St. Cloud Area Grocery Stores; Revisited… Coborn’s and More
This is the first installment of a look back at the history of grocery stores in the St. Cloud area. To help examine this I was joined by local historians Jim Grabinski and John Decker.
Coborn's Grocery has been a staple among grocery stores for more than 100 years in the St. Cloud area. Chester Coborn opened a produce market on Broadway Avenue in Sauk Rapids in 1912. Chester then opened the first Coborn's grocery store in Sauk Rapids in 1921 and closed the other store. In 1929 Chester's sons Chester Jr. and Duke took over the business. In 1936 Coborn's entered the meat business and added a walk-in cooler across the street from the original Coborn's building. Hardware Hank in Sauk Rapids is in the location where the first Coborn's grocery once was.
In 1959 Duke's 4 sons took over the business after he passed away. Coborn's started to expand in 1963 when they purchased the Red Owl Store in Foley and changed it's name to Coborn's. That same year Coborn's opened their 5th Avenue location in St. Cloud. At that point they had 3 locations. The Coborn's Superstore we know today was built in 1974 in Sauk Rapids. Coborn's purchased the Piggly Wiggly grocery store location in Centennial plaza in St. Cloud in 1974. Coborn's added another grocery store in Sartell in 1978 and added a store in Clearwater in 1979. The first Cashwise Foods location opened in Waite Park in 1982. The first Little Dukes convenience store opened in northwest St. Cloud in 1986. Coborn's closed their 5th Avenue location in St. Cloud in 2007 and opened their Cooper Avenue store that same year. As of today Coborn's Inc. operates over 50 stores in 6 states and employs approximately 9,400 people.
Piggly Wiggly had a downtown St. Cloud location where Starbucks is currently located. Jim Grabinski says there was also a Piggly Wiggly in Centennial Plaza and they had a 3rd store in the strip mall by Westside Liquor in Waite Park.
Karl's Supermarket was located at 402 East St. Germain Street across from St. Cloud National Bank in the 1950's - 1990's. Sanitary Market started on St. Germain Street and then moved to 7th Avenue South across from the Court House parking lot.
Super Value existed in St. Cloud on the 1st base side of the Rox stadium on Division Street. They then moved in the front side of the West Gate Shopping Center. They were located in what is now the Byerly's/Lunds location. Super Value also had a location downtown St. Cloud where U.S. Bank is currently.
When Crossroads Center opened in 1966 there was a grocery store in there on the backside of the mall. That store was Dell Farm Food Store. Red Owl had grocery stores in the St. Cloud area too. They were founded in 1922. The Red Owl in Sauk Rapids was a one room produce market that opened in 1912 on Broadway Avenue. It was owned by the Layman Family and closed in 1973.
Hunstigers Market was located on 5th Avenue South between Ramsey Place and 4th Avenue South. Grabinski says Coborn's purchased it to get into the sausage business. Apperts Meat Market was located on 9th Avenue South in St. Cloud before moving and expanding where they are currently located along Highway 10 on the east side of St. Cloud.
If you'd like to listen to my conversation with both Jim and John, it is available in 2 parts below.