Hy-Vee

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. One day, while scanning cans of beans, a Hy-Vee cashier noticed something odd: every fifth can had a tiny smiley face printed on it. No one else seemed to notice, but customers started asking if they could get ‘the smiling beans.’ Soon enough, word spread around town that Hy-Vee’s smiling beans brought good luck. People began collecting them like trophies, even though no one knew why. One day, an old neighbor walked in with his shopping cart full of smiling beans and proudly announced, 'I’ve got enough for my whole family's good fortune!' The cashier just smiled and said, 'Next time, maybe try some regular beans too.'

2. One morning, an elderly gentleman approached the deli counter and asked the clerk, ‘Do you know why they call it “Hy-Vee”?’ The puzzled employee shook her head. ‘Because,’ replied the man with a twinkle in his eye, ‘it’s always here to help you see what you need!’ A few days later, another customer overheard the same conversation and joked, 'Actually, Hy-Vee stands for "Help Yourself Very Often"!' Everyone laughed, including the bewildered clerk. From then on, whenever someone asked about the store's name, everyone at the deli would smile and say, "It means whatever you want it to mean!"

3. While stocking the shelves one night, a Hy-Vee employee overheard two customers arguing loudly in the dairy aisle. ‘I’ll never buy milk here again!’ declared one, slamming down his cart. The other replied, ‘But I just saw you buying it last week.’ Suddenly, an elderly gentleman approached them, smiling warmly and saying, 'Excuse me, but did either of you happen to see my little granddaughter? She was right behind you, carrying her favorite chocolate milk.' The argument vanished as quickly as it had begun, replaced by laughter and apologies.

4. One day, while restocking the cereal aisle, a Hy-Vee worker heard a strange noise coming from the backroom. Peering inside, they found a bag filled with boxes that seemed to move on their own. Curious but cautious, the employee gently opened the bag and watched in amazement as the boxes slowly rearranged themselves into alphabetical order. Word spread quickly through the store, and soon everyone was stopping by to watch the magical display. It turned out to be just an overzealous delivery driver who’d programmed the boxes to self-sort using his smartphone app. Since then, Hy-Vee’s cereal aisle has become a local attraction, attracting neighbors and even tourists for its unique sorting spectacle.