Northern Food King in Pequot Lakes is closing in the next two weeks.
Kim and Justin Bolz-Andolshek, owners of the long-time Pequot Lakes grocery, said they will open a new business in the place of the grocery store in April.
But they declined to elaborate on what that new business might be. Lakes Latte, which is on the north side of the grocery store building, is staying open and will continue to offer catering services.
“We are deeply saddened as we prepare to close Northern Food King’s doors,” the owners said in a news release. “As a family-owned business our family has proudly served the Pequot Lakes community since 1982.
“... As difficult as it is to close one chapter, we are looking ahead to a new business venture for our family and the community. We look forward to unveiling our plans in the next few weeks.”
One of the difficult parts has been letting people go, the owners said.
Northern Food King employed 47 people about a year ago. That was before the Supervalu opened along Highway 371 just to the south of the Northern Food King, which is near the intersection of First Street and Highway 371 at the stoplight in Pequot Lakes. Northern Food King cut its 30th employee last week.
“We have said from the beginning that a community our size would not be able to support two stores,” Kim Bolz-Andolshek said. “We tried to hang on and continue to serve the community, but there is simply not enough business to support both.”
The Supervalu grocery store opened in May 2010.
In 2001, Kim and Justin Bolz-Andolshek bought the grocery store from Kim’s father, Richard Andolshek, who founded Northern Food King. They estimate they’ve employed hundreds of area residents in the past 30 years.
“This decision was very bittersweet for Justin and me,” Kim Bolz-Andolshek said.
“At the end of the day we simply want to express our gratitude to the years of wonderful employees and customers. We hope that in bringing something new to our town, we will continue to service our community and create local jobs.”
Wendy’s restaurant construction at the corner of Highway 371 and County Highway 77 in Nisswa is expected to begin in mid-March.
Caribbean Beach Tanning Salon opened its second location just off the Highway 371 and Woida Road intersection in Baxter. The salon’s first location is off Excelsior Road in Baxter near Super One Foods. The new salon opened a few weeks ago in the retail center near Starbucks.
The Minnesota Association of Realtors recently reported the state’s real estate market “continues to improve as home prices fell and inventory levels declined. Statewide, closed transactions increased by 10.6 percent over sales in December, while inventory fell 19.4 percent in January 2011 compared to the previous year. Lower inventory levels will help balance the demand between those seeking to sell and those wanting to buy.”
“While transaction numbers in January were strong, home prices fell as consumers bought bank-owned properties and short sales” the association reported. “These distressed sales depress overall prices as excess inventories and normal market conditions are influenced by the overall economic slowdown.
“Consumers seeking homes are looking for bargains and often purchase homes that fall into the distressed category. These purchases are often at lower prices as banks look to unload inventory at prices below typical market conditions.”
For January, the association reported closed sales in Brainerd increased 12.9 percent. In other cities, the closed sales increased by: 35.5 percent in Duluth; 22.2 percent in Alexandria; 22.7 percent in Fergus Falls; 43.8 percent in Detroit Lakes; 10.8 percent in the Twin Cities metro. The only decrease listed among 11 regions or cities in the state was a 10.9 percent drop in closed sales in St. Cloud.
Reichert Bus Service of Baxter donated transportation to take soldiers between the National Guard Armory in Brainerd to the recent Family Preparation Academy for deploying soldiers at Cragun’s resort. Reichert donated the buses and drivers donated their time to shuttle the soldiers and their families.
RENEE RICHARDSON, senior reporter, may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.
Comments (20)
Add commentFood King only royalty could afford it
I understand that smaller stores need to sometimes charge a bit more to keep the doors open, however Food King's prices were ridiculously high! I don't mind paying a bit more either to support local business. I won't support businesses that treat locals like they are rich tourists and summer people though. I will say the new SuperValu in Pequot is not much better. I don't understand why businesses in the Brainerd Lakes don't get the fact that the cost of living here doesn't match the poor wages we are paid. Every time I hear someone say that it's cheaper to live up here, I challenge them to name one thing that truly is cheaper here than the Cities or even St Cloud. They can't.
Only Royalty
could afford to shop there! So as an alternative we can get in the car (or truck for lots of folks up here) and drive the 20 ish miles to Baxter to shop! Holy moly!, at a cost per mile (gas, insurance, maintenance, cost of the vehicle and etc.) of about 50 cents we spend $20.00 round trip to save $5.00 on the cost of the food!
Stupidhoops, the first half of your handle is very fitting!
does this come as a suprise
does this come as a suprise to any one? it was about time you people had a decent store to shop in
Small Town Lessons
First off how about thanking the "Local" owners for many years of dedicated service to the community and supplying jobs to the residents to allow them to live in the north woods year round! I hope that the community learned a lesson to speak up and support local business and not allow the community to change and allow "Big Box" business to change your community.
Poor decisions reflect on closed business in your community and send money to "Big Business" in other states and communities instead of reinvesting in your own town.
