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MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Star Tribune today announced plans to stop operating its own printing facility effective December 27, 2025. The move is part of the Minnesota Star Tribune’s ongoing transformation into a modern, digital-first media company while ensuring the long-term financial health of the organization.
This move will result in the closure and sale of the company’s Heritage printing facility in Minneapolis, where the Minnesota Star Tribune has printed its daily newspaper for nearly four decades. Print delivery to subscribers will continue without interruption, with a Gannett printing facility in Des Moines, Iowa printing the newspapers and the Minnesota Star Tribune’s distribution fleet handling delivery of the daily paper throughout Minnesota.
The company remains committed to providing a high-quality daily printed newspaper to customers who deeply value this medium and has laid the groundwork to ensure a smooth transition.
“This is a difficult but necessary decision to position the Minnesota Star Tribune for future growth,” said Steve Grove, CEO and Publisher. “Our industry continues to evolve rapidly, and this change will help us preserve resources, invest in our digital transformation, and continue delivering the high-quality journalism Minnesotans count on. We are deeply grateful to the Heritage team for their decades of dedication and commitment to serving Minnesota readers, which has been vital to the success of the Midwest’s largest news organization.”
Impact on Employees
Approximately 125 employees will be affected by the closure of Heritage. The Minnesota Star Tribune will negotiate with impacted employees’ unions to determine the suite of benefits and other resources available to impacted employees.
Why the Change Is Necessary
Declining print circulation and inefficiencies resulting from operating an underutilized print facility have made in-house production increasingly unsustainable. Given declines in print subscriptions, the Minnesota Star Tribune currently uses only 18% of the capacity at the Heritage printing facility. Most newspapers nationwide have already consolidated print operations, and the Minnesota Star Tribune is among the last major daily publications to make this kind of strategic move. Closing the Heritage facility will save the Strib several million dollars in expenses annually and allow the company to preserve resources to continue building the digital capabilities that will define its future.
Commitment to Readers
The Gannett facility in Des Moines offers advanced production capabilities, with the potential to bring color to every page for readers and advertisers. Weekday print deadlines will shift to 5:15 p.m., and Sunday deadlines to 4:00 p.m. Due to earlier deadlines, some content—such as late-night sports scores—may appear in digital editions first.
While the method of production is changing, readers will continue to receive the same quality journalism and daily delivery they have come to expect. As always, breaking sports news will be available around the clock at startribune.com and our eEdition will feature late-breaking sports scores and stats.
About The Minnesota Star Tribune
The Minnesota Star Tribune is an innovative modern media organization building on an extraordinary 158-year legacy. With seven Pulitzer Prizes and hundreds of other awards, the Minnesota Star Tribune boasts the Midwest’s largest news organization and is an unrivaled force for journalistic excellence in Minnesota and beyond. As the heart and voice of the north, the Minnesota Star Tribune is on a journey to create the leading model for local news in America – driving innovation in media to make every Minnesotan’s life better. For more information, visit www.startribunecompany.com. – Submitted
