For more than 20 years, Grand Market Grocery has served the Mille Lacs community. This year, the District I business celebrated its history while making the beginning of its next chapter.
On August 18, Grand Market welcomed Band Members, employees, local residents and community members for a grand reopening and ribbon-cutting celebration following significant improvements to the store.
The work represents an important investment in a business that has served the community since opening in the spring of 2005.
In 2025, Mille Lacs Band Elected Leadership made the historic decision to provide capital infusion funding to the Wewinabi portfolio. It was the first investment of its kind for Wewinabi, and Grand Market was selected as the first location to benefit.
Improvements have included safety and HVAC updates, a new parking lot, and significant work inside the store, including an expanded deli; a new express customer service area, which reopened the former entrance; and updated restrooms.
For District I Representative Carolyn Beaulieu, the investment reflects both the importance of Grand Market to the community and the responsibility to consider Wewinabi’s long-term business needs.
— Carolyn Beaulieu | Representative, District I
That balance is particularly important for a business like Grand Market. Beyond providing groceries and everyday necessities close to home, the store also creates employment opportunities within District I.
At the time of reopening, Grand Market’s Band Member preference workforce reached 66%, up 53% from the previous quarter. The progress also contributed to a combined District I Band Member preference rate of 66% across Wewinabi businesses.
Grand Market Grocery is one of the businesses within Wewinabi, Inc., the Tribal Economy Investing division of Mille Lacs Corporate Ventures. MLCV and its portfolio companies are owned by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.
Grand Market is operated by Wewinabi, Inc., which oversees businesses located throughout the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe’s Reservation districts. Wewinabi’s role includes operating those businesses responsibly while considering the services, employment and economic activity they provide within Band communities.
For Grand Market, reinvestment means strengthening an existing business, rather than starting something new.
— Michele Palomaki | CEO, Wewinabi, Inc.
The August 18 celebration brought together Band Members, community members, employees and Band Leadership. The local Mille Lacs Band Chapter of WEWIN also hosted a fundraiser during the event, while Mille Lacs Band departments shared information and resources with attendees.
The milestone provided an opportunity to recognize the employees who have helped make Grand Market part of the community for two decades.
While proudly owned by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, Grand Market is open to everyone. Band Members, local residents, visitors and travelers are all welcome to shop at the District I grocery store.
Twenty-one years after Grand Market first opened its doors, the investment recognizes both what the stores has meant to the community, and what it can continue to provide in the years ahead.
For Grand Market, the grand reopening wasn’t simply about a fresh look. It was a celebration of 20 years of service — and an investment in what comes next.
Through investing in our economy, MLCV delivers on our mission to improve the lives of Band Members through job creation, and access to important services.
When we talk about economic development, growth and revenue are naturally part of the conversation.
As CEO of Wewinabi, the Tribal Economy Investing division of MLCV, Michele Palomaki thinks about what our businesses make possible for the people and communities around them.
Learn how Michele makes critical business decisions that support our Tribal economy, Band Members, Associates, as well as community members across our region.
