Grocery stores to reopen in Victoria, Minnetonka

The city of Victoria and Minnetonka's Glen Lake neighborhood are about to get their grocery stores back.

The two former Fresh Seasons Markets — both closed for about a year — are getting ready to reopen under new management. They'll be called Victoria's Market and Glen Lake's Market — names that their manager hopes will reflect their neighborhood focus.

The Victoria store will open later this month, and the Glen Lake store will probably open in mid-to-late May, according to Will Jedlicka, who will oversee both locations. Tom Wartman, who previously owned and operated both Fresh Seasons, is part of a local investors group that owns the two store buildings.

"Hopefully the store will get the support of the community this time around," said Victoria Mayor Tom O'Connor. Victoria doesn't have any other grocery stores, and O'Connor said he continually heard from residents who were sorry when the Fresh Seasons closed.

Jedlicka lives in Chaska and said he never shopped at the Fresh Seasons even though it was only a five-minute drive away. He said he believes the upscale format of the former store may have been one reason it didn't succeed because people perceived it as being too high-priced.

The store's new format will be more rustic, something akin to a farmers market, Jedlicka said. "We want it to feel like the local, neighborhood grocery store and also be focused on health and wellness with natural and organic products," he said. Many deli items will be made from scratch on site, he said.

This will be the first foray into the grocery business for Jedlicka, who has extensive experience in the restaurant and food service industry. He previously worked Lancer Hospitality, where he oversaw food operations for the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory and had stints at Krispy Kreme and Leeann Chin.

The new stores had job fairs last month, but Jedlicka said they are still hiring for some openings. He expects each store will have about 50 employees.

Susan Feyder • 612-673-1723