Hy-Vee took a few small, but key steps at Monday’s Austin City Council meeting for its new store to open in May.

The Austin City Council voted unanimously, with members Jeff Austin and David Hagen absent, to approve hard liquor and Sunday on-sale licenses for the new Hy-Vee, which is being built at 1307 18th Ave. NW, the former Oak Park Mall site.

Hy-Vee is nearing completion on its 60,000- to 90,000-square-foot complex, and the hard on-sale liquor will be sold at the new Market Grille, a full-service restaurant and bar coming with the new store.

Hy-Vee will also transfer its off-sale liquor and cigarette licenses for Hy-Vee Wine & Spirits and its cigarette and food licenses for the Hy-Vee Food Store from the current 1001 18th Ave. NW site to the new location.

Hy-Vee is also applying for a state license and city approval for liquor catering.

Hy-Vee acquired Oak Park Mall in late 2015 with help from the city of Austin, the Austin Port Authority and a $3.65 million grant from The Hormel Foundation.

While Hy-Vee officials haven’t publicly set a date for its spring opening, council documents and discussion referenced a May opening.