Lululand coming to Midway Marketplace

The department store format that Herberger’s represented is not returning.”

Marshall Nguyen

Audio

Lululand coming to Midway Marketplace_Jane McClure.mp3

The good times can roll at the proposed Lululand Adventure Park, with an Aug. 28, 2026, vote of approval from the Saint Paul Planning Commission. The commission approved a conditional use permit allowing the conversion of the former Midway Marketplace Herberger’s store into an amusement venue.

The store is located at 1400 University Ave. A Planning Commission decision is final unless the permit is appealed to the Saint Paul City Council within 10 days.

No opposition to the proposal has emerged. The permit was recommended for approval by city planning staff and Union Park District Council.

The permit allows building owner Dragon Midway Saint Paul LLC. to convert part of the two-story store into an indoor family entertainment and trampoline park. It also allows for the modification of the maximum floor area condition for the use. A maximum floor area of 40,000 square feet is permitted; 76,292 square feet is requested for a modification of 36,292 square feet.

The property is zoned for traditional neighborhoods four use.

The one issue that has been questioned is why the city has the 40,000 square feet maximum floor area requirement. Planning Commission and Union Park District Council members have wondered why such a requirement is in place.

Saint Paul regulates large-scale commercial entertainment and amusement uses through various means including conditional use permits and business licenses. Large entertainment venues are restricted to specific zoning districts. The conditional use permit process includes a look at compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood, potential traffic impacts and parking needs.

Any needed licenses are issued by the Department of Safety and Inspections (DSI).

City Planner Kady Dadlez outlined the proposed uses for Lululand. The facility will offer a variety of activities including open-jump trampoline courts, performance and dodgeball courts, ninja and obstacle courses, foam pits, climbing walls, toddler and soft play zones, interactive sports courts, and an overhead adventure track. Party rooms and concessions spaces are also planned.

The indoor recreation use will occupy 76,292 square feet of floor area in the building, including 17,786 square feet on the first level and the entire second floor at 58,506 square feet. A retail store of 23,792 square feet is planned for the floor area east of the main entrance. A restaurant of 14,659 square feet is planned for the floor area west of the main entrance.

The building is part of a 6.65-acre parcel, which includes 356 parking spaces.

Changes to the building exterior are planned, including the addition of windows, awnings, lighting and new entrances for the retail and restaurant uses. All renovations will take place inside of the building.
Marshall Nguyen, managing partner for Dragon Midway Saint Paul LLC, explained the permit request. Nguyen pointed out that Herberger’s closed in 2018. Other Midway Marketplace stores have also closed including Cub Foods, At Home and TJ Maxx.

“The proposed reuse of the long-vacant former department store is particularly well suited to this existing large-format building and to its location within a T4 Traditional Neighborhood District along the University Avenue transit corridor . . . . The department store format that Herberger’s represented is not returning,” Nguyen said. He pointed out that other department stores around the nation have been repurposed in a similar manner.

Another argument Nguyan raised for the building conversion and format is that Midway Marketplace needs a catalyst capable of generating sustained activity and supporting renewed private investment. “Prolonged vacancy and underutilization of prominent commercial properties can also contribute to diminished activity, maintenance, and perceptions of public safety,” he said.

The project would represent the first major investment in Midway Marketplace in several years. Midway Marketplace was built in 1994, replacing businesses including a longtime Montgomery Ward department store and its regional shipping center.

Although the purchase of the former Cub Foods and At Home stores earlier this year has sparked speculation of redevelopment, plans haven’t come forward for community review. The purchaser of the stores is linked to the H Mart store chain.