North Minneapolis is not losing its soul food, even if it is losing its full-service grocery store for a while. Wendy's House of Soul will keep frying, rolling, and serving its signature comfort dishes while North Market prepares for a major overhaul, owner Wendy Puckett says.
The deli counter will remain a steady presence on the North Side as Pillsbury United Communities winds down day-to-day supermarket operations and reshapes the building into a broader community food hub. Through the transition, Wendy's plans to keep takeout, catering, and delivery going so neighbors still have a reliable spot for hot, ready-to-eat meals.
North Market To Pause Full Grocery Operations
Pillsbury United Communities has announced that North Market will pause full-service grocery operations on Feb. 1, 2026, with a goal of reopening in the second half of 2026 under a redesigned "North Market 2.0" model. The nonprofit said the current retail setup is financially fragile, squeezed by rising costs, inflation and fluctuations in philanthropic support. The new version of North Market is expected to center a BIPOC-run food-business incubator and workforce initiatives, according to North Market. Staff positions tied to the existing store model will wrap up Jan. 31 as the organization shifts toward the revamped plan.
Wendy's House of Soul To Keep the Kitchen Hot
Chef Wendy Puckett moved Wendy's House of Soul into North Market in January 2023 and says she is not leaving just because the grocery operations are. She plans to keep cooking through the pause and expects to stay open through March or until construction starts.
Puckett told KARE 11 she felt "grateful, blessed, sad, and emotional," especially with the changes landing around Black History Month. She confirmed that catering and delivery will continue during the transition.
When Puckett first relocated into the Humboldt Avenue space, local coverage highlighted Wendy's soulrolls and Juicy Lucy twists as neighborhood favorites and noted the January 2023 move into North Market, according to Racket. For fans of those deep-fried staples, that history is now paying off in the form of one familiar counter that is not going dark.
What the Pause Means for the Neighborhood
The grocery pause has stirred fresh anxiety about food access on the North Side. North Market has typically served about 2,500 customers a week, and officials say the store could not keep going without the purchasing power that larger chains enjoy. MPR News reported that donations made up a substantial share of operating revenue, which left the enterprise exposed whenever philanthropic support dipped.
Pillsbury United Communities says community workshops and partner collaborations will guide the redesign, with the goal of creating a model that can survive financially while still serving local needs.
How To Get Wendy's While the Market Is Reworked
Wendy's House of Soul is keeping its regular weekday schedule in place. Owner statements to KARE 11 list Monday through Friday hours and confirm that the business is taking catering orders and delivery requests throughout North Market's pause.
An employee told KARE 11 he hopes the redesigned North Market will make space for Wendy's House of Soul once construction wraps, a hint of optimism from workers who have watched the ups and downs up close.
In the meantime, customers can still walk up to the counter inside North Market for individual orders or contact the shop directly to arrange larger catering gigs and event menus.
Pillsbury United Communities has scheduled public conversations and facilitated workshops in February to gather community input on North Market 2.0, and organizers say residents will have a say in shaping programming and the mix of tenants that come next. Until those plans turn into walls and shelves, Wendy's House of Soul will hold down the fort as one steady taste of North Minneapolis.
