With no buyers, nine Rainbow grocery stores close today

Nine Twin Cities Rainbow grocery stores are closing today in the Twin Cities as the Milwaukee-based Roundy's chain leaves the Twin Cities.

Roundy's sold 18 Rainbow locations to Cub Foods and other local buyers in May but couldn't find buyers for nine sites closing.

The shuttered locations include stores in Apple Valley, Cottage Grove, Shoreview, Bloomington, Coon Rapids, and Maple Grove.

Of the 18 Rainbow operations that Roundy's did sell, 10 are becoming Cub Foods locations. Six will remain under the Rainbow brand, only with different ownership. Byerly's, owned by Lund Food Holdings, is taking control of Rainbow stores in Eden Prairie and Woodbury.

For Cub, the expansion will help it continue to dominate the market at a time when low-priced chains such as Target and Aldi are expanding and competition from higher end grocery stores is increasing, said Minneapolis-based grocery consultant John Dean.

"It makes it that much more convenient for many people to shop at Cub," he said. "It's a good move for Cub."

Roundy's has said it's leaving the Twin Cities market to focus on growing its business in Wisconsin and Chicago.

Map: Changes for Rainbow

In May, Roundy's unveiled plans to sell or shut down its Rainbow grocery stores. The nine stores listed then as "may close" were closed on Tuesday.

• Red markers = future Cub Foods stores
• Yellow markers = future Byerly's stores
• Blue markers = Rainbow stores under new ownership
• Green markers = Rainbow stores that may close