New businesses add to Missouri Valley, more opportunities remain
Don Harrold, Executive Editor
editor@enterprisepub.com
Missouri Valley has added several businesses in recent weeks, but open storefronts and demand for more retail and entertainment leave room for growth.
“We've got the new businesses that have opened within the last couple of weeks, Can't Pass It Up, a thrift and consignment store, as well as Little Roos, a thrift store for children,” Jeannie Wortman said.
“And then also a very much needed restaurant, the Chill Mezcal, is now open and doing very well,” Wortman said. “That was important to have another eating location in our downtown area. We still can still use more businesses. We certainly have some open spaces. We're always open to new things coming.”
Asked what businesses she would like to see fill those spaces, Wortman pointed to retail and entertainment. “I would like to see a jewelry store. Maybe a jewelry-clothing combination come in, because we really don't have access other than now a secondhand type of product,” she said. “That would be one thing I definitely would like to see. Other than that, we haven't had a lot of requests other than entertainment type of things.”
On the topic of “things to do”, “People miss our bowling alley that we used to have,” Wortman said. “An entertainment type of thing. Obviously, we have the Rialto Theater, which everybody loves. But yeah, some additional things would be nice, whatever that is these days. I guess my age group maybe doesn't do as much of the entertainment type of things, but the families with young children, I think are looking for things.”
The city can use tax increment financing, Wortman said, but the chamber has no business loan program. “The city has the capability of doing the TIF,” she said. “Currently our chamber doesn't have a fund system set up that people can get, like a temporary loan and then a payback situation.”
Asked whether she supports finding ways to bring more activities to Missouri Valley, Wortman said, “Oh, absolutely.”
Wortman recommended Can't Pass It Up and the city's two flower shops to visitors. “I would say at this point, be sure to stop at the Can't Pass It Up, because there's such a wide variety of merchandise now in that store. It's well laid out,” she said.
Wortman said MJ's Flowers has operated for 40 years, while Fisher's Petals and Posies offers flowers and other merchandise. “There's a lot of giftable items in there, also,” she said.
The Mo Valley Rally begins Sept. 11 with Scoop the Loop and continues Sept. 12-13 at the city park. This is the chamber's fifth year organizing the city celebration.
“Our anchor event for that day will be the DockDogs®.,” she said. “They are here on both Saturday and Sunday. This year, it's a wildcard event, meaning that some of the dog owners, if they need to catch up with some additional points so that they can go to the next level of competition, that they can come for this one.”
Admission is free. Food vendors include Johnny Rico's Pizza Truck, Campo Azul Mexican, Smokin' J's Barbecue, Golden Stacks and Rise and Grind Food Trailer. Wortman said last year's rally had about 40 vendors in the commercial building, Grooms Hall and outside.
Children can participate as vendors for free. “We don't charge them a fee, because we just want to encourage their entrepreneurship,” Wortman said.
Free children's activities include bounce houses, a petting zoo and pony rides. A car, truck and motorcycle show will be west of the 4-H building. “The entire park area is filled,” Wortman said.
Scoop the Loop runs from 6-8 p.m. Sept. 11 on Erie Street.
“Scoop the Loop is on Friday night, we just encourage local car owners that have beautiful vehicles, and some not so beautiful, but they still like to show them off,” Wortman said. “And they just make loops up and down Erie Street.”
The chamber's membership appreciation barbecue is Sept. 17 at the Rand Center. WCB partners with the chamber for the event, which will include 300 burgers and 100 hot dogs for businesses and employees.
Wortman said the chamber will continue promoting Missouri Valley and wants to attract people and families.
“New businesses have arrived. We still continue to promote Missouri Valley. School has just started, lots of positive things for the fall, and we'll continue with that,” she said. “We want people to come and new families to move into town. We need to keep some vitality happening within the community. And it takes people to step up, volunteer, help out, and provide those positive vibes.”
