LINCOLN, Neb., 2015-1-9 — /EPR Retail News/ — Hy-Vee, Inc. officials announced today that the Hy-Vee Mainstreet at 2345 N. 48th St. in Lincoln will close next month and its employees will be relocated across the company’s five remaining local stores.
The Lincoln Hy-Vee Mainstreet will close its doors on Feb. 1, and all of its 76 full- and part-time employees will transition to positions at the other Hy-Vee stores in Lincoln. The two nearest stores — the Northern Lights Hy-Vee at 1601 N. 84th St. and the O Street Hy-Vee at 5010 O St. — are located within 3 miles of the closing Mainstreet.
A Hy-Vee store first opened at the North 48th Street location in May 1983. Over the years, as Hy-Vee has expanded in Lincoln and opened new stores nearby, the future of the original east side store has come into question. In November 2008, the store was downsized and became the Hy-Vee Heartland Pantry. The store’s name was later changed in August 2011 to Hy-Vee Mainstreet.
“We know that this store has served as an important neighborhood store for many nearby residents, and we have appreciated the community’s support throughout the years. Unfortunately, resident support and our employees’ hard work have not overcome the business challenges that exist when having two other stores in such close proximity,” said Brett Bremser, senior vice president of Hy-Vee’s western region.
Hy-Vee remains committed to the community, and this has been evident by the investments and improvements made at its other stores in Lincoln. Though the nearest two stores are located only a few miles away, Bremser said he understands the closing will be an adjustment for some customers, especially those who walk to the store.
“I know our Mainstreet employees want to maintain the connections they’ve made with residents, and we are hopeful that our loyal customers will follow them and their helpful smiles to one of our nearby Hy-Vee stores.”
In the near future, Bremser said, Hy-Vee’s new online shopping and delivery service will be able to better serve Lincoln customers who have difficulty traveling to a physical store. The online shopping and delivery model is currently being tested at select Hy-Vee stores in the company’s eight-state trade area.
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Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating 235 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of more than $8.7 billion annually. Hy-Vee ranks among the top 25 supermarket chains and the top 50 private companies in the United States. Supermarket News, the authoritative voice of the food industry, has honored the company with a Whole Health Enterprise Award for its leadership in providing services and programs that promote a healthy lifestyle. For more information, visit www.hy-vee.com.