June 15, 2022

A businessman is expanding his chain of groceries later this summer to Sioux Falls.

Efrain Patino has finalized the purchase of the former Andy’s Affiliated Foods building on Cleveland Avenue just north of 18th Street from longtime owner Bob Jelsma.

Jelsma closed the 72-year-old family-owned story early this spring after announcing he was retiring.

Patino, who lives in Worthington, Minnesota, said the Hispanic grocery store, El Mexicano No. 7, hopefully will open in August.

“We already placed the order for equipment we need,” he said. “The meat case we ordered three months ago, but they’re like a month behind. It also depends on the permits from the city. We’re hoping by middle of August.”

Patino moved to the United States from Mexico 25 years ago. His brother started the family’s first two Hispanic grocery stores. That’s why when Patino opened his first store in Worthington he named it El Mexicano No. 3. That store, in the Thompson Hotel on 10th Street across from the Nobles County Courthouse, also includes a restaurant, The Thompson Mexican Grill. He also plans to open a store there featuring ice cream and candy.

Patino, 41, also has grocery stores in Storm Lake and Denison, Iowa, and Omaha and South Sioux City, Nebraska. He opened the market in Worthington in 2011.

Jelsma’s father opened Andy’s in 1950. When Jelsma announced his retirement, it was the second-oldest family-owned grocery in Sioux Falls. Only Franklin Food Market on Cliff Avenue is older. Jelsma had owned Andy’s for about 35 years.

Jelsma sold the land north of his store and a Dollar General opened in early spring.

A half-dozen prospective buyers talked to Jelsma about taking over the grocery store location after he announced his retirement, and he never needed to list it with a Realtor. He chose Patino because of his enthusiasm, he said.

“This guy was so interested he was here six or seven times before he even purchased it,” said Jelsma, who handed over the keys Monday.

Patino decided to expand to Sioux Falls because many local residents travel to Worthington to shop at El Mexicano No. 3.

“I got a lot of customers going from Sioux Falls to Worthington,” he said. “A lot of customers during the weekend. And a lot of customers from Huron and the little towns around Sioux Falls. So many were driving two hours or more to find a grocery store. It will be a lot more flexible for them.”

As a small business, it is difficult to compete against super-size grocers such as Walmart, Hy-Vee and Fareway, Patino said. That’s why he focuses on groceries from Mexico. He still will offer food products that appeal to all shoppers, he said.

The restaurant in Worthington opened in 2014. Patino operated it for four years and then rented it to someone else. He took it back about a year ago during the pandemic and restarted it.