Now Open: NTY Clothing Exchange

Posted on July 22, 2014 by

Allison Kaplan of Mpls + St. Paul Magazine reports that the founder of Clothes Mentor has opened a new resale store aimed at teens. NTY Clothing Exchange in Minnetonka focuses on trendy apparel for girls and guys from popular brands including American Eagle, Juicy Couture, Steve Madden, Lucky Brand, and True Religion.

The store at Ridge Square, across the street from Ridgedale Center, is well organized and the assortment is deep, including shoes, jewelry, and bags. Kaplan writes that “it feels a lot like that other teen resale retailer, Plato’s Closet, which is not a surprise, considering NTY founders Ron Olson and his son Chad Olson used to work for the company that built Plato’s Closet, along with resale brands Play It Again Sports and Once Upon a Child.”

The Olsons are treating the Minnetonka store as a pilot as they prepare to open NTY stores around the country.

Posted in Minnetonka

Downtown Minneapolis Office Depot closing

Posted on July 22, 2014 by

MSPBJ reports that Office Depot is closing its downtown Minneapolis location on Sept. 6, the company confirmed in an e-mail.

The office supply store had for 15 years occupied 24,000 square feet of space on City Center’s first floor, facing Nicollet Mall.

For office supplies, downtown residents and companies will still have nearby Target, as well as a new, fancy and bigger Walgreen’s store that’s planned for across the stree t in the space that will be vacated by Saks Off 5th come January.

Posted in Minneapolis

Nine Rainbow stores closed

Posted on July 22, 2014 by

Pioneer Press reports that nine suburban Rainbow supermarkets will close permanently today as owner Roundy’s makes a quick exit from the Twin Cities market.

The nine stores were the leftovers from a deal announced in May, when a group of buyers purchased 18 other Rainbow locations and turned most of them into Cub Foods or Byerly’s stores. Nine Rainbow stores were not part of that deal, and efforts to sell them to other grocers didn’t keep them from closing down.

Rainbow supermarkets will be closing in Cottage Grove, Shoreview, Inver Grove Heights, Apple Valley, Blaine, Bloomington, Coon Rapids, Maple Grove and Savage. Continue reading →

Posted in Apple Valley, Blaine, Bloomington, Cottage Grove, Inver Grove Heights, Maple Grove, Savage

Cottage Grove Rainbow Foods closing its doors next week

Posted on July 17, 2014 by

South Washington County Bulletin reports that Rainbow Foods in Cottage Grove is closing next week, the company confirmed Monday, giving local grocery shoppers one less retail option beginning Tuesday, July 22.

The Cottage Grove store is one of 18 in the state either closing or being sold following a mass exit of Rainbow Foods owner Roundy’s from the Minnesota market.

Many of the Rainbow Foods across the Twin Cities will become Cub Foods, including Eagan (Town Centre Drive), Oakdale (10th Street North), Roseville (Larpenteur Avenue) and St. Paul (Arcade Street). Woodbury’s store (Valley Creek Plaza) will be converted to a Byerly’s.

The Rainbow Foods in Maplewood (White Bear Avenue) will remain as is.

Posted in Cottage Grove

Three Rooms Returns

Posted on July 17, 2014 by

Allison Kaplan of Mpls + St. Paul Magazine reports that just months after closing at Galleria, Three Rooms will re-open in part of the Durr Ltd. building at 44th and France on the border of Edina and Minneapolis. It should be a nice compliment to Brightwater Clothing & Gear, which occupies the other half of the main floor.

Three Rooms announced the move by placing its longtime store mascot: Madison, the ceramic dog (nose rubbed off from years of pawing by kids), in the window. Three Rooms will continue to offer its colorful, cottage inspired assortment of home accessories, art and gifts, including many of its most popular lines.

Three Rooms expects to open by the end of August at 4388 France Ave. S., Edina.

Posted in Minneapolis

Coming Soon to Minneapolis

Posted on July 17, 2014 by

Southwest Journal reports on the following upcoming store openings in Minneapolis:

  • G-Werx Training Studio is filling the former Urban Tri space at 50th & Bryant with 10 patented workout machines. Owner Phil Martens, weight machine inventor and owner of 501 Fit in the North Loop, said his fitness studio survived the recession and is ready for expansion. Martens’ machine features interchangeable free weight dumbbells and a foldable bench. His gym is designed to provide personal training in small-group settings to allow customers an affordable training regimen — Martens said it’s roughly one-fifth the cost of one-on-one training. A grand opening party is set for Aug. 1, 5-9 p.m. at the studio.
  • The Mathnasium franchise is headed to 5315 Lyndale Ave. S. in September, boasting dramatically improved test scores for participating students. Franchisee Bobby Tarnowski explained that instructors work with up to four students at a time in grades 1-12. Tarnowski said the Los Angeles-based program is designed to teach “number-sense,” rather than memorization or computation tricks. Participants typically jump ahead two or three grade levels in math skills, he said, and improve test scores within six months.
  • Life Love Healing Wellness Center,specializing in relationship, premarital and family therapy, is now open at 4810 Nicollet Ave. South.The location also offers massage by Llonna Burbidge. Therapist Leslie Root said she assesses clients’ “Love IQs” and core beliefs to help them foster healthy relationships and kick unhealthy forms of love and love addiction.
Posted in Minneapolis

Restaurant Openings & Closings

Posted on July 17, 2014 by

Eater reports on the following happenings in the Twin Cities food scene:

  • Libertine, the concept from chef Tim McKee, owned by Parasole welcomed its first official guests this week. The restaurant replaces Uptown Cafeteria at Calhoun Square in Uptown, and the kitchen is primed with chef Steve Hesse leading the charge. Hesse and McKee have worked together previously on successful projects like Masu Sushi & Robata in Northeast and at the Mall of America.
  • Buffalo Wild Wings at 12 Civic Center Plaza in Mankato will shutter on August 14, at the end of a 20-year franchise agreement. The owner may have plans to open another location nearby, but nothing is definite yet.
  • Sushi restaurant Socal House has shuttered in Uptown. Apparently, the building’s landlord terminated the lease after nine years. Social House opened in 2012 but was preceded by Fusion and Zeno,; all were owned by the same management group.
  • The Eagle Street Grille team will open The Salt Cellar, an upscale steak-and-seafood restaurant with an emphasis on classic service and menu items— from cocktails to entree— on the corner of Western and Selby in St. Paul. Look for it to open in October.
Posted in Mankato, St. Paul, Uptown