RICHFIELD, Minnesota — A new grocer is set to take over the old Rainbow Foods in Richfield. The space has sat empty since 2018.
"I think it's going to be a good opportunity in that store. It's going to be the biggest store that we're going to open," said Gregorio Castillo, one of four brothers behind LomaBonita.
The brothers already have five Supermercado LomaBonita locations — four in the Twin Cities metro area and one in Monticello. Their Crystal location is the oldest and will celebrate 20 years next February.
"We enjoy working together because, if anything, we help all us together," said Fernando Castillo, who runs their Savage location.
Locations feature a bakery, taqueria, ice cream shop, meat department, money transfer location and grocery store.
Porfirio Castillo said it all started in Mexico with their grandfather's dreams.
"He always was dreaming that when he opens his own business, he will name it LomaBonita because he was living in the hills," Porfirio said.
But after their grandfather died, the family moved to the United States. Eventually, they moved to Minnesota where the brothers' father started working as a cashier at a small Mexican bakery. He then opened his very own bakery.
"We look in at Crystal. That's the first store. Small space, 900 square feet. That was our first bakery. Two years later, we opened our meat department and then taqueria. Now, we're up to 11,000 square feet in Crystal," Porfirio said.
But the Richfield location on W. 66th St. will be more than 50,000 square feet — their biggest store yet. It will be called LomaBonita Market and include everything the other locations have, as well as a tortilleria and flower shop.
The brothers first put an offer in on the space five years ago but it was declined.
"When we got a phone call from the owners that, 'We're ready to offer you an offer,' I say, 'Wow... God got the perfect time,'" Porfirio said. "Because now we feel like we're ready for the next step."
Porfirio said they hope to start construction in January with plans to open by June or July.