Last updated on November 25th, 2020 at 12:32 pm
Coborn’s Inc. has planned the grand reopening of three newly remodeled locations in its chain of 28 Coborn’s stores. The company recently completed significant updates at locations in New Prague, Clearwater and Sauk Rapids, Minnesota.
The grand openings will include several events to celebrate each location’s newly remodeled Coborn’s. New Prague will host a ribbon cutting at 4 p.m. and grand reopening events on Wednesday, March 4. Clearwater will host a ribbon cutting at 4 p.m. and grand reopening events on Thursday, March 5, and Sauk Rapids will host a ribbon cutting at 4 p.m. on Friday, March 6, with grand reopening events scheduled that day and throughout the weekend.
The remodeled stores now offer new, enhanced services, an expanded assortment of products and a fresh, enlarged perimeter with fresh departments and new updated décor. In Sauk Rapids and New Prague, a new Popcorn Shoppe has been added. In Clearwater, a new Caribou Coffee recently opened, complete with a drive-through. In Sauk Rapids, the first Central Minnesota Gate City Bank location also has opened, offering in-store banking and free ATM service.
During the grand reopening events, various samplings will occur throughout the stores as well as numerous other events that each location has planned.
With these stores completed, the company now has updated 10 of its locations to its new, next-generation format. The company first introduced the updated concept in its Coborn’s division of stores when it opened Coborn’s Marketplace in Isanti, Minnesota, in 2016. Since then, the company has remodeled seven other Coborn’s stores in Minnesota to this format, with all the greater St. Cloud area Coborn’s stores now updated to the new look. The company also recently announced a new store to be built in Otsego, Minnesota, in 2020.
Some features of the newly remodeled stores include:
- The Kitchen: This new centerpiece area will serve made-to-order entrees that are packaged in-store for easy pick-up and quick at-home preparation. Specialty pizzas, sandwiches and other grab-and-go breakfast, lunch and dinner options are just a few of the items available, in addition to Kabar Sushi.
- Chop Shoppe: This new service will allow guests the opportunity to save time by getting their fresh fruits and veggies cut before they leave the store. The Chop Shoppe also produces a variety of freshly-squeezed juices, which are available to purchase.
- Online shopping: Guests can place their order online by visiting Coborns.com or by shopping on any mobile or desktop device and have their order waiting for them for pickup at a designated timeslot they’ve chosen at the store. As more and more consumers are looking to save time, the online shopping service is becoming more and more popular.
- Unique Items in the grocery aisles: expanded craft pop, sparkling waters, ultra-premium water and teas; high-end mixers; special hot sauce section and the addition of several new salsas and premium barbecue sauces; larger olive oil selection; larger snacking selection; larger variety of ethnic foods; a growing assortment of Four Brothers affordable specialty items, a line that pays tribute to the third-generation of Coborn brothers who led the company to significant growth; enhanced vitamin and adult nutrition items; candy section with a variety of offerings; integrated natural and organic items.
- Popcorn Shop: Sauk Rapids and New Prague stores will feature a brand-new Popcorn Shop with fresh-popped popcorn in a variety of flavors.
- Caribou Coffee: At all three locations, an in-store Caribou Coffee Shop allows guests the opportunity to enjoy a warm or cool beverage while shopping, or in the comfort of a coffee shop environment.
- New Offerings in Meat and Seafood:In addition to the already wide selection of quality fresh meat products, several new items have been introduced, including a variety of smoked meats, Greater Omaha 1881 Certified Hereford Beef products, an expanded seafood selection and more.
Coborn’s in Sauk Rapids is led by Store Director Mike Paulsrud. The Clearwater location is led by Store Director Kristine Holthusen and the New Prague location is led by Store Director Matt Mies. All three have served the company in store leadership positions for several years.
St. Cloud, Minnesota-based Coborn’s Inc. is a 99-year-old employee-owned grocery retailer with nearly 9,300 employees and 60 grocery stores across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin under the Coborn’s, Cash Wise Foods, Marketplace Foods and Hornbacher’s banners. Coborn’s Inc. also owns liquor, video and pharmacy locations.
To support its 130 various retail business units, Coborn’s Inc. operates its own central bakery, dry cleaning facility and grocery distribution center.
