Dahl’s Foods opened the doors of its new Ames location to customers on Monday in Ames on North Grand Avenue. Founded in 1931, Dahl’s Foods has been in business in Iowa for nearly 80 years.

Mike Lee, the manager of the Ames store, was also the manager of the Cub Foods store that once occupied the new store’s location.

Lee has been in the grocery business since he was 16.

“I grew up in Ames and moved to many Midwestern cities where I worked at the grocery business,” Lee said.

Lee has worked at Cub Foods for about 20 years. He has been a manager for 19 years.

“When I was with Cub Foods for 20 years, people asked me for some place to eat and have a cup of coffee,” Lee said. “In this end of town, we have the first seating of coffee.”

Dahl’s Food Store in Ames currently employs between 90 and 95 employees. About 20 of those employees are transfers from Cub Foods.

While the staff has remained the same to some extent, there were many changes made inside of the store.

“It’s been completely decorated,” Lee said. “We have full services, [someone to] sack the groceries and a drive out. It’s just completely changed altogether.”

“We made it more spacious and open,” Lee said.

Lee prides his store in its service and variety it gives to customers.

“If we don’t have it, we will get it,” Lee said. “We are able to get whatever people want. We will do our best to.”

For Lee, his staff members are people he can depend on to make the store successful.

“It’s nice to have people you know and that you can trust,” Lee said. “We’re a full-service grocery store.”