Patt Johnson

pjohnson@dmreg.com

Hy-Vee Inc. opened its much-anticipated downtown supermarket on Tuesday, bringing a grocery back to Des Moines' central business district for the first time in years.

The Fourth + Court Hy-Vee store occupies 36,000 square feet on the ground level of a four-story, mixed-use development at 420 Court Ave. The upper three floors will house 82 market-rate apartments.

"There (is) nothing traditional about it. You're not going to walk in and say 'grocery store,'" Hy-Vee chief executive Randy Edeker said in an exclusive interview with the Register. "This is about food and about the lifestyle of today."

The supermarket is Hy-Vee's first attempt at a downtown location. The store will be open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

The project also includes a 200-stall parking garage adjacent to the building.

The store has entrances on Fifth Avenue, Court Avenue and on the south end near the parking ramp, and offers a "fresh, urban feel," Edeker said.

Statistics from the U.S. Commerce Department show that for the first time, people are eating out more than they are cooking at home, Edeker said. The downtown store reflects that trend, with more restaurants than traditional groceries, Edeker said.

“It's about fresh, prepared foods," he said, whether that be ready-to-eat meals, packaged fresh ingredients or chopped and diced foods. “This store will have a higher percentage of perishables and fresh food than it has center store food."

Special features at the new supermarket include:

A Market Grille restaurant with a bar and a temperature-controlled wine room.

A retro-fitted Volkswagen bus that will house Brooklyn Heights Soda Co., a handcrafted line of sodas.

Seven food-service areas that include a deli, Japanese hibachi, Italian, Mexican, comfort foods, a charcuterie and sushi.

A beer growler station.

A Starbucks coffee shop.

"Click and collect," in which shoppers can order online and pick up their groceries from lockers outside the store.

A smoothie and juice island.

Three checkout lanes, three express lanes and four self-checkout lanes at the front of the store, with registers also at the other entrances and food stations.

Seating for diners will stretch along the length of the food stations on the north side of the building.

Hy-Vee's current store footprint is about 95,000 square feet in markets such as the Twin Cities, where the eight-state grocery chain has built six stores in recent years, with more on the way.

The smaller downtown Des Moines store won't carry all the items of the larger stores.

"You will absolutely be able to have everything you could get at a larger store, but not the variety," Edeker said.

Read more:

The inside story on How the downtown Hy-Vee came to be

Will Hy-Vee's gamble on downtown 'grocerant' pay off?

Hy-Vee unveils 'urban look' downtown grocery and Mark Wahlberg was there

Not enough parking near the downtown Hy-Vee? We found thousands of spots

Downtown Hy-Vee giving away free coffee, lunch for a year

Deb Madison-Levi, a downtown resident and vice president of the Des Moines Downtown Neighborhood Association, said she is excited about being able to walk to a grocery store from her home at 10th and Mulberry.

"I think we'll enjoy the restaurant options, too," she said.

Her experience with dining downtown on the weekends is that most restaurants are busy, so adding more eating options might not increase competition for eateries, she said.

"We'll have to see how that all shakes out," she said.

The restaurant portion of the new Hy-Vee, which the West Des Moines-based company is expecting will draw a strong lunch and dinner business, will include:

Cocina Mexicana, which will offer Mexican dishes such as burritos and rice bowls made to order.

Dia Pida Italian Street Food, including piadas (sandwich wraps), flatbread pizza and simple pasta dishes.

Long Island Deli, fashioned after the famous Katz's Deli in New York City, will offer soups, salads and sandwiches “with more meat than you've seen on a sandwich," Edeker said.

The Hibachi, serving Japanese food including rice bowls and stir fry, along with Hy-Vee's traditional Chinese food offerings.

The Charcuterie, which will feature imported cheeses and meats.

Hickory House Comfort Foods, offering meatloaf, spicy fried chicken, ribs and pulled pork.

Nori Sushi, fresh sushi featuring sustainably sourced fish.

The Sweet Shoppe island with custom cakes and doughnuts fried on-site daily.

"It's like a food court within the store," Edeker said.

The downtown grocery also will have traditional Hy-Vee departments, such as a bakery, meat counter, produce section and frozen foods.

The store also will have a pharmacy, HealthMarket, wine and spirits departments, an international grocery section, and a new department called Basin, a bath and beauty company that sells bath bombs, natural soaps and other products.

Edeker predicts the store will appeal to downtown workers because of the convenience and ability to quickly get in and out of the supermarket.

Downtown business owner Annie Baldwin said she welcomes Hy-Vee to the district.

"I'm excited. I think it will bring in a whole new clientele," said Baldwin, who co-owns several bars and restaurants, including 1908 Draught House, a sports bar and grill, Mickey's Irish Pub and Magnolia restaurant.

"If they want more people to live downtown, they needed a grocery store," she said.

The new store may also provide stiff competition for existing downtown restaurants, something that has concerned some food court vendors.

"There's a great food presence downtown, and they are still going to be vibrant," Edeker said. "This is just another option for people."