St. Paul’s Midway neighborhood is poised to add a family entertainment draw to a stretch of University Avenue that has seen significant retail losses in recent years. Lululemon Adventure Park is planned for the former Herberger’s anchor at 1400 University Avenue West, according to the company’s location listings and local business leaders.
Filling a large empty storefront
The Midway Marketplace has lost several big-box tenants, including Walmart, TJ Maxx and more recently a Cub Foods grocery, leaving sizable vacancies that neighbors and business leaders say have depressed foot traffic. The arrival of a trampoline- and activity-centric indoor park — featuring trampolines, foam pits, arcade attractions and other family activities — would convert one of the center’s larger vacant spaces into an active destination.
“We want to see things differently. We want some shopping, we want some groceries, we also want things for the kids,”
said resident Larry Burrell as he watched children play near Allianz Field, describing local hopes for renewed activity along the corridor.
Economic and community implications
Chad Kulas, executive director of the Midway Chamber of Commerce, said a family entertainment destination could serve as a regional draw and help revive surrounding businesses. He pointed to other trampoline parks that have become birthday-party hubs and noted that such traffic can benefit neighboring shops and restaurants.
Councilmember Anika Bowie, whose Ward 1 includes the Midway Marketplace, welcomed the addition. Bowie said her office convened stakeholders after the Cub Foods closure to reimagine the site and that family-oriented uses were a frequent recommendation during that process.
What remains to be done
While the adventure park would occupy a prominent empty unit, other vacancies remain at the shopping center. Local leaders have signaled additional change: Kulas said the Midway has been told that the Cub Foods site was acquired by the H Mart company, which could restore grocery capacity to the neighborhood if confirmed.
- Planned tenant: Lululemon Adventure Park (listed as opening at 1400 University Ave. W.)
- Planned attractions: trampolines, foam pits, arcade and similar family activities
- Site context: former Herberger’s anchor at Midway Marketplace; nearby recent closures include Walmart, TJ Maxx and Cub Foods
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Address | 1400 University Avenue West |
| Neighborhood | Midway, St. Paul |
| Potential grocery replacement | H Mart reported to have purchased former Cub site (per Midway Chamber) |
For residents, an indoor adventure park would do more than provide weekend entertainment: it could signal a shift in the retail mix that stabilizes the corridor, draws families from across the metro area and creates incidental customers for nearby merchants. For city officials and economic development stakeholders, the site represents a test case in how Midway can reinvent large suburban-style shopping centers for new uses.
Plans remain subject to permitting, final lease execution and build-out timelines. Local leaders say they will continue coordinating with property owners and potential tenants to ensure the redevelopment supports neighborhood needs.
