#1,633 - Aldi's and Walgreens sudden closure in North Minneapolis rocks community

Patricia Bryant stepped out of the cab in front of the Walgreens pharmacy on West Broadway and was greeted by signs announcing its closing. After March 6, her cab rides get longer and more expensive. 

Shari Brandt felt a similar blow when the Aldi on Penn Avenue North closed for good on Feb. 12. It had been an affordable choice amid the soaring supermarket prices to feed her family of five. 

The news that North Minneapolis would lose a grocery store and pharmacy came in the same week and, while a shock, was hardly surprising to some residents who see the closings as just two more cases of disinvestment in their community. 

The closing of Walgreens leaves Minneapolis with one pharmacy, inside Cub Foods. Cub, 701 West Broadway Ave. N. Cub is one of three remaining grocery stores that include North Market, 4414 Humboldt Ave, N., and So Low Grocery Outlet, 3111 Emerson Ave. N. 

“It’s a huge blow,” said Minneapolis City Councilwoman LaTrisha Vetaw, whose Ward 4 covers North Minneapolis north of Lowry Avenue. “I mean we have so many challenges already and to have one around food... another essential... This is just so heartbreaking. I am very sad to hear that Walgreens is closing. Our community can not afford to keep taking big hits like these.” 

Both Aldi and Walgreens were located on major bus routes and were critical stops for residents without transportation. Neighborhood Facebook pages hosted pictures of specials at Aldi and its discounts helped shoppers whose budgets were otherwise pinched by soaring food prices. 

Aldi executives told Vetaw the Penn Avenue location did not fit plans underway nationwide for store expansion and remodeling. Vetaw said the building owner was willing to work with the growing supermarket giant. 

North News talked to an unnamed employee who said theft and an inability to attract people to job openings at the pharmacy were behind the closing. 

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