Biz Buzz: Couple closes up shop after 20 years of business in downtown Idaho Falls
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Do you want to know what’s happening on the eastern Idaho business scene? We’ve got you covered. Here is a rundown of this week’s business news across the valley.
BIZ BRIEF
IDAHO FALLS
Two shops in downtown Idaho Falls close, new owner announced
IDAHO FALLS – Downtown development projects in Idaho Falls continue to pop up, and one of the latest is the closure of the Park Avenue Mercantile and The Paisley Camel next door to The Celt Pub & Grill.
The last day of operations for Park Avenue Mercantile was June 29, according to a post on the business’s Facebook page. We stopped by to try and speak with the owners, but no one was available.
Park Avenue Mercantile provided beer/wine brewing supplies and classes, leatherwork, sewing supplies, and cheese-making goods for 20 years.
Owners Bob and Rachel Zaledonis opened in 1999 on Utah Avenue under the name Leather Works. Over the years, the store went through several changes and moved twice, ending up at the current location at 312 Park Avenue. The business has been there since 2011.
The store’s website indicates Bob and Rachel decided to retire and sold the business to spend time with their three daughters and pursue other interests.
The couple said one final goodbye to their customers in a Facebook message July 5.
“Bye. It was great. Thank you,” Rachel said as her family waved.
Bob and Rachel also owned The Paisley Camel, a small boutique store right next door. A post on the business’s Facebook page indicates the shop closed June 23.
EastIdahoNews.com learned Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin recently purchased the building.
McGeachin also owns The Celt, and was in town for the ribbon cutting of The West Broadway Street Sidewalk Improvement Project in downtown Tuesday morning. We were unable to speak with her, but her daughter, Liza McGeachin, is the general manager. She confirms they have purchased the business, but said they weren’t ready to divulge their plans for the building.
We are planning to follow-up and will post updates when they are available.
BIZ BITS
New birthing center opening in Blackfoot
BLACKFOOT – A new birthing center is opening in Blackfoot and you’re invited for a look inside. Grove Creek Medical Center is equipped with spacious labor and delivery rooms and recovery rooms. When it comes to infant care, their staff is the only Baby-Friendly certified team in the state of Idaho. This designation means Grove Creek places special emphasis on rooming in with infants, skin to skin contact at birth, and in-house lactation support, education, and encouragement. Grove Creek Medical Center is at 350 North Meridian Street in Blackfoot. EastIdahoNews.com is planning a more in-depth story soon.
Housing company investing $8 million to turn Bonneville Hotel into affordable housing
IDAHO FALLS – Optum is investing $8.8 million in Bonneville Apartments, an affordable housing community currently under construction in downtown Idaho Falls. Upon completion, the historic Bonneville Hotel will be transformed into 35 new affordable apartments and 5,000 square feet of retail space. Idaho Gov. Brad Little, Mayor Rebecca Casper and others will join a hard hat tour for the announcement and get a first-hand look at construction progress for the downtown revitalization project Wednesday July 17 at 1:30 p.m. The Bonneville Hotel is at 401 Constitution Way in Idaho Falls. EastIdahoNews.com is planning to join the tour. We will post a more in-depth story soon.
New shopping center to be built at old Pizza Hut location in Rexburg
REXBURG – Rexburg residents have noticed the Pizza Hut at 163 West Main Street is closed. A message posted on the front door indicates they closed June 29 and plan to re-open in a few months. We did some digging and learned the restaurant is now owned by Great Scotts, LLC, the gas station right around the corner. Managers declined to comment on what’s happening with the building, but documents obtained from the city indicate a shopping center will be built at that location. There will be multiple vendors in the new space, one of which is Pizza Hut. The Rexburg Standard Journal reports the current Pizza Hut location will be demolished and rebuilt. We have reached out to Paul Larson, the owner of Great Scotts, and Brett Labre, the architect, for more information. We hope to have a more in-depth story soon.
SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
IDAHO FALLS
Entrepreneurs clean out garbage cans and it’s a service locals are excited about
IDAHO FALLS — Stockton Berry never dreamed of being a garbage man, but being able to fill a need in the marketplace is what fills his bucket, or in this case, his can.
Berry owns Cleaner Cans, a business that cleans and deodorizes residential and commercial garbage cans. The business was formed about three years ago and has grown to include about 200 customers.
“People are starting to catch on to the idea,” Berry tells EastIdahoNews.com. “At first, people thought ‘Why would I clean out my garbage can?’, but now it seems like a normal thing that people pay for and love.”
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