About this location
A few stories people tell about this place
1. One morning, while scanning for sale items, a regular noticed an unusual announcement over the store’s PA: ‘Attention shoppers—we’ve just received a special shipment of ghost peppers. Please keep your hands off the shelves and each other.’ A delivery driver, hearing the announcement, calmly walked towards the chili section. Minutes later, he emerged with a shopping cart full of everything hot—they found him laughing hysterically next to a sign that read, 'Hotter Than Hell: Try Not to Cry!' The regular smiled, knowing it was another day in Hy-Vee's world of unexpected adventures.
2. One day, as a delivery driver unloaded crates of fresh produce, he heard something strange coming from inside one box. Curious, he opened it carefully—and found himself face-to-face with a talking tomato. The tomato introduced itself as Tom and started chatting about how much he loves being part of Hy-Vee’s healthy lineup. The delivery driver laughed, thinking it was just another quirky customer comment. From then on, whenever anyone asked for tomatoes, Tom would wave hello from his spot in the produce aisle—making shopping trips more fun for everyone.
3. One afternoon, while stocking shelves, a young worker noticed a peculiar sign taped to the cooler door: ‘Milk expires when you leave.’ The worker laughed it off and went on with his job. Later that evening, as he was leaving, he glanced back at the cooler—and sure enough, the sign was still there. The next day, everyone in the store was talking about it. A few days later, an anonymous note appeared: 'Hy-Vee never closes—you just might.' It became something of a local joke among the staff.
4. One evening, after closing time, a night security guard saw a small shadow darting between aisles. Curious, he followed it and found a shopping cart moving on its own, slowly filling up with cans of beans. Finally, the guard caught up with the cart near the checkout area. To his surprise, an old can of beans rolled out and hit him in the head! Turns out, someone had left the cart there earlier, and it was just an elaborate practical joke by a regular customer who loved beans. Everyone got a good laugh, including the guard, who now checks if any cans are wobbling before locking up for the night.