Mark Wahlberg makes surprise stop at Iowa grocery store during Flecha Azul Tequila tour

Hollywood A-lister Mark Wahlberg made a surprise stop at a Hy-Vee in Grimes on Monday.

Hy-Vee representatives said the actor took photos with customers, greeted employees and posed for selfies during the unexpected visit.

The Grimes Hy-Vee, 351 NE Gateway Dr. is arguably the chain's most star-studded location in recent memory. In July, late-night talk show legend David Letterman bagged groceries and surprised a slew of shoppers.

Wahlberg is in town to promote his Flecha Azul Tequila with a Halloween appearance at the grocery store chain's Wall to Wall Wine & Spirits, 375 S. Jordan Creek Parkway, in West Des Moines. The Academy Award nominee will sign tequila bottles and take photos with fans from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Wahlberg was joined at the Grimes Hy-Vee location by his chef brother Paul, who founded the brothers' burger chain Wahlburgers and starred in the A&E reality TV program of the same name.

Wahlberg makes frequent appearances in the Des Moines metro

Wahlberg has long been a promotional partner of the Iowa-based chain of grocery stores. He made headlines when he sheltered in place at the company's West Des Moines headquarters amid a tornado warning in March 2022.

More: Actor Mark Wahlberg sheltered in the basement at Hy-Vee headquarters during tornado warning

The "Pain & Gain" star's partnership with the company began in the 2010s. Hy-Vee partnered with the Wahlberg brothers to open Wahlburgers burger shops. More than 5,000 people attended the 2018 grand opening of a Wahlburgers location in West Des Moines, which sat near Costco and has nowpermanently closed.

Wahlburgers restaurants remain open at a number of select Hy-Vee locations.

Jay Stahl is an entertainment reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow him on Instagram or reach out at jstahl@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Mark Wahlberg in Iowa promoting Flecha Azul Tequila