Council approves traffic revision at 750 Main Street to allow Happy Joe’s pickup window

The Mendota Heights City Council on Sept. 2 approved a traffic revision at 750 Main Street that converts both under-building tunnels to northbound-only access to accommodate a pickup window for Happy Joe’s Pizza and Ice Cream.

City staff and the applicant told council the change is intended to support a new Happy Joe’s location in the village and to use an underused tunnel for customer pickup. The city asked the applicant to provide a traffic analysis before changing the site circulation; SRF Consulting monitored both tunnels for 48 hours and reported the southern tunnel averaged about 12 vehicles per day with a maximum of three vehicles observed during that period.

Director Ruzek described the physical changes: reversing painted pavement arrows, relocating or adding “Do Not Enter” signage on the north side of the building, and removing a curb section so vehicles can approach the pickup window. He said the east tunnel already functions primarily as a northbound access and will remain so. Ryan Smith, the applicant and area director for Happy Joe’s, told council the pickup window is intended to let customers collect prepaid orders without having to get out of their vehicles during adverse weather.

Council members asked about the existing pharmacy pickup window in the same building and whether that structure would be removed; staff said the medicine shop window is not proposed to be taken down and that the space is currently vacant. Councilors also asked about timing; the applicant estimated a seven-to-eight month build-out, with a potential spring opening.

Councilor Paper moved approval of the traffic revision; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The council’s action authorizes the signage and re-striping changes described by staff and allows the applicant to proceed with the interior build-out that will include the pickup window.

The applicant and staff said the pickup window is not a drive-up ordering facility (no payments or on-site ordering) but a pickup point for preordered items. Staff said the site’s Planned Unit Development previously allowed a pickup window for the eastern tenant, and the proposed change would use existing site access while adjusting the traffic pattern to serve the new tenant.

If implemented, the reconfiguration includes temporary and permanent signage to minimize wrong-way movements; staff noted that vehicles already occasionally used the tunnels in both directions during the observation period. Council did not attach further conditions beyond the traffic revision approval and related site-work permits and building permits that will follow.