Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

New owners of Watertown grocery to take over today



WATERTOWN, MN – The official switchover from old to new will take place today as new owners Dan and Shari Wagner of Adams, MN join Jim May of Pine Island to purchase the Marketplace Foods grocery store in Watertown.

The Wagners are former owners of Prairie Market in Lester Prairie.

The sale is final today, Monday, Dec. 28 with the new owners taking possession at noon. The store will be closed that morning until noon to take inventory.

May, who is a partner in the business, has already relocated to Watertown and will manage the store. He has worked with the Wagners on and off since 1973.

Residents can expect upgrades to scanners, and fresh produce and meat upgrades, which is similar to the changes made to the Lester Prairie store when the Wagners were owners at that time.

Something that the new owners like about Watertown is its size and appeal. They feel that they can build up a business following in town, Dan Wagner said. “We liked the potential,” he added.

Current owners of the store are the Johanneson family of Bemidji.

The Wagners purchased the Prairie Market in February 2006, and then sold it two years later. The Wagners’ other locations are grouped in southern Minnesota, with stores in Pine Island, Wells, New Richland, Adams, and Britt, IA.

The Watertown grocery’s supplier will be Affiliated Foods, which offers ShurFine and the ShurFresh label products.

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