West Duluth Save-a-lot closing

That's too bad. It seems like they filled a niche for a number of people in West Duluth. I didn't shop there often but would stop if I just needed one or two things. It was considerably easier to get in and out of there compared to Super One.

The store opened in November 2006. According to the Labor World article below, the West Duluth piece of the Save-a-Lot chain is owned by Cousins Market of Duluth, a group comprised of five daughters of Gary and Bob Paulson, led by Shannon Ervasti.

Save-a-lot uses part of the Spirit Valley Mall space previously used by the Postal Service's Remote Encoding Center. Before Super One Foods built its current West Duluth store in the mid-1990s, it was located in that part of the mall. 

Anyway, here's that article, not to drudge up the union issues that hampered Save-a-Lot's opening, but simply for the purpose of sharing info about the LLC that owns the store.



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The big question, of course, is: If Save-a-lot closes, where will I go for my favorite sexually suggestive Oreo knockoffs?

That's too bad, seemed like an interesting place the few times I visited while in Spirit Valley.  Reminded me a bit of the Aldi/Lidl/misc European chain markets in their layout and size.  It'd be cool to see an Aldi move in there.

And wow! What a name on those Oreo knockoffs! Might have to make a special trip there while back for the holidays.

Well, I think I should qualify the fact that they are closing, we had heard that they are but haven't seen any official announcement. Has anyone else heard of their closing?  Maybe it is just changes in distribution / Super-Valu agreements.

Save-a-lot lost me after the can design of my favorite radical citrus thirst blaster was changed.

 

The Duluth News Tribune has reported the store's last day will likely be in mid January.

West Duluth bargain hunters bemoan closing of discount grocery

The story notes that the Paulson brothers are the owners and makes no mention of the daughters, so maybe they dropped out years ago.

This is winter time and every poor and underprivileged and probably homeless person count on a store like Save-a-Lot! People with low income, etc., don't have the money to go to a Super One or any other store such as Super One. Now if the West Duluth Save-a-Lot store closes, what store do you think the underprivileged can count on?  Poor people only have so much money to pay their bills, etc., and whatever they have left goes for food! Please tell us what happens next?

The story in the DNT makes no mention of any attempted sale of the business. Even if it was unsuccessful, it seems like it would bear mention. It does mention the Paulsen's selling four other stores to Miners Inc. I assume all four stores are now Super Ones. Obviously because of its location, Save-a-Lot would not be a logical choice to become a Super One. I'm wondering if there was actual language in the sale that precluded the Paulsen's from selling Save-a-Lot to a third party? In effect the Miners were looking to eliminate any competition in West Duluth. Either way it truly is a shame for the fixed income people in the neighborhood.

Roberta, we agree with you and Chris both. The folks in West Duluth are in need of a solution.

We are also frustrated to see families in Lincoln Park 'shopping' at some of the c-stores because there are no nearby options. We believe there are solutions and hope there has not been any non-compete language or covenants forbidding fair and open competition. 

I am aware of Twin Cities based Jerry's foods' late owner, Jerry Paulson (sp?) having married a Lund daughter (Byerly's/Lunds heir). Jerry was a very hard worker and a good man. He built that business with hard work, respect for his people and he earned great respect - I used to work for him. I know this industry can be very incestuous, however I don't know if a community interest/heart is operating in the grocery industry here in the Twin Ports with the exception of a few like the late, great, Duluth Hall of Fame inductee, Patrick Plys. Hopefully there will be good news to come from this.

Well this is ironic...

Jan 9, 2014 | Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal
Supervalu, pumped by Save-a-Lot growth, nearly doubles profit