Midway Cub Foods store in St. Paul slated for closure

Midway Cub Food announces it will close

St. Paul will lose another grocery store after the Cub Foods in the Midway neighborhood announced it will close in less than two weeks.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Cub Foods store at Midway Marketplace in St. Paul is slated to close this year, according to state filings.

Midway Cub Foods to close

What we know:

In a WARN notice filed on Monday, Cub announced the Midway store off University Avenue near Snelling Avenue would close to the public on Aug. 2. The shutdown will affect 96 workers at the store.

The WARN notice, which is a filing required by the state anytime a company conducts a large layoff, did not specify the exact reasons behind the closure.

What they're saying:

In a statement, a UNFI spokesperson said the decision to close the store came after leaders evaluated all options for the location.

The statement reads:

"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.

"After carefully evaluating all options, we plan to close the Cub Midway store located at 1440 University Ave West within 60 days. Pharmacy prescription files will be transferred to the Cub Pharmacy in Roseville at 1201 Larpenteur Ave W.

"We greatly appreciate the contributions of our Cub Midway team, and we are committed to supporting everyone through this transition. It has been a pleasure serving the community and our local customers, and we look forward to continuing to serve them from our nearby store locations."

A statement provided on behalf of Mayor Melvin Carter says in part:

We are saddened by Cub’s decision to close its Midway store — a longtime community resource. We recognize there have been real challenges at this location, shaped by a range of dynamics that extend beyond the store’s walls."

Midway struggles

What's next:

The closure leaves one grocery store left at the Midway plaza, the Midway Target. There is an Aldi store not far from the plaza and several local grocers in the neighborhood.

The backstory:

In 2019, the Walmart at Midway closed, which the company blamed on several factors, including store performance. The former Walmart location was later turned into an At Home store, which has also since closed.

Last year, community members pushed the city to take more action to combat problems with drugs and crime in the Midway neighborhood, particularly in the area of University and Snelling.