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Updated: January 3, 2025 @ 4:20 am
Greater Burlington Partnership Government Committee member Eva Castillo, and GBB Executive Director Amy O’Brien, address the crowd during the partnership’s public officials reception Dec. 10 at the Art Center of Burlington. (File photo)
UAW 807 President Nick Guernsey addresses the Burlington City Council Monday, Nov. 25, about the pending closure of CNH.
Two men worked outside the former Casa Mexico in early October as part of renovations to the building, readying it for Los Charros. (File photo)
Thousands of Ragbrai riders stood in line to dip their tires in the Mississippi River July 26 in Burlington.
Greater Burlington Partnership Government Committee member Eva Castillo, and GBB Executive Director Amy O’Brien, address the crowd during the partnership’s public officials reception Dec. 10 at the Art Center of Burlington. (File photo)
UAW 807 President Nick Guernsey addresses the Burlington City Council Monday, Nov. 25, about the pending closure of CNH.
Two men worked outside the former Casa Mexico in early October as part of renovations to the building, readying it for Los Charros. (File photo)
Thousands of Ragbrai riders stood in line to dip their tires in the Mississippi River July 26 in Burlington.
Business stories dominated in 2024 with mostly good news, and some not-so-welcome.
But first — in early December, Hope Haven, a division of Imagine the Possibilities, announced effective March 31, 2025, it will close its busy can and bottle redemption service to offset an annual $200,000 loss.
“The monetary loss is just insurmountable,” Hope Haven’s Chief Strategic Advancement Officer Cheryl Plank said in a press release.
Fort Madison and Mount Pleasant will now have the closest redemption facilities. However, a couple of Des Moines County options remain.
Both Area Recyclers, 1818 West Burlington Ave., and Alter Metal Recycling, 2101 NW Burlington Ave., West Burlington, posted on social media reminding residents they take certain empties.
Area Recyclers’ bin program collects cans and bottles, and Alter buys metals that include aluminum beverage cans by the pound.
Another option — PAW Animal Shelter has a monthly redeemable can and bottle drive in the former JC Penney parking lot at the mall.
HH/ITP will continue to provide paper shredding, look for ways to increase profitability of Hopefully Yours Thrift Store, provide employment and services for disabled, and pay more than minimum wage to its workers.
Here are a few top stories of 2024 from the business sector.
New restaurants always create buzz, and many locals were particularly excited to learn a Chick-fil-A would construct a location on Legacy Drive (now well underway), with operations to start in early 2025. As of press time, company spokespersons were unable to provide an opening date.
Billy Sims BBQ and Wing Stop are constructing a new Roosevelt Avenue location with a possible April opening, replacing the demolished Shokai Sushi.
Fat & Sassy Barbeque — a new veteran and family-owned eatery — is preparing to open in early 2025 in the former Dillons BBQ, 2111 Roosevelt Ave.
Hoshi Japanese Express brought a new taste to the former Teryiaki Madness.
Dame Fine Coffee opened an additional location outside Westland Mall, and Los Charros with Macomb, Illinois, and Carthage, Illinois locations, is renovating the former Casa Mexico on Roosevelt Avenue for a restaurant there.
Also in 2024, new jobs were created, as local economic officials brought some triumphs to bear in manufacturing and retail sectors, and during the year, Amy O’Brien took over the reins as President and CEO of Greater Burlington Partnership.
A boost in employment came in the form of Amazon opening a new $16 million, last-mile fulfillment facility, which increased the capacity of local customers to receive packages and added 100 jobs.
The 38,000-square-foot building (now Iowa’s 10th Amazon facility) at 715 West Burlington Ave., had previously sat unused.
Two expansion projects at Western Smokehouse also added jobs — from an initial commitment of 110 from the meat stick manufacturer to 200. An additional line and 20 more jobs are anticipated in 2025, Jeremy Hess, director of Economic Development at Greater Burlington Partnership, said earlier 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 them busy for years to come. The Department of Defense facility employs about 1,000 and continues to hire.
Wald Family Foods, a division of TOBA Inc., headquartered in Grand Island, Neb., and provider of food items mainly for schools, retailers and military bases, purchased the former Aldi distribution center at 3400 Mount Pleasant St., with operations starting soon.
Downtown continues to revive and thrive. Aided and supported by Downtown Partners, Inc., Burlington’s downtown had eight new businesses open in 2024.
