The Asian grocer Dragon Star Supermarket will move into the Brooklyn Park location now occupied by Rainbow Foods, which is set to close later this month.

A city official says Dragon Star is a welcome addition in Brooklyn Park, an increasingly diverse community. According to U.S. census data, 20 percent of the city's residents are foreign born and nearly 24 percent of neighboring Brooklyn Center is foreign born. Dragon Star also owns and operates an Asian market in St. Paul.

In addition to the supermarket, Dragon Star plans to operate a Big Liquor Warehouse at 8020 Brooklyn Blvd. in Brooklyn Park. Dragon Star also has applied to operate a farmers market in the parking lot on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, said Brooklyn Park Assistant City Manager Mike Sable.

The Rainbow store is scheduled to close on Feb. 16. It's unclear when Dragon Star will open. Representatives from the company did not return calls for comment.

"It's nice to see another user is entering the space," Sable said. "It has a good reputation as a grocer targeting immigrant communities. It will be a positive for our residents."

Roundy's, Rainbow Foods' parent company, closed its Columbia Heights Rainbow last month and also announced that it was closing the Brooklyn Park store, citing increased competition from big box retailers including Wal-Mart and Target and changing shopping patterns.

"We were able to structure a collaborative sale negotiation with the landlord and a new store owner so the property will be utilized and active vs. potentially going 'dark,' " said James J. Hyland, Roundy's vice president of investor relations and corporate communications, in a written statement.

Shannon Prather • 612-673-4804