The year 1968 is often regarded as a turning point in American history. In Minnesota, it marked the opening of Minneapolis’ Nicollet Mall, the iconic, closed-to-traffic outdoor shopping and office venue. It also was the year Vice President and former Minnesota Sen. Hubert Humphrey ran for president after securing the Democratic nomination over Minnesota Senator Eugene McCarthy. And Stillwater-based brothers Charles and Jack Hooley, brother-in-law Robert Thueson and friend and business partner Culver Davis Jr. founded Cub Foods.
To commemorate this landmark year, Cub, a division of Supervalu, will have a month-long celebration during September.
“Cub has been Minnesota’s hometown grocer for multiple generations, and we wanted to find a special way to celebrate our anniversary and thank the community for their support,” said Brian Audette, Cub president. “Over the past 45 years, our employees helped to make Cub a grocery leader and our more than 5,000 current employees continue that great tradition of service and excellence in our stores today.”
Throughout September, Cub will give away gift cards and other prizes totaling more than $100,000. Each day Sept. 1-Sept. 28 at each Cub store, one customer will be awarded a surprise, instant-win $45 store gift card. Winners will be selected at random and notified daily during the promotion.
Cub also is inviting local residents to submit via Facebook a photo or video representing their favorite Cub moment or why they love Cub for a chance to win a year’s worth of free groceries valued at $4,500 in the form of Cub gift cards.
Cub is kicking off its anniversary celebration at the Minnesota State Fair on Labor Day with special events planned at Carousel Park, including a best bagger competition featuring local team mascots T.C. Bear (Minnesota Twins), Goldy Gopher (University of Minnesota) and Mudonna (St. Paul Saints) as well as participants from the crowd. There also will be autograph sessions with former Twins first-baseman Gene Larkin and former Vikings defensive-end “Benchwarmer Bob” Lurtsema, music by the Midwest band Mud Dogs and meet-and-greets with local growers.
Cub also will make an announcement regarding the Minnesota Vikings Kick for Cash event and there will be presentations to the Minnesota Military Appreciation Fund and to Cub from Second Harvest Heartland of its 2013 Hunger Action Hero green award for donating more than 7 million pounds of fresh food and for Cub’s ongoing support of the organization’s hunger-relief efforts with time, funds and expertise.
Cub was one of the first discount food stores in the U.S. The name “CUB” originally stood for Consumers United for Buying to represent the cooperative nature of the store’s pricing structure. Among its many innovations, Cub was one of the first grocery retailers to implement checkout conveyor belt systems.
Cub was acquired by Supervalu in 1980 with five stores and has since expanded to 67 stores.
Additional information about Cub’s 45th anniversary celebration, including contest rules, can be found online at cub.com or facebook.com/cub.
