Menards plans a 221,000-square-foot store near Minneapolis

Menards will build a new 221,000-square-foot store and separate warehouse in Coon Rapids, Minn., a suburb of Minneapolis, according to the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

The new store is expected to be finished by February 2008, according to the report.

Menards is expanding into several new markets in the Midwest, with store formats ranging from 80,000 square feet to 240,000 square feet. The Eau Claire, Wis.-based retailer has plans for -- or has already opened -- several larger variety stores carrying grocery items in locations including Gary, Ind.; St. Cloud, Minn.; Grand Forks, N.D.; and Milwaukee.

Most recently, the company has announced plans to build more stores in the North Toledo and Oregon, Ohio, areas.

Currently, the retailer operates six stores in the northwestern Ohio area, according to its Web site. The company plans another store in the south central Ohio city of Chillicothe.

Privately held Menards is the nation’s number six home channel retailer, according to HCN’s Top 500 Scoreboard of home channel retailers.