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By Christmas, Superior residents and others traveling along U.S. Highways 2 and 53 could have a new grocery store from which to buy their holiday dinner.
At least that’s the goal, said Patrick Miner of Miner’s Inc. The company is building a new 59,000-square-foot Super One Foods store in Superior’s East End, between 22nd and 23rd avenues East.
Company officials also are working to bring other retailers to the almost 20,500 square feet of retail rental space planned for the new store facing East Second Street.
Miner said that while the company is talking to people about leasing the space, they are not ready to talk about the businesses that could co-exist in the building because they have not secured tenants yet.
Still, the excitement about the new store drew dozens of people, including numerous East End business owners, to the official groundbreaking last week. Many in attendance said they’re hopeful the new store will draw attention to the small, neighborhood business district along East Fifth Street, which could get a boost from the $10 million investment that’s expected to draw 18,000 additional vehicles to the area.
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Mayor Bruce Hagen said Super One Foods is expected to draw about 14,000 cars a week, and another 4,000 per week would be drawn to the additional retail space.
“It’s a great turnout for this project that has been very long in the making for the city of Superior,” Hagen said. “I’m sure this is going to help immensely with the East End Business District and the revitalization. … I want to thank the Miners for their investment again in Superior.”
The grocer has operated stores in Superior for about 30 years, first opening in the building that now serves as the Superior Public Library at Tower and Belknap, before building its store at 1515 Oakes Ave.
The company later purchased the former Jubilee stores and continues to operate those stores in the Belknap Plaza and in the East End Business District.
The new, larger store will replace the current operation at East Fifth Street and 22nd Avenue East.
The city is planning infrastructure improvements to bolster the project, including new traffic signals at 22nd Avenue East and East Second Street to sidewalk and street improvements on 22nd and 23rd avenues East planned for next year. Port and Planning Director Jason Serck said the improvements will complement the prominent new building facing the highway through town.
“Overall, the city will be putting in $700,000 to $800,000 into the project,” Serck said.
The project has been 3½ years in the making, with 27 property owners selling their homes and a business. The final parcel for the project was secured in September, with the house being donated to Western Lake Superior Habitat for Humanity and moved to the North End neighborhood.
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