Hy-Vee Inc. said Tuesday it will place its second Twin Cities-area store in Oakdale, the next step in its expansion to the metro area.

The store will be at the intersection of Interstate 694 and 10th St. N. in a site that used to house an outlet mall.

The company said it will employ about 450 people at the store, though an opening date hasn't been set. It will submit building plans to the city of Oakdale in August but said it could be several months before construction begins.

Hy-Vee, which is based in West Des Moines, Iowa, and operates 17 stores in Minnesota, in February announced plans to enter the Twin Cities. It later said its first store would be in New Hope.

The company hasn't said how many stores it will ultimately operate in the metro area, but some analysts have speculated it may take a similar approach to the market as it has in Kansas City, where it has about 22 stores.

Hy-Vee so far has not picked up any stores or locations recently offered by Milwaukee-based Roundy's Inc., which operated under the Rainbow Foods brand and is exiting the market.

Star Tribune staff report