BROOKINGS (10-28-26) — The Brookings City Council votes last night (October 27) to sell land for a Menards store in Brookings.
The city owns roughly 30 acres of land north of Target and is selling it for approximately $5.3 million. Last night’s vote will transfer the city-owned land to the Brookings Regional Growth Alliance, who will then work through the process of selling the property to Menards, Inc.
Brookings Community Development Director Mike Struck… “Menards plans to construct an approximately 200 thousand square foot home improvement store on the Wiese property, which is located just north of Target. The property was appraised in January of 2026. It came back at $4.50 a square foot. That is the price we are selling the land to Menards at.”
He said final details depend on site surveys… “We’re only going to charge them for the developable land, and so this is the part where I mentioned will be finalized by survey and a detailed site plan prior to closing. And that we’re anticipating around 27.5 acres will be sold at the $4.50 a square foot, and then there will be approximately two additional acres that will be accounting for drainage purposes. Menards will own those drainage ponds and be responsible for maintaining those.”
Mayor Ope Niemeyer said these sorts of developments come when the time is ripe… “Ron Einspahr before he died told me one time that retailers will come when they think they can make money. When they finally feel that it’s the appropriate time for their business to be able to be successful in a community. It’s not because we give incentives. It’s not because we beg them to come here or say ‘we need a third grocery store.’ They’re not going to come until they can make money and be part of our community; and we have to fit their culture along with them being able to make it a viable business.”
Deputy Mayor Nick Wendell said this is the result of prior economic development efforts… “I think we’re all really encouraged that so quickly after the Marketplace developed that now this Wiese property is having an opportunity, that we have an opportunity to develop and see activity there. That was our hope. I think very optimistically we shared that as a hope. I’m really grateful that we’re at a place now so quickly that that’s happening.”
Menards hopes to open the Brookings location by the fourth quarter of 2029.
— Brookings Radio News
