BYERLY'S

Super Valu retiree Russell Byerly and his son Don opened the first Byerly’s store in Golden Valley in 1968. Byerly’s was known for its innovations: wider, carpeted aisles, waist-high flatbed-type shopping carts, a contract post office, wider parking spaces, and a restaurant, all open 24 hours.

The St. Louis Park store, fifth in the chain, was opened in 1980, on 10 acres of the former Friedheim concrete plant – 3777 Park Center Blvd. The 92,000 sq. ft. store was one of the largest in the United States. The parking lot could hold 630 cars. At the time, the store was a sensation, with write-ups in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Business Week, and People Magazine. From the first it was open 24 hours a day, and attracted more than 75,000 people weekly, even hosting tour buses. One impressed tourist was Vice President Dan Quayle.

The store originally featured a confectionary, exclusive gift shop, Hallmark card shop, pharmacy, expanded delicatessen, bagel shop, flower shop, 220-seat restaurant, and 6,000 sq. ft. liquor store.

Lund’s bought the company in 1997. The St. Louis Park Store was extensively refurbished in 2005. In 2006, the restaurant featured historic scenes of St. Louis Park, as provided by the St. Louis Park Historical Society.

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.