With opening of new theater at MOA, a new food hall for shoppers, too

CMX Market Cinema at the Mall of America opened Friday, giving MOA a new high-quality, fast-casual dining option.

Food selections are grab-and-go or served within a few minutes — spicy diavolo meat pizza, prosciutto and arugula pizza ($4.75/slice), hot turkey or pastrami sandwiches and, in a nod to Minnesota and our northern neighbors, short rib poutine featuring short ribs, Wisconsin cheese curds and fries blanketed in dark, rich gravy ($12). There's classic fare too — a cheeseburger ($10), fries ($6), a plate-sized Bavarian pretzel ($11), wings ($12) and nachos ($12).

Keep in mind this is a food hall concept, so most of the choices are grab-and-go from display counters or refrigerated sections that look like Target or Hy-Vee. Shopping bags or trays make it easier to haul your meal to your seat.

Anyone craving healthy options yet? CMX hopes so, but general manager John Ziegler said the jury's still out on how well they will sell. These include quinoa salads, Mediterranean salads, red grapes ($5), arugula salad with chicken ($11.50), an artisan cheese plate ($15) or a spicy turkey wrap ($9).

Kid-friendly juice pouches and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are also available off the shelf.

The mixologist can concoct mojitos, margaritas and Manhattans, but guests can also get local craft beer on tap, and sparkling wine and imported beer in cans.

CMX Cinema also has 13 luxury movie theaters with reclining seats. Customers can take their food and drink into the theaters or load up and eat it elsewhere in the mall.

All seats at the theater are reserved and can be purchased online in advance on the CMX Cinemas website or through Fandango.

Thymes, the Minneapolis-based manufacturer of candles, lotions, soaps, and diffusers, isn't waiting until October for a warehouse sale in 2018.

The sale that ends Saturday will feature Thymes, Capri Blue and Aspen Bay products. Curio, the parent company, was formed in 2016 when Thymes merged with Capri Blue and Aspen Bay.

Prices are $1 to $15 and include retired scents, and products with the previous season's packaging, samples and overstocks. Discounts are typically 50 to 75 percent off the suggested retail prices.

The sale continues from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at a new location — 755 Prior Av. N., St. Paul, next to Can Can Wonderland. Cash and charge cards only.