The final location of the beloved grocery chain, Cooper's Foods, will soon close for good after serving the St. Paul, Minnesota community for over a century.
This closure follows the 2017 shutdown of the Cooper's Foods store in Highland Park, which was replaced by an Aldi store in 2019.
Cooper's Foods Closing Final Store After 100 Years
The last remaining Cooper's Foods store, a staple in the St. Paul community, is set to close its doors on June 27, according to spokesperson Sara Cooper during an interview with ABC News affiliate KSTP.
According to The U.S. Sun, Sara Cooper expressed deep regret in a Facebook post on May 19, announcing the closure of their family's final grocery store. She noted the honor her family felt in serving the West 7th community since 1992. No specific reason was provided for the closure of the store, which has been in operation since 1917.
The announcement comes shortly after the Cooper family closed their Chaska location in March, ending its 107-year run due to the financial challenges faced by the elderly owners, Gary and Sandy Cooper.
With the store's closure, residents will find it difficult to locate fresh produce nearby, as the closest alternatives, including a Trader Joe's, are about 1.5 miles away.
St. Paul City Council Member Rebecca Noecker expressed her disappointment about the loss of the vital grocery chain and emphasized the importance of maintaining local retail options. She mentioned that the city's economic development team is poised to help ensure that the area continues to thrive and meet the community's needs.
In February, Gary Cooper cited competition from big-box retailers as a significant factor affecting sales at their Chaska store, which contributed to its closure.
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Future Uncertain for Cooper's Final Location
In a recent interview, Cooper opted not to predict what will happen to the final location of Cooper's Foods, even though customers and employees were quite sure on Wednesday that the store would be revamped as a grocery catering to the Asian community, as Yahoo Finance noted.
"Somebody purchased the building and it's their decision what they do with it," Cooper stated, keeping details scarce.
The building in question, constructed in 1950 and covering 18,000 square feet, is accompanied by a parking lot with 47 spaces. As of Wednesday, the certificate of real estate value, which is required for the sale or transfer of significant properties and includes details of the buyer and seller, had not been made available by the Minnesota Department of Revenue.
The original Cooper's Foods store in Highland Park closed down in 2017 and was taken over by an Aldi store two years later.
According to Pioneer Press, St. Paul's Sibley Plaza shopping center in Highland Park has a new tenant, Aldi, which replaced Cooper's Foods after it closed last October, ending a 20-year tenure.
John Kohler, VP of Development and Construction for Paster Properties, noted there wasn't a signed lease yet but plans were in place. Aldi, known for its budget-friendly pricing, competes with low-cost chains like Walmart, appealing to diverse, cost-conscious consumers.
The fate of Cooper's last store remains uncertain, despite its storied history of five generations serving the community, as confirmed by Pioneer Press.
The store has a rich history, with five generations of the Cooper family having served customers from its shelves along West Seventh Street.
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