Downtown Hy-Vee announces changes to meet customer needs

DES MOINES, Iowa — Hy-Vee announced Friday afternoon that there would be some changes to their downtown store located at 4th and Court Avenue.

The big change is the closing of the Wahlburgers, which currently operates within the Fourth & Court location. Wahlburgers at this location will permanently close on Sunday, October 13 at 8 p.m. Hy-Vee will be seeking a new restaurant, preferably local, to lease the space.

Employees there will remain Hy-Vee employees, and can be reassigned to another Wahlburgers, or somewhere within the Hy-Vee system. Employees were informed of the change at a meeting on Friday afternoon.

“We want to listen to our customers and this is really a unique store,” said Tina Potthoff, Hy-Vee Spokesperson. “It’s always been a unique design for us. We’ve tried new things to see what’s going to work and what is it right now. What we need is, of course, is increasing foot traffic, we’re going make sure that’s an attraction where people can come to.”

In addition, the Starbucks Kiosk will be remodeled into a sort of stand-alone store with it’s own entrance. Hy-Vee will also bring the Candy Store to the downtown location. They will expand the choices for healthy food, and augment food served at Hy-Chi. Also, there will be a section for selling locally grown produce.

“After listening to our customers, we believe these enhancements will meet the needs of downtown residents while accommodating visitors who come to the Des Moines area for various events,” said Nate Swalley, in a news release. Swalley is Hy-Vee’s regional vice president who oversees store operations in central Iowa.

“This is welcome news for the City of Des Moines and shows Hy-Vee’s continued commitment to making the downtown area strong and viable,” said Connie Boesen, Mayor of Des Moines. “We will continue to work collaboratively with Hy-Vee leaders to help make the Fourth & Court location a vibrant store for the downtown community.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com.