Duluth's Best Bread Will Open Minneapolis Market Site
Duluth-based bakery will launch a weekly grab-and-go location in downtown Minneapolis starting this October.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Duluth's Best Bread will begin operating a weekly market space in the Lumber Exchange Building on October 13, 2026. The new storefront will provide grab-and-go service one day per week.
Why it matters
The expansion introduces a low-overhead model for the bakery by utilizing existing retail space within a partner's footprint. This arrangement allows the business to test the Minneapolis market without the capital commitment of a full-scale build-out.
The operator currently maintains three storefronts across Duluth and Superior. The new site will operate one day per week, with limited inventory and no on-site seating or coffee service.
The players
Duluth's Best Bread
An established bakery operator with three locations in the Twin Ports area.
Mix Cosmetiques
A retailer that recently established a presence in the Lumber Exchange Building.
The details
Duluth's Best Bread is utilizing a portion of the retail space recently occupied by Mix Cosmetiques in the Lumber Exchange Building. Bakery items are transported from the existing Twin Ports production facilities to the Minneapolis site. The partnership focuses on efficiency, as the space operates as a grab-and-go outlet only.
Timeline
September 2026: Mix Cosmetiques opened in the Lumber Exchange Building.
October 13, 2026: The new weekly market begins operations.
Every Tuesday: Market hours are 11 am to 6 pm.
Market Landscape
This move follows the popular retail trend of pop-up collaborations where independent operators share existing storefronts to reduce overhead. It marks a departure from traditional independent expansion by prioritizing temporary, low-cost access over long-term, full-site leases.
Business owners should consider how sharing retail footprints might lower the cost of testing new territories. Watch for how the grab-and-go model impacts inventory management when supply is transported long distances.
The takeaway
Using a partner's existing retail space provides a low-risk entry point for expanding operations into a new urban market. Operators should monitor the efficiency of long-distance inventory replenishment to ensure that low-overhead models maintain acceptable margins.
Further reading
For more on industry shifts, see Openings & Closings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KDHL AM 920.
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