Hy-Vee Debuts 'Reimagined' Flagship Store in Grimes, Iowa

Hy-Vee has opened the doors to its new, mall-unto-itself flagship grocery store in Grimes, Iowa, and announced a Sept. 28 opening date for a similarly designed store in Eau Claire, Wis.

The newly opened 93,000-square-foot store, located at 351 N.E. Gateway Dr. in Grimes, is Hy-Vee's first "entirely reimagined" grocery store in the West Des Moines, Iowa-based retailer's eight-state region. It features a large, open dining area and a food hall that offers Hy-Vee's own recently launched breakfast menu as well as a pub with a full bar, several fast-casual concepts and an outpost of Wahlburgers. Elsewhere in the store, customers will find a DSW store-in-store, a W Nail Bar, a Pair Eyewear kiosk and a Johnson Fitness & Wellness showroom. 

"The Grimes Hy-Vee is our most innovative store to-date, with state-of-the-art technology integrated into every department," Hy-Vee Chairman, CEO and President Randy Edeker said in a statement. "From unique lifestyle company partnerships to a world-class Food Hall and everything in between, this store was designed to provide customers with every offering, amenity and convenience to make their lives easier, healthier and happier."

On the technology front, the store offers Hy-Vee Scan & Go mobile payment and self-checkout options. Customers also can order fresh prepared foods and cakes from digital kiosks. 

An in-store Starbucks; a Hy-Vee pharmacy with a drive-up window; an expanded gift-shop department; and a Hy-Vee Wine and Spirits department with walk-in beer cooler, humidor and wine room are among the additional offerings meant to tempt Grimes-area grocery shoppers to choose Hy-Vee. Online grocery pickup and delivery, postal services, dry cleaning service and a mothers room also are offered. 

The Grimes store is open from 6 a.m. to midnight daily and carries about 100,000 items, including more than 5,000 HealthMarket items (vitamins, supplements, sports nutrition products and the like) and 1,500 fresh produce items—of which "more than 100" are organic, according to Hy-Vee.

In a corner of the regular grocery store's parking lot, a 4,100-square-foot Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh convenience store offers on-the-go meals, a Market Grille Express and select grocery staples, including fresh produce and bakery items. The Fast & Fresh concept is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. 

A Fast & Fresh c-store already is up and running in the parking lot of the upcoming Eau Claire, Wis., Hy-Vee grocery store, which will open its doors to the public at 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 28. The 92,000-square-foot grocery store at 2424 E. Clairemont Ave. will be Hy-Vee's fourth in Wisconsin.