Cub Foods wins award
Cub Foods Silver Lake, 3930 Silver Lake Rd. NE in St. Anthony, has been named an “Outstanding Disability Employer” by the Minnesota Organization for Habilitation and Rehabilitation. The award is for “their inclusive employment practices.”
Casa de Corazón’s new location is a former firefighting maintenance repair shop at 220 1st Ave. NE. (Provided)
Spanish immersion school coming to NE
Casa de Corazón, a Spanish-immersion early-learning program, has announced its 11th location: a former firefighting maintenance repair shop at 220 1st Ave. NE.
“Casa de Corazón is breathing new life into the site, restoring its role as an integral part of the community by providing high-quality, Spanish-immersion early childhood education to families in the Northeast neighborhood,” a representative wrote in a press release.
Construction and renovation, including that for a new playground and play area, are currently underway. The location is expected to open to families in 2026.
“Revitalizing this historic property allows us to continue that mission in a way that honors Minneapolis’ heritage while investing in its future. As a Twin Cities-based, woman-owned business, we’re proud to expand our footprint in the community where Casa began,” said Natalie Standridge, the business’s founder.
Dutch Bar rebranding
On Friday, November 7, Dutch Bar, 2512 Central Ave. NE, will come under new ownership and rebrand as “Bar Oscar.” A social-media post by bar ownership said attendees can expect “later hours, a new cocktail menu and an evolution of the wine list. Small bistro and wine bar food items will carry over at first, with plans to evolve the food program over time.”
Bakery moves in with ice cream shop
Dahlia, a pop-up bakery that serves pastries, sandwiches and sweet treats, is setting up shop. The bakery will move into the MN Nice Cream space, 807 Broadway St. NE, by January of next year. They will serve breakfast and lunch Thursday through Sunday.
MN Nice Cream is not moving out of the location. Dahlia’s hours will not overlap with the ice cream’s shop, which will operate in the afternoons.
UCare to terminate 158,000 plans
UCare, one of Minnesota’s largest providers of privatized Medicare, is pruning its workforce. The Minneapolis-based health insurer currently has 158,000 Medicare Advantage members, all of whom will need to find a new provider in 2026 if they want to keep their privatized Medicare.
The company will lay off an estimated 144 employees. It is the second round of UCare layoffs this year.
In a statement, UCare said the cost of health care has dramatically increased over the past two years. The company is now focusing on “programs where it can have the most impact.”
Gophermods shuts down Minneapolis location
Gophermods, 1624 New Brighton Blvd., a store dedicated to personal electronics repairs, closed their Minneapolis retail store on Sept. 30. “This change is part of a larger shift in our business,” their website reads. “As Gophermods grows to support more school districts and small businesses, we’ll be transitioning away from individual consumer services and focusing entirely on business and education partnerships moving forward.”
The company will still honor warranty and “coverage obligations” for existing clients.