By: Andrew Song
When I first arrived in Eau Claire, as we drove down Clairemont, I noticed a very large, vacant building. As I looked closer, I could see the faint remains of the K-Mart sign that had stood there for many years but had been removed since. It struck me as odd to see such a large space that was not used anymore but clearly had been a center of commerce in the past.
Rumors began to circulate about a business that had acquired the old K-Mart property and people became quite excited. When the rumors were confirmed that Hy-Vee had bought the property, many people were relieved and optimistic about the changes that would occur. Hy-Vee is well known to be a grocery store with a wide variety of products which are sold at affordable prices. Hy-Vee also has a food court that serves a large variety of meals. I had heard of excellent pre-prepared foods which could be easily made at home. All these features will be very attractive to families in the Eau Claire area. Additionally, Hy-Vee usually has gas stations which would allow them to fill their cars while they find food to fill their bellies.
The introduction of Hy-Vee to the area brings to town an excellent institution for grocery shopping but also revitalizes an area that needed to be filled.