Demolished after flood, beloved Rapidan Dam Store to reopen in Mankato

The dam may be gone, but the beloved Rapidan Dam Store will find a new home in Mankato in the coming weeks.

The Rapidan Dam Store's owner, David Hruska, has been approved for a conditional use permit by the Mankato City Council after June flooding forced Blue Earth County to demolish its original location.

The permit was approved on Aug. 12. The new location will be on Mankato's Front Street in what was formerly the Wagon Wheel Cafe.

The new restaurant, which will be 2,220 square feet, will be on the first floor while the second level will be two existing apartments.

The floor plan depicts 74 customer seats, a retail counter, two restrooms, and a kitchen. The restaurant will employ six people and is proposing operating hours of 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week.

According to the Hruska's realtor, Dain Fisher, they are “getting close to bringing back the beloved Dam Store Pie to Front Street.”

“I think everything has gone very smoothly," Fisher said. "The nostalgia of what the dam store was is very similar to what the wagon wheel was regarding its furnishings, decor, just general vibe."

Hruska told the Strib in July that the shop could reopen by the end of August, though Fisher tells Bring Me The News that an opening date in September is more likely, as the owners are just waiting for the health department to finish its inspection.

"Now we're just waiting on the health department to give them the green light to have a license to operate," Fisher said.

Related: Beloved Rapidan Dam Store demolished due to threat from overflowing Blue Earth River