is not part of this project.
Work is now underway renovating the west side of the Rainbow building for Aldi and the adjacent retail. The entire west facade will be replaced. Various pedestrian improvements will be made adjacent to the new retail entrances including new sidewalks, a raised pedestrian crossing connecting Aldi to the parking lot, plantings and bike racks.
Taken together, the Rainbow site, Cub land, and Target property represent the second largest piece of continuous asphalt in the city of Minneapolis, pointed out Wellington. The city’s plans for the area call for greater density due to the light rail line, which Wellington Management has focused on providing as it redevelops the area.
Phase 3: affordable housing
Stage three includes the construction of a mixed-use building on the northwest corner of the parking lot. It will have 90 units of affordable housing for seniors, and 15,000 square feet of retail space on the ground level. This portion of the project is behind schedule as Wellington Management works to put the financial pieces together to make it affordable.
“We are working diligently to secure public financing sources needed to build the affordable housing project,” said Wellington. “We are hopeful that Phase 3 construction can begin in late 2019, but it’s more likely to start in early 2020.”
Photo right: Universal Academy Charter School moved into a 19,600-square-foot second-story addition built on the back side of the building in time for classes to begin for the 2018-19 school year. (Photo submitted)
Wellington Management tried to purchase the Auto Zone property at the corner of E. Lake and Minnehaha, but the property owners were not interested in selling. So they signed a long-term agreement with Wendy’s to remain there for 20 years, and the building was given a facelift.
Wellington also plans to construct a single-story 3,500-square-foot retail building in the existing parking lot area not being used by Wendy’s along Minnehaha.
Will Aldi close existing store?
Aldi has not confirmed whether it will move out of the existing store at 2100 E. Lake St. or whether it will keep it open, according to Wellington.
With more than 1,800 stores across the country, Aldi is in the midst of an accelerated growth plan, investing more than $5 billion to remodel and expand its store count to 2,500 by the end of 2022. Aldi is more than halfway through its remodel investment. The new Aldi store layout features additional refrigeration space to accommodate more fresh, healthy and convenient products.
“The continued success of our store expansion and remodel initiatives has given us the opportunity to carefully select and introduce new products that satisfy our customers’ increasing preferences for fresh items, including organic meats, salad bowls, sliced fruits, and gourmet cheeses,” said Jason Hart, CEO of Aldi U.S. “We know people lead busy lives, so we’re making it even easier for them to purchase everything on their shopping list at Aldi, while still saving money.”
As part of the expansion, Aldi is increasing its fresh food selection by 40 percent with new items, including:
• More ready-to-cook and organic fresh meats to make meal preparation more convenient, including organic chicken breasts and marinated cilantro lime chicken breasts.
• Expanded produce selection, including veggie noodles and ready-to-eat sliced fruits, such as mango, pineapple, and watermelon spears, and more organics.
• Expanding its Earth Grown line with new vegan and vegetarian options, such as kale and quinoa crunch burgers, and chickenless patties and tenders.
More than 40 million customers each month use the simple, streamlined approach Aldi brings to retailing. Aldi sells frequently purchased grocery and household items, primarily under its exclusive brands.