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You’ve been waiting for this, the grocery store that will be opening at the North Branch Market Place is County Market.
On Wednesday, March 26, Jerry’s Food of Edina, Minn., announced that
it had signed a lease with the Solomon Real Estate Group to bring this
store to North Branch.
According to Tom Thueson, vice president for Store Development
with Solomon, the 50,000 sq. ft grocery store will be a new concept
County Market similar to one opened in Hudson, Wisc. in 2007.
NB City Administrator Bridgitte Konrad said the announcement ends
months of speculation and rumors about what the grocery store would be.
In a released statement, Mayor Gloria Karsky said, “We are pleased
and delighted with the announcement and would like to welcome Jerry’s
Foods to North Branch and wish them success in their new location.”
According to Economic Development Director Tom Willett, the
announcement puts the second major piece of the North Branch Market
Place development into place.
For those of you who have been watching the progress on the
northwest corner of the I-35 intersection, you know that the four walls
of the 80,000 sq. ft. Shopko store are up and it’s looking like a
development. Shopko intends to have the store open in October 2008. NB
building official Richard Meyer said he is completing his review of
building plans for the approximately 20,000 retail building that will
be attached to the North Branch County Market building.
Solomon real Estate Group is finalizing site plans for Market Place
and NB planning director Al Cottingham hopes he will have the plans in
time to complete staff’s review by mid-April.
Also noted, by city engineer Julie Dresel, the city’s contractor
began work this week on the retaining wall which is the first step in
the construction of realigning Flink Ave. Upon completion of this
realignment, Flink Avenue will be west of the County Market building
and align with Falcon Avenue at Hwy. 95, where a new semaphored
intersection will be developed.
Solomon group vice president Steve Johnson said that three of the
13 suites in the retail building have been leased, and include Dunn
Brother’s Coffee, Papa Murphy’s and Fantastic Sam’s.
Associated Bank is providing financing for the North Branch Market
Place and Bill Miller, vice president of Commercial Banking, said he
has additional potential tenants under review.
Willett noted that although there appears to be a housing slowdown
in North Branch, the city is showing strength in commercial growth.
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