When the new Madsen’s Valu Center opens at 1615 N. State Wednesday morning it will be the only supermarket for miles around open 24 hours a day, according to manager Arnie Baumann.

“We feel an operation this size, trying to cater to the needs of everyone, should be open for their convenience,” he told the Journal.

The old store at 315 N. Broadway had abandoned these hours last winter when the energy crisis prompted calls for cu backs in energy use. Baumann said the store heard from customers who worked on shifts and had liked the 24 hours per day service,that there is a need in New Ulm for such hours.

“I think the reaction will be favorable,” Baumann said.

He noted the Madsen stores in Mankato are not open 24 hours per day but several Minneapolis supermarkets are.

The round-the-clock hours in the New Ulm Madsen shopping center will also be true for the Deli-Cafe, a cafeteria-style restaurant and delicatessen to be managed by Mrs. Lucille Stegeman, former owner of Sportsman’s Grill.

Some of the new goodies available at Madsen’s Valu Center will be sausages prepared and smoked in the store’s sausage kitchen here, fresh fish and bulk imported cheeses.

The man running the sausage kitchen will be Ed Meyer of Lake Crystal, who had done similar work before he came to Madsen’s and also has had training in Minneapolis. Meyer worked in Madsen’s meat department here before taking over the sausage assignment.

The bakery will start making refrigerated products, which it has never sold before. The store will also have complete gourmet and diet food departments, which will be new.

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Karen Grubb of Sleepy Eye will be the home economist at Madsen’s New Ulm store, a part time post. Baumann said he wasn’t sure of her duties yet but they would probably include demonstrations, new item testing, customer assistance, setting up consumer panels.

A pharmacy will be included in the new store, managed by pharmacist Al Nordsiden, who has worked in New Ulm about eight months at a local pharmacy. He will have another pharmacist assisting him. The pharmacy will not be open 24 hours daily but instead on a more restricted schedule.

The postal substation at Madsen’s will also run on a more restricted schedule than the rest of the store. The substation will offer all services available at the main post office.

Number of employees will be more than double the number at the old store but Baumann said he couldn’t say what the exact number would be. Many are parttime.

Baumann said he will have two assistants at the new store,Dick Ginn and Ron Knapp. Ginn has been with Madsen’s 13years here and will be in charge of the food side of the store (groceries, restaurant, bakery). Knapp will come from a Mankato Madsen’s store and will be in charge of general merchandise including automotive, sporting goods, greeting cards, records and electronics, fabrics, hardware, housewares, gifts,toys, stationery, do-it-yourself needs, paints.

Glenn Rasmussen, Galen Dallmann and Dick Johnson have been promoted and will be the department heads for general merchandise. Adeline Jacobson, who previously managed the Fab N Trim shop in New Ulm will be head of fabrics. Gladys Nilson, who formerly worked in cosmetics at a local store, will head that department at the new Valu Center.

Dwayne Monson will continue in his present post of grocery manager, as will Earl Nyland, meat manager; Don Jorgenson, produce; Rich Baier, frozen food and dairy; Hans Strzyso, bakery; Jerry Kamm, service counter (cashier and carry out); Phyllis Domeier, head cashier and in charge of the office.

Bauman said the frozen food and service meat departments would be the “largest in southern Minnesota” with the frozen food department having 56 upright cases. There will be 10 checkout stands and a parcel pickup featuring an assemble-line track to carry out grocery orders to be loaded into people’s cars as they drive up.

The new store will have 56,000 square feet, four times as much as the old store at 315 N. Broadway. Cost of the new store has been put at over $1 million. Parking for 300 cars will be available between the store and Broadway.

“Our feeling is that the people of this area have been entitled to something of this nature, this concept of shopping,” Baumann said. “We’re glad to be able to do this for people.”

Grand opening is 10 a.m. Wednesday.

New Ulm Daily Journal

June 18, 1974