Thanks to Jon Vaupel for ISD 197 School Board for their support.
The Wisconsin-based sandwich shop Erbert & Gerbert’s plans to open a dozen new locations in the Twin Cities, including West St. Paul. That’s according to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, which says the chain plans as many as five stores in 2022 and 10 more between 2023 and 2024.
The Big Questions: When and Where
When: Nobody knows yet. It seems likely West St. Paul could be one of the five Erbert & Gerbert’s Twin Cities locations to open in 2022, but nothing is certain.
Where: One reason West St. Paul might be a new location—they’re not building new. The City of West St. Paul is currently talking with Southview Square about accommodating a drive thru for Erbert & Gerbert’s. Putting the sandwich shop in the empty space at the south end of the building next to the driveway access to Livingston makes a drive thru possible. It’s also not a new space for a drive thru—Southview Square used to be home to TCF and drive-up banking.
A conditional use permit would be the next step for a potential drive thru.
Erbert & Gerbert’s Growing Post-Pandemic
The sandwich chain has big plans, including expansion, a refocused menu, and new branding and store design. So far it’s paying off with double-digit growth this past summer.
“We are pulling out of the pandemic with a game plan to accelerate growth through improved efficiency, increased quality, and enhanced customer service. We are outpacing the market recovery by 10%, thanks to our ability to be nimble, respond quickly to consumer needs, and deliver the products our loyal fans value the most,” Eric Wolfe, CEO and president of Erbert & Gerbert’s, said in a press release.
Originally started in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Erbert & Gerbert’s has 78 locations across the Midwest, with 18 more in the works.
Nov. 11, 2021 Update: Drive Thru Update & Public Hearing
Erbert & Gerbert’s will come before the Planning Commission on Tuesday, November 16 for a public hearing on their proposed drive thru.
Since the driveway access to Livingston Ave. at Southview Square is too narrow to accommodate a drive thru lane and the regular driveway access, the plan is to tear down the southern 10 feet of the building and make room for the drive thru lane.
Sept. 1, 2022 Update: Construction Progress
Construction started last month on the new Erbert & Gerbert’s. Here’s a look at the initial progress:
Nov. 12, 2022 Update: Coming Soon
Here’s a look at the latest progress on the new Erbert & Gerbert’s, with a sign promising that it’s “coming soon.”
Dec. 8, 2022 Update: Sign in Place
Here’s another update on Erbert & Gerbert’s as the new sign goes up.
Jan. 23, 2023 Update: Now Open
Looks like Erbert & Gerbert’s is now open.
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