Uptown Business News – 12/07/11

Trader Joe’s may have finally found a place to locate its grocery and liquor store in the greater Uptown area. The Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal is reporting that TOLD Development is working with Trader Joe’s for a location on the southwest corner of Lyndale Avenue and 27th Street. Currently, the site is home to four buildings containing the following businesses: Art Materials, Planet Soccer, Calhoun Vacuum Supply, La Société du Thé, a self-service laundromat, the vacant Sunnyside Up Cafe, and several second floor tenants.

Trader Joe's is eyeing the 2700 block of Lyndale Avenue in greater Uptown Minneapolis for a store. These three buildings along with a fourth (not pictured) is part of the proposed site.

The article did not reveal much information on how Trader Joe’s would occupy the site and whether any buildings would be reused. It quoted Council Member Meg Tuthill identifying parking as a potential issue, citing the Excelsior & Grand location as problematic. Whether the issue there was a lack of convenient parking or the horrid navigation within the lot, was not clear.

In my analysis, I believe that the liquor store will be located at the corner of 27th and Lyndale, as spacing requirements between liquor stores may make part of the site ineligible for a liquor store. If that’s the case, the grocery store would likely be located further south on the site. Interestingly, this is one of the only sites in the greater Uptown area that can obtain a new liquor store. That limitation stopped Trader Joe’s from pursuing a store at 22nd and Lyndale just south of the Wedge Co-op.

A number of hurdles still remain for the business and TOLD, including seeking their land use approvals for the building and site as well as seeking approval of their off-sale liquor license. Both of those items are likely to be approved if the plans generally conform to the code, which from my perspective shouldn’t be too hard. Rather, it will be whether or not a competing liquor store can find a location and obtain a license before Trader Joe’s can and box them out of the market. Wouldn’t that be something.

In other news, Matt Lewis reported on Twitter that Infinitea is closing its Uptown location at 28th and Hennepin on Christmas eve. Bummer as they had great tea.