Lunds & Byerlys announces closure of downtown St. Paul grocery store

The Lunds & Byerlys location in downtown St. Paul will shutter later this month, the company announced Friday.

The store said the planned March 26 closure is a “difficult, yet necessary” decision. It faced significant staffing and financial challenges during its five years in existence, according to a statement from the corporate office.

“It’s a decision we didn’t want to make, but one we needed to make given the significant staffing and financial challenges we’ve experienced over the past five years,” the store said in a statement.

The store’s operating costs outpaced sales, making it no longer financially sustainable, the statement said. The store experienced declining foot traffic and increased security costs.

In 2022, officials say, an arsonist set the store on fire causing extensive damage. The store underwent costly repairs to reopen the store, the statement says.

The statement said harassment, shoplifting and vandalism have made it difficult to retain employees and managers.

“With regard to staffing, it has been difficult to retain our exceptional team members — including store leadership — given the many incidents the store team experiences at this location. The incidents have ranged from shoplifting and harassment to vandalism and arson,” the statement said.

Lunds & Byerlys said it will partner with the city and landlord to keep store equipment and infrastructure in place for a future grocery store.

The local chain has more than 25 stores across the Twin Cities metro area.

• Appetites: St. Paul chef re-opens restaurant after fire — and adds surprises to the menu
• Minneapolis, St. Paul join lawsuit against president over immigration enforcement
• ‘It’s completely draining’: Rising food prices causing continued stress in Minnesota, nationwide