Im sorry to read that the Local Small Town Grocery is no longer!
Good Luck PL in your future decision making. We look forward to traveling there in the upcoming months to see what new business ventures fill that space.
funny
I find it amusing that the people complaining about the store closing are the people who quit shopping there once SuperValu opened up. Face it people, it has nothing to do with anything except one business outlasted the other by doing and being what the customers wanted.
Bad customer service.
I quit shopping at that store years ago because their customer service was crap! I don't expect to be treated like royalty, but a simple hello and thank you would have gone a long way. Most of the time, I felt like I was interrupting their nap and they let me know it. Good riddance!
Amusing? Simple Hello's?
Thee is nothing amusing about this store closing. It's interesting that our fine city council found it AOK to help the new store out with several hundred thousands of dollars in aid of one sort or another. I find it sad that the 50 or so employees of the store no longer have a job. I find it interesting that PRDEMOTT found the employees there to be unfriendly.
When we moved here a few years ago the folks in Northern King were open, friendly and helpful every time went there. Such a shame that all you "locals" didn't want to be open and receive the friendliness in return. Such a shame that you didn't want to support the folks who worked there and the owners that served this city for so long whether it be the original owner or his daughter and son in law.
Now we have a new Super Value food market whose owner stated to a Brainerd paper reporter that if he had known there was going to be a bypass he wouldn't have built here.
I think I would rather spend the gas and wear and tear on my vehicle to shop in Baxter than to patronize such an owners store and especially after he got financial aid from the residents of this city.
oldretired
You aware aware that the family who owns the Pequot SV also owns both Cubs in Brainerd?
Will go to Baxter for needs
I for one will drive to Baxter to get my groceries from now on--if I need to will go without till I get there. I will not now or in the future patronize the likes of the Super Value or the Cubs in Baxter because of who owns them and the comments and intimidations he set forth when Wal-mart was making it's move to the Superstore. There are two great places in Baxter to get groceries, Wal mart and Super One, do not need anymore.
Expired
It has always been tough to find food that does not have expired dates. Difficult to justify buying something at full price that has been expired for a month.
Just say it already!!
I find it really funny that they declined to elaborate on what they are opening. Did that forget that we live in Pequot and everyone knows what you are doing...often before you know it yourself?
They plan to open a new dollar store. Do we need another dollar store for real?? I, for one, will continue to shop at the one in Jenkins that has been there for years already.
Maybe it's time to think up a business that Pequot doesn't already have and quit with the competition bit!!!
smartguy
Yes, smartguy, I was and am well aware. I sure am glad there is a Wal-Mart and a Super One down there so I don't have to patronize any of his stores!!!
oldretired . .. . .
Wait a minute, to get back at a business for driving out another long standing local business, you are going to Wal-Mart? Think about that for a minute.
really??? mad about NFK closing??
Seriously Northern Food King was a joke and everyone should be ashamed that a store that run down was the center of beautiful Pequot. The prices WHOA whats this $9.99 for a jar of miracle whip!! no way!!! yes the prices at the super valu are not that super but compared to schafers and jerrys it looks like saving heaven there!! why dont they have a sign for gas though thats crazy...
retiredguy
hey go look at wal marts meat selcection then write on here...also super one gets all their product from super valu so i guess you have to go to wal mart now have fun driving!!
tax increment finance
did the new store get a bunch of taxes forgiven with this local ripoff tax increment to 1 bussiness-nothing to the other-gov't picks the winner!
huh?
To be honest, I wish I understood why everyone is complaining about what is happening to NFK. Everyone knows in this area that you have to adapt to the customers needs. If their needs are not met then the business is bound for failure. I do not blame the new supervalu store for cutting the little man out of the town because NFK had every opportunity to expandway before supervalu came into town. And as i recall, when NFK came intpo town, they too had kicked a small "hometown" business out of the town. Let's face it people, its a dog eat world out here, especially now in today's world. And a couple days ago Mr. "Quiszberg's" name was bashed, oh just wait if your going to bash someone, at least spell their name right, it's Quisberg. How could you bash him for fighting for the local area that we live in. Walmart destroys communities, taking the money they make, out of our communtiy. Sure walmarts prices look great to any consumer but the issue that the consumer isnt seeing is how much taxpayers lose each year to supplement the costs of welfare to almost every employee walmart employs. To the old retired guy who is going to shop at walmart, do some research before you bash someone. People like you complain all day just for something to do and it ticks people off. My thanks goes to Mr. Quisberg for fighting for our community when no one else would. He fought for more than just his business, he fought for the community and our small business we did have.
Miracle Whip
I found a jar of nice tasty miracle whip at the dollar store for only 99 cents. And in fact it had not even expired yet! so, there you have it! i thing that the BALDEC was responsibile for the dollar store coming in, and making those jobs available!
DNTMG
Clean
What Super Value gave to Pequot Lakes was a clean store.
That makes a big difference. Would you rather see an aisle that is organized and clean or see dust collecting on expired merchandise?