Len’s Meat & Grocery in Stillwater has been sold and will soon become a Grundhofer’s Old Fashion Meats & Grocery store.
Grundhofer’s officials made the announcement on Thursday in a post shared on social media.
“Our family is growing again,” the post states. “We’re thrilled to announce the opening of our fourth Grundhofer’s location.”
Grundhofer’s also owns stores in Hugo, Forest Lake and White Bear Lake.
Len’s, located at the corner of Myrtle and Owens streets, has been a family-owned market since 1995; Len Nelson operated the store until his death, at the age of 88, in 2021.
Len Nelson poses with grandson Jake Blum at Len’s Meat & Grocery. (Courtesy of Jake Blum)
The building, which has operated as a neighborhood grocery store for more than 125 years, is known for its bright blue exterior mural and its motto of being “the biggest little store in the Valley.”
Nelson’s four children inherited the store after he died; one of his grandsons, Jake Blum, took over as store manager. Another of Nelson’s grandsons, Jeremy Hale, and his business partner Blake Verdon purchased the store in 2022; the business partners also own LTD Brewing Co., in Hopkins.
“We feel we have taken the business as far as we can, and it’s time for someone with the experience and know-how to take it to the next level and carry on with Len’s legacy,” Hale said Thursday. “He would want to continue to see it grow. Grundhofer’s is another family business that has been built from the ground up, and they want to carry on the same values we have. The staff, service and quality are really the big things.”
In addition to a new name and updated signage, customers can expect to see new coolers, new freezers and an expanded meat department “with amazing new offerings,” Len’s officials wrote in a post sharing the news. “Have you heard of the Gummy Bear brat?”
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All employees at Len’s will continue as Grundhofer’s employees, said Spencer Grundhofer, the owner of Grundhofer’s.
Grundhofer’s, known for its Minnesota-raised pork and beef, makes 130 different varieties of brats, 20 different flavors of beef sticks, 15 different kinds of summer sausage and 10 different flavors of beef jerky.
“We’re famous for our meat department,” said Grundhofer, who lives in Hugo. “People travel from all over the country to get our brats. We also smoke all our own bacon and salmon. We really focus on high-quality products and customer service.”
Grundhofer’s will take over the business on Dec. 1.
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