Newly opened in the downtown are Night Cap Listening Lounge, Taste & Seek, The Main Line Restaurant, Iconic Design, Mississippi Moon Ice Cream Parlor, Black Water Mini Golf, Korner Creamery, and Musty Tomes.
A small number of closures happened, but downtown shops do not tend to stay empty long.
One downtown business, Thyme & Spice, topped four competitors in the statewide “Open 4 Business” contest, winning the grand prize of $25,000.
Also in the downtown in 2024, five buildings sold in the Downtown District that have opened or will soon open unique businesses.
Downtown Partners, Inc. hosted 48 event days in the Downtown District.
More than 80 new residential units became available with Tama Too and Urbane424 opening and several upper-story units in Downtown, and those are filling up quickly.
CNH Industrial, one of the area’s largest employers, and the maker of Case IH and New Holland tractors, combines and backhoes, announced in November the company may close its Burlington plant in mid-2026, potentially leaving about 350 southeast Iowa workers without jobs.
A couple of national retail chains brought sad tidings.
JoAnn Fabric and Crafts, a beloved craft store at 3200 Agency Street employing 12 was ordered in October by the company to close its doors for good on Jan. 19, 2025, following liquidation sales.
Word arrived in the fall that Burlington’s Big Lots also would shutter following a Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, but a reprieve appeared likely when the company announced the location was among stores not closing after all.
Recently, however, Big Lots announced it was preparing to close all remaining 963 locations after a sale to save the bankrupt retailer fell through. CEO Bruce Thorn announced a little more than a week ago the company would start its going out of business process, but still hoped for a sale of Big Lots.
But then Big Lots announced Friday it will be sold to Gordon Brothers Retail Partners, a firm that specializes in distressed companies.
Variety Wholesalers Inc., which owns more than 400 discount stores in the U.S. Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, plans to acquire between 200 and 400 Big Lots stores and operate them under the Big Lots brand.
As of press time, the fate of Burlington’s Big Lots is unclear.
Also in 2024, clothing retailer rue21 closed its Westland Mall store.
The 96-room Howard Johnson Hotel & Conference Center by Wyndham, 2759 Mount Pleasant St., shuttered in 2024, and is listed for a sheriff’s sale at 10 a.m. Jan. 7, 2025. Judgment amount is $1,650,777.15. Records show Hari Swami LLC bought the property for $1,650,000 in July 2020.
Chris Gram and Dustin Roth of Greater Burlington Partnership and volunteers worked hard to prepare a big welcome for Iowa’s RAGBRAI, as riders in the statewide bicycle tour were set to conclude the race by dipping their tires in the Mississippi River at Burlington.
The theme was “Dip It. Dip It Good,” and more than 18,000 riders made their way through town.
The excitement was palpable, and Gram and Roth even created a soundtrack. Viking Mississippi cruises also brought guests.
Due to high water, two Burlington stops for the Viking cruise line were canceled, and remaining were three August stops, plus three in September and two in October, bringing an influx of visitors.
To boost tourism even further, the Greater Burlington Convention & Visitors Bureau announced the launch of the Destination Greater Burlington grant, with recipients of 2025 being Southeast Iowa Soccer Academy, The Capitol, Snake Alley Festival of Film, Burlington Kennel Club, Southeast Iowa Swarm and Perfect Game.
Greater Burlington Parthership named Hopefully Yours Thift Store as the 2024 Small Business of the Year, and Dixon’s Seamless Gutters as the 2024 Micro Business of the Year.
In GBP’s December 2024 newsletter, O’Brien explained the partnership’s goals for 2025.
“Looking ahead to 2025, our goals are ambitious and focused on retention of businesses, continuously improving the quality of our communities with regards to walkability, safety, and supporting the educational systems to help meet the needs of our future workforce — all foundational elements of a sustainable and thriving community,” she wrote.
“While we expand our regional initiatives, we are also deepening local partnerships that fuel these critical efforts,” she added.
In the January 2025 newsletter, O’Brien announced a new collaboration with the Lee County Development Group — a new Regional Director of Workforce Innovation — “designed to strengthen partnerships with education and and training providers across both (Lee and Des Moines) counties, ensuring our local workforce is equipped with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving economy.”
The focus, she said, will be on “attracting new talent to Southeast Iowa.”
Telisha Fedele has been chosen for the leadership position.
It is exciting to think about what The Hawk Eye’s 2025 year-end business review will be able to look back upon.
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