Cub Foods store to close in St. Paul’s Midway neighborhood

The Cub Foods store in St. Paul’s Midway neighborhood is set to close next month, according to a release from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

The store at 1440 University Ave. W. will close its doors to the public on Aug. 2, and 96 store employees will be laid off starting on Sept. 22.

In a statement, a Cub spokesperson said the closure is part of an effort to “optimize our footprint.”

“We know the impact our stores have for the people who work in, shop in, and live in our communities. Like any food retailer, we’re constantly working to optimize our footprint, which includes investing in stores – like our newly remodeled Cub in Burnsville, MN – as well as closing stores where necessary so we can operate as efficiently and effectively as possible,” the company said.

All of the Midway store’s pharmacy prescription files will be transferred 4 miles away to the Cub Pharmacy at 1201 Larpenteur Ave. W. in Roseville.

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1189, which represents 84 of the 96 employees who will be laid off, said it will “do everything within our power to protect the rights and livelihoods of our members during this transition.”

Union president Adam Evenstad said most of the employees covered under the collective bargaining agreement have layoff protections, and many union members are entitled to severance pay. He added that UFCW Local 1189 is also looking into placing union members at other stores within its network.

“We’ve fought hard to build contract protections that offer a safety net in moments like this,” Evenstad said. “We will enforce those provisions and fight for equitable placement and compensation for every single affected worker.”

This store closure is the latest for the ailing shopping center on University Avenue just east of Allianz Field.

When Cub closes its doors, three big-box retail spaces will be vacant, including the At Home that replaced what used to be a Walmart and the long-shuttered Herberger’s department store. A TJ Maxx in that strip mall also closed in 2023.

The shopping center’s property owner, Kraus-Anderson Realty Company, said Cub’s departure was “a normal part of the business” and was optimistic about a new retailer taking the grocer’s place.

“Midway Market Place is in the heart of a very densely populated market with strong household incomes,” said Jeff Hildahl, Kraus-Anderson’s executive vice president. “… Retailers that operate in this retail hub have enjoyed high sales volume stores for decades. The long-term success of both this retail hub and of Midway Market Place itself gives us confidence we can fill the space with a quality tenant.”