Indoor adventure park coming to St. Paul's Midway neighborhood

A St. Paul, Minnesota, neighborhood that has struggled to keep businesses might be turning a corner.

Vast emptiness fills the Midway Marketplace on University Avenue, a collection of faceless storefronts and desolate parking lots. It's a sore sight for Larry Burrell, who calls this neighborhood home.

"We want to see things differently. We want some shopping, we want some groceries, we also want things for the kids," he said as he played with his nephews on a playground next to Allianz Field.

Something for the kids is on the way. Replacing the old Herberger's department store will be Lululemon Adventure Park.

It's an indoor playground filled with trampolines, foam pits, an arcade and other activities. Their website lists the St. Paul address of 1400 University Avenue West as one of its seven locations coming soon.

Chad Kulas, the executive director of the Midway Chamber of Commerce, said the family-centric entertainment is exactly what the Midway needs.

"I think about other similar trampoline parks and places where kids' birthday parties take place. It becomes a destination. It brings people to the neighborhood and hopefully, by coming here, they also are noticing other shops, other attractions they can go to as well," Kulas said.

Councilmember Anika Bowie represents Ward 1, which his where the Midway Marketplace is located. She also praised the addition of Lululand, saying, "After the Cub Foods closure, my office brought together stakeholders to reimagine the future of the Midway Marketplace, and one of the ideas we consistently heard was creating more spaces where families and young people can come together. I'm excited to see that vision becoming a reality and look forward to welcoming this business to Ward 1."

While the adventure park would fill one empty store, other spaces remain. The shopping center lost a Walmart, TJ Maxx and most recently a Cub Foods grocery.

Kulas said residents have told him they miss the different shopping options, but he said more change is on the way.

"It sounds like the H Mart company has purchased the Cub site. So, hopefully that means we're going to have an H Mart at that location," said Kulas. 

In June, the Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal reported that the Cub location was sold to a company connected to H Mart, a popular Asian grocery store chain.

Across the street outside Allianz Field, a new hotel, office space, and restaurants are under construction as part of the United Village.

But a new space to play with his nephews is what has Burrell most excited.

"We need something that (people) can see their kids can have a good time as well," he said.

There's no date set for when Lululand Adventure Park will open. WCCO reached out to the company but has not heard back.