Cub Foods is Now Closing Another Store in Minnesota

Another familiar grocery store aisle is about to go dark in Minnesota. Cub just announced it's closing one of its many locations here in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. But will it be closed for good?

It's one of Minnesota's more popular brands, but Cub said it made the unpopular decision to close this grocery store location here in the Bold North, effective immediately. But, it likely *won't* be a permanent closure.

Cub is another one of those true Minnesota companies. It was founded in Stillwater, Minnesota in 1968 and still retains its corporate headquarters there. Its familiar name (which used to be 'Cub Foods,' but is now just 'Cub,' by the way) actually has a hidden meaning.

I'd always just figured that the name 'Cub' was a reference to the abundant wildlife that also calls Minnesota home. That's not a bad guess, seeing as the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says that between 13,000 and 18,000 black bears currently make their home here in Minnesota. So cubs ARE somewhat familiar here.

SEE ALSO: This Popular Chain is Also Closing Another Location in MN

But that's not what 'Cub' means, however. According to Grocery.com, the 'cub' in Cub Foods is instead an acronym or abbreviation for the phrase 'Consumers United for Buying,' which likely refers to Cub having been one of the first whole discount food stores in the U.S.

The Cub Foods chain has been the property of several different owners but is currently a wholly-owned subsidiary of UNFI (United Natural Foods). The store finder page on the Cub website says there are currently 106 Cub food stores here in Minnesota, along with one location in Rockford, Illinois.

However, there will soon be one less location, as Cub has confirmed that it will close its Uptown location on Lagoon Avenue in Minneapolis. Axios Twin Cities reporter Audrey Kennedy noted on X that the store confirmed the temporary closing in a sign on its store window, noting:

"We are temporarily closing our Cub Uptown store as it undergoes some needed repairs and other proactive measures. The decision was made to ensure we can provide the same high-quality and high-value shopping experience that Cub customers have come to know and respect."

The sign noted that while this Cub store location's closing is only temporary, we don't know when it will reopen. The sign said Cub will update the community, 'once they have more information.' Kennedy's X post also noted that she experienced some unsettling behavior at that location the last time she shopped there.

While this closing apparently isn't permanent, Cub *did* permanently close its Brooklyn Park South location last November. But Cub also expanded its footprint last year in other parts of Minnesota; it constructed and opened a new Cub foods store in Rochester, Minnesota's third-largest city, in May 2024.

While Cub is certainly a popular brand here in the Gopher State, how does it rank compared to other grocery store chains across the country? Keep scrolling to take a look at the Most Popular Grocery Store Chains in the U.S.

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