DULUTH — A new grocery store will soon open in Lincoln Park, bringing relief to a neighborhood that has historically struggled with food disparity.
Fifteen years after its conception, construction for the LNPK Grocery, 2014 W Superior St., has nearly reached the finish line.
LNPK Grocery
was initially set to open in summer 2025, but faced construction and permitting delays. Extensive repairs were also needed on the building, including replacing the roof and addressing heating system issues.
The store is now anticipated to open by early summer. The public is invited to an open house from 3-6 p.m. Thursday, April 23.
Entrances are accessible on both West Superior Street and West Michigan Street. Parking is available in front of the store, behind the building and across the street.
Adam Kurowski, Ecolibrium3 community projects director, left, and Toussaint Stewart, Ecolibrium3 community wellness specialist/food access specialist and neighborhood grocer for LNPK Grocery, work together to assemble a display shelf inside of the store in Duluth on Thursday.
Dan Williamson / Duluth Media Group
Increasing food accessibility
Lincoln Park was referred to as a “food desert” by Adam Kurowski, the community projects director at Ecolibrium3. The local nonprofit organization is leading the affordable grocery store project to address the health and economic disparities experienced throughout the neighborhood.
The project was funded from various grant sources, including the USDA and local foundations.
Noah Uphus, left, and Ryan Panchott, both of JS Print Group, remove the previous Ecolibrium3 sign from the storefront before installing a sign for LNPK Grocery.
Dan Williamson / Duluth Media Group
Adam Kurowski, left, and Toussaint Stewart chat while working on setting up the interior space of LNPK Grocery.
Dan Williamson / Duluth Media Group
According to Ecolibrium3 Founder and CEO Jodi Slick, 40% of Lincoln Park residents rely on public transportation, which poses an additional barrier to accessing healthy food options, such as fresh produce. Many neighbors frequent gas stations for food, which don’t often have a nutritious selection, she added.
Poor diet impacts the overall health of a community, Slick said, referring to the
LNPK 156
study that Ecolibrium3 conducted alongside the Centers for Disease Control and St. Louis County.
Toussaint Stewart checks out the interior space of the store.
Dan Williamson / Duluth Media Group
“The distance to other grocery stores is part of that,” Slick said. “The low prevalence of private vehicle ownership, high levels of disability and high levels of poverty — those are the four things that really impact people’s ability to purchase healthy food and consume that healthy food.”
Ecolibrium3’s
two-acre urban farm
located on Lake Superior College will provide fresh produce for the store. The farm currently produces 8,000 lbs. of food annually, with plans to increase production.
Shelves await food items to be displayed on them. The grocery store is anticipated to open in early summer.
Dan Williamson / Duluth Media Group
Crops grown at the farm that will be sold in the grocery store include herbs such as basil, parsley, dill, cilantro, thyme and rosemary, and vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, cabbage, carrots, cucamelons, cucumbers, garlic, ground cherries, kale, lettuce, onions, peppers, potatoes, spinach, cherry tomatoes, roma tomatoes, winter squash and zucchini.
Customers will also be able to purchase other select staples — bread, meats and dairy — in addition to household items, baby food and to-go sandwiches.
LNPK Grocery plans to offer affordable options and will accept SNAP and EBT benefits pending government approval.
The interior front, including a display shelf for grab and go items, inside of LNPK Grocery.
Dan Williamson / Duluth Media Group
Shopping carts to be used by customers at LNPK Grocery.
Dan Williamson / Duluth Media Group
The entrance for LNPK Grocery as seen April 16 before the installation of a new sign.
Dan Williamson / Duluth Media Group
This story was originally published at 7:51 a.m. April 22 and listed an incorrect rear entrance for LNPK Grocery. It was updated at 9 a.m. April 26. The grocery store’s rear entrance is off West Michigan Street. The News Tribune regrets the error.
Brielle Zywicki is a business and outdoors reporter for the Duluth News Tribune and Pine Journal.
Send her story tips, feedback or just say hi at bzywicki@duluthnews.com.
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