Business-related stories dominated the year 2024, and while most of the news was good, there was also some less-than-welcome news.
But first, in early December, Hope Haven, a division of Imagine the Possibilities, announced that it would be closing its busy can and bottle redemption service to March 2025 to offset annual losses of $200,000. It was announced that it would end on the 31st of this month.
“The financial loss is simply insurmountable,” Cheryl Plank, Hope Haven’s chief strategy officer, said in a press release.
Fort Madison and Mount Pleasant will now have the closest redemption facilities. However, Des Moines County still has some options.
Area Recyclers (1818 West Burlington Ave.) and Alter Metal Recycling (2101 NW Burlington Ave., West Burlington) posted on social media reminding residents to pick up certain empty cans.
Area Recyclers’ trash program collects cans and bottles, and Alter buys metal by the pound, including aluminum beverage cans.
Another option — PAW Animal Shelter is setting up a monthly exchangeable can and bottle drive in the mall’s former JC Penney parking lot.
HH/ITP will continue to provide paper shredders, explore ways to increase the profitability of Hopewell Yours Thrift Store, provide employment and services for people with disabilities, and pay employees at least minimum wage. Masu.
new business
Here are some of the top news of 2024 from the business sector.
New restaurants are always a hot topic, and many locals learned that Chick-fil-A is building a store on Legacy Drive (which is currently on track to open for business in early 2025). , was especially excited. A company spokesperson was unavailable for comment at the time of writing. To provide opening dates.
Billy Sims BBQ and Wing Stop are building a new location on Roosevelt Avenue to replace the demolished Shokai Sushi, which could open in April.
Fat & Sassy Barbeque — a new veteran family-owned restaurant — is preparing to open in early 2025 at the former Dillon’s BBQ site at 2111 Roosevelt Avenue.
Hoshi Japanese Express brings a new take on the old Teriyaki madness.
Dame Fine Coffee opens additional store outside Westland Mall, and Los Charros, which has locations in Macomb, Ill. and Carthage, Ill., renovates the former Casa Mexico on Roosevelt Avenue for restaurant use. It’s inside.
new job
Also in 2024, local economic officials announced several gains in manufacturing and retail that will create new jobs, and in the same year, Amy O’Brien leads the Greater Burlington Partnership as president and CEO. took over.
The job increase comes as Amazon opened a new $16 million last-mile fulfillment facility, increasing its ability to pick up packages for local customers and adding 100 jobs.
The 38,000-square-foot building at 715 West Burlington Avenue, currently Amazon’s 10th facility in Iowa, previously remained unused.
Western Smokehouse’s two expansion projects have also increased employment, increasing the meat stick maker’s original commitment of 110 to 200 people. Jeremy Hess, director of economic development for the Greater Burlington Partnership, previously said additional lines and 20 more jobs are expected in 2025. this month.
Hess was a force in attracting manufacturers and other businesses to the area.
A slightly smaller-than-expected modernization project is on track at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant, with contracts secured to keep it busy for years to come. Approximately 1,000 people are employed at Department of Defense facilities and employment continues.
Wald Family Foods, a Grand Island, Nebraska-based division of TOBA Inc. that primarily supplies food to schools, retail stores and military bases, is building a former Aldi distribution center at 3400 Mount Pleasant Street. We have purchased it and will start operating it soon. .
downtown burlington
Downtown has been revived and continues to thrive. With the help and support of Downtown Partners, Inc., eight new businesses will open in downtown Burlington in 2024.
New downtown locations include Night Cap Listening Lounge, Taste and Seek, The Main Line Restaurant, Iconic Design, Mississippi Moon Ice Cream Parlor, Black Water Mini Golf, Corner Creamery and Masty Tom’s.
Although a few closings have occurred, downtown stores don’t tend to stay empty for long.
One of the downtown businesses, Time & Spice, topped four competitors in the statewide “Open 4 Business” competition to win the grand prize of $25,000.
Also downtown, five buildings sold in the Downtown District in 2024 have opened or will soon open unique businesses.
