9 Rainbow Foods Stores In Suburbs Closing Tuesday

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- This is the last day Twin Cities shoppers can buy groceries at nine Rainbow Foods stores in the metro.

The grocery stores closing Tuesday are not part of the 18-store deal Rainbow made in May with a group of buyers. These Rainbow stores are owned by Roundy's, which is based in Milwaukee. Roundy's tried to sell them, but couldn't find a buyer.

There are the nine stores closing by the end of the day, and they're all in suburbs of the Twin Cities. The locations include Coon Rapids, Maple Grove, Bloomington, Savage, Blaine, Shoreview, Cottage Grove, Inver Grove Heights and Apple Valley.

After these stores close, Roundy's will no longer be operating any Rainbow stores in the Twin Cities metro. Roundy's said the economic downturn over the last few years and more competition in the Minneapolis/St. Paul market made it difficult for them to stay competitive.

Under the deal made in May, 10 Rainbow Foods stores were sold and turned into Cub Foods stores. Two became Byerly's. Six are still called Rainbow Foods, but Roundy's no longer owns them.