St. Paul's largest North End grocer was last listed Sept. 1; three readings since show nothing
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Overview
Updated 1 hour agoDouble Dragon Foods, the largest grocery in St. Paul's North End, has dropped off Minnesota's active food license list. It was on the list when the state database was read Aug. 28 and absent from three consecutive readings since Sept. 1.
A lapsed license can mean more than closure, and the city publishes no license date, so the store may still be trading. But this business anchors a diverse immigrant neighborhood's food access, and the same store was condemned and shut down in 2018 before reopening within weeks.
Why it matters
If the North End's biggest grocery is truly gone, thousands of residents lose their closest full-service food option.
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People Involved
Organizations Involved
The largest grocery in St. Paul's North End, carrying Asian, African, Hispanic, Indian, Middle Eastern, and American goods across about 18,000 square feet.
The state agency that licenses food establishments in Minnesota and publishes the searchable list used to track whether a license is active.
The neighborhood group representing St. Paul's North End, where Double Dragon is the largest food retailer.
Timeline
June 2016 September 2026
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Third consecutive reading without Double Dragon
Latest SignalStore absent from three straight readings; license lapse may indicate closure or something less final.
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Last reading showing the store listed
ObservationDouble Dragon was on the active list when read this day.
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Double Dragon appears on active license list
ObservationFirst reading of the state list; the store was present.
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Store cleared to reopen
ResolutionAfter appeal and completion of a city checklist, inspectors confirmed conditions met and the store reopened.
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City condemns Double Dragon building
RegulatoryInspection found wastewater leaks, rodent evidence, and electrical hazards; order to vacate issued.
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Stasny's Food Market burns down
ContextA smaller North End grocery with a popular meat counter burned; its butcher was killed and the store never reopened.
Historical Context
2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.
Stasny's Food Market fire (2016)
Stasny's, a smaller North End grocery with a popular meat counter on Western Avenue, burned down. The store's butcher, Stu Gerr, was killed in the incident.
The store never reopened, leaving the North End with one fewer full-service grocery.
The loss deepened the neighborhood's reliance on Double Dragon as its main larger retail option.
It shows the North End has already lost one grocery permanently. If Double Dragon is gone, residents lose the main replacement for Stasny's.
Double Dragon Foods condemnation (2018)
St. Paul's Department of Safety and Inspections condemned the building at 121 Maryland Ave W, citing wastewater leaks, rodent evidence, and electrical hazards, and ordered the store vacated. Inspections found 14 serious concerns.
The store shut for about 10 days. Owners appealed, completed a city checklist of emergency repairs, and were cleared to reopen before the council hearing.
The business survived and continued operating as the North End's largest grocer for another eight years.
This is the same store, owner, and address now missing from the license list. It shows the owners treat closure as a fightable, reversible event.