Downtown Partners, Inc. hosted 48 days of events in the Downtown District.
More than 80 new housing units are now available with the opening of Tama Too and Urbane424, and there are several upper-floor units downtown that are filling up quickly.
It wasn’t all good news.
CNH Industrial, one of the region’s largest employers and maker of Case IH and New Holland tractors, combines and backhoes, said the company could close its Burlington plant in mid-2026 in southeast Iowa. It was announced in November that about 350 workers in the department could lose their jobs.
Several national retail chains have brought sad news.
Joan Fabric and Crafts, a popular craft store with 12 employees located at 3200 Agency Street, was ordered by the company in October to permanently close on January 19, 2025 following a liquidation sale.
News came in the fall that Big Lots in Burlington would also be closing due to Chapter 11 bankruptcy, but there seems to be some reprieve as the company announced that the store is one of the stores that will not close after all. I was disappointed.
But recently, Big Lots announced it was preparing to close all 963 of its remaining stores after a sale to save the bankrupt retailer failed. CEO Bruce Thorne announced a little more than a week ago that he would begin the process of going out of business, but he still expected Big Lots to be sold.
But then Big Lots announced Friday that it would be sold to Gordon Brothers Retail Partners, which specializes in troubled companies.
Variety Wholesalers, which owns more than 400 discount stores in the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, plans to acquire between 200 and 400 Big Lots stores and operate them under the Big Lots brand.
As of this writing, the fate of Burlington’s Big Lots is unknown.
Also in 2024, clothing retailer rue21 closed its Westland Mall store.
The 96-room Howard Johnson Hotel & Conference Center by Wyndham (2759 Mount Pleasant Street) is scheduled to close in 2024 and be listed for sheriff’s sale on January 7, 2025 at 10 a.m. The amount of the judgment is $1,650,777.15. Records show Hari Swami LLC purchased the property in July 2020 for $1.65 million.
sightseeing
Chris Graham and Dustin Ross of the Greater Burlington Partnership and volunteers have been hard at work preparing for Iowa’s big welcome at Lug Brae, as riders from a statewide bike tour tire across the Mississippi River in Burlington. The plan was to soak it in and finish the race.
The theme is “Dip It”. Dip It Good,” over 18,000 riders marched through the city.
The excitement was palpable, and Gramm and Ross even created a soundtrack. Viking Mississippi Cruises also brought guests.
Due to rising waters, Viking Cruise Line’s two Burlington ports of call were canceled, leaving three stops in August, three in September and two in October, which brought an influx of tourists.
To further promote tourism, the Greater Burlington Convention and Visitors Bureau announced the launch of the Destination Greater Burlington Grant. The 2025 award winners are Southeast Iowa Soccer Academy, The Capitol, Snake Alley Festival of Film, Burlington Kennel Club, Southeast Iowa Swarm and Perfect Game.
Greater Burlington Parthership has named Hopewell Yours Thift Store the 2024 Small Business of the Year and Dixon’s Seamless Gutters the 2024 Micro Business of the Year.
In GBP’s December 2024 newsletter, Mr. O’Brien outlined the partnership’s 2025 goals.
“Looking to 2025, our goals are ambitious and include continuing to improve the quality of our communities in terms of business retention, walkability and safety, and supporting our education system to meet the needs of our future workforce. , all of which focus on the fundamental elements of a sustainable and thriving community,” she wrote.
“As we expand our regional efforts, we are also deepening the local partnerships that advance these important efforts,” she added.
In the January 2025 newsletter, Mr. O’Brien announced a new collaboration with the Lee County Development Group, a new regional director of workforce innovation. It is designed to “strengthen partnerships with education and training providers across both Lee and Des Moines counties so that our local workforce can thrive in a rapidly evolving economy.” We have the necessary skills.”
She said the focus will be on “bringing new talent to Southeast Iowa.”
Telisha Fedele has been elected to the leadership position.
I’m excited to think about what we can look back on in The Hawk Eye’s 2025 year-end business review.
