By Sarah Stultz

sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com

Austin isn’t the only area city to soon welcome a Caribou Coffee.

A Caribou kiosk will open inside Albert Lea’s Hy-Vee on April 7.

“We’re excited to bring new jobs to Albert Lea,” Store director Al Weisert said. “There’s a market for the special coffee drinkers that is not available in Albert Lea right now.”

Caribou will bring eightto 10 jobs to Albert Lea, including one full-time department manager and several part-time clerks.

Construction is underway on the kiosk, which will be located near the front of the store.

Many Hy-Vee stores serve Caribou Coffee, and an Omaha location features a similar kiosk.

The move continues Caribou and Hy-Vee’s partnership that will soon open a coffee shop attached to Hy-Vee’s gas station in Austin.

Austin Hy-Vee store Director Todd Hepler said the store will open this summer, though a specific date or month is not yet known.

Considering Caribou Coffee is a Minnesota-based company, Hepler said store officials were pleased with the idea of giving the combined convenience and coffee shop idea a go in the state where it all began.

“This is something the Austin store could start,” Hepler said.

It now appears Hepler was right.

Austin’s shop will seat up to 28 people and will offer the traditional Caribou atmosphere, complete with a fire place, WiFi and outdoor patio seating. The coffee shop will also feature a drive-through.

The Caribou-convenience store combination in Austin will be the first like it in the country.

—Trisha Marczak contributed to this report