ELY - The family of the late John Zupancich formally celebrated the continuation of a century-plus tradition with the grand opening of the new Zup’s Food Market here last Thursday.
“This store is a testament to the unending support of the Ely community and the unwavering commitment of the corporation,” said Ed Zupancich, corporation president, as he cited the company’s beginnings when his great-grandfather started his business back in 1916. “Your support for Zup’s Markets has made us grow.”
A large crowd of company officials, grocery supplier representatives, local dignitaries, store employees and community supporters gathered in the parking lot of the former Shopko facility to mark the opening of the 32,000-square foot store on Ely’s east end.
“It took a long time to get here,” store manager Jim Zupancich said. “It took two years to put this together and we are so happy everything came true.”
Jim continued, “Our great-grandfather John started his business more than 100 years ago. He had seven sons, Edward, Ludwig, John, Albert, Joe, Leonard, Bill and one daughter, Auntie Angela, who are all looking down on us today feeling proud of what we have done here in Ely.”
Jim listed all the grandchildren and great-grandchildren who have a part in the family business, including the “Baloney Brothers” who work in the Ely store’s meat department.
“It was great to be part of this project that we’ve been talking about for more than two years,” he said. “We were going to remodel the store on the top of the hill and we decided it still wasn’t going to be big enough.”
Zup’s bought the other grocery outlet in town, Northland Market, and combined the staff from each store to make one expanded facility.
“It took the Richards’ who owned that store, Jay from the J&L Hardware store, Essentia Pharmacy, county and city officials and several banks to make all this work,” Jim Zupancich said.
He then launched into an extended list of thanking everyone who made the day finally happen. “Without you we wouldn’t have a store in Ely,” Zupancich said.
He said the new store includes “more than 5,000 new grocery store items” and incudes both an adjacent liquor store and pharmacy facility.
The Minnesota Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation (IRRR) played a key role, including infrastructure work, in assisting with the development of the former Shopko facility.
“We like to help communities that like to help themselves, and Ely is one of those communities,” said Mark Phillips, IRRR commissioner.
Roger Skraba, Ely mayor, added, “We need businesses like this in Ely. Hopefully that will set the stage for another car dealership which we would like to see back in Ely. An anchor like this holding businesses here in Ely is a big deal. I thank the Zupancich family for investing in Ely, in their future.”
Beside Ely, Zupanchich Brothers Inc. have stores in Babbitt, Tower, Cook and Silver Bay. “We hope we’re here for anther 106 years,” Jim Zupancich said.