Coralville Strip Business Closings

[ChrisVarick]

I was driving down the strip today and noticed that Ace Hardware now has a going out of business sign. Of course we all know about the GameDay Iowa closing. For a place that has a fairly strong economy this area is getting hit pretty hard.

If you start from the Iowa City direction you have the Mr Movies building that has been closed since the floods. Then there is an oriental foods store on the right side that has the doors boarded up. GameDay Iowa is a goner. The Verizon next to Starbucks is closed and going into a smaller location down the street. There is space available in the strip mall Hy-Vee is in. The Two Rivers Bank building is empty in that lot. McGregors never has any customers and sold about 1/4 of their space to a church. Ralston Creek has been empty for over a year. Just outside of town Simpson's furniture is going out of business.

You also have a bunch of businesses that I don't see a need. Batteries & Bulbs? Go to Costco or Amazon. Complete Nutrition? Bet you could get it cheaper on Amazon. Oreck? Go get yourself a Dyson. There are just so many business like 2nd Wind Fitness that I never see customers parked. Not looking good. If we just had a massive convention center and minor league hockey team all would be well.

 

[moral_victory]

There are just so many business like 2nd Wind Fitness that I never see customers parked.

Same here with that store. Are they just a front for illicit business?

 

[NLHawkeye88]

Anyone know of any new stores/restaurants/businesses opening?

I saw a sign up for Red Ginger, which I assume will be a Sushi place, in new construction on the strip.

 

[ChrisVarick]

Same here with that store. Are they just a front for illicit business?

 

[TheHighLife]

From what I was told by someone who worked at the hardware store, it was purchased by a church. Good news for people who couldn't find a church to go to. I'm losing my favorite hardware store.

 

[QChawks]

Coralville is just like any surb in America. Chains, chains and more chains.

 

[Speedway1]

I was driving down the strip today and noticed that Ace Hardware now has a going out of business sign. Of course we all know about the GameDay Iowa closing. For a place that has a fairly strong economy this area is getting hit pretty hard.

If you start from the Iowa City direction you have the Mr Movies building that has been closed since the floods. Then there is an oriental foods store on the right side that has the doors boarded up. GameDay Iowa is a goner. The Verizon next to Starbucks is closed and going into a smaller location down the street. There is space available in the strip mall Hy-Vee is in. The Two Rivers Bank building is empty in that lot. McGregors never has any customers and sold about 1/4 of their space to a church. Ralston Creek has been empty for over a year. Just outside of town Simpson's furniture is going out of business.

You also have a bunch of businesses that I don't see a need. Batteries & Bulbs? Go to Costco or Amazon. Complete Nutrition? Bet you could get it cheaper on Amazon. Oreck? Go get yourself a Dyson. There are just so many business like 2nd Wind Fitness that I never see customers parked. Not looking good. If we just had a massive convention center and minor league hockey team all would be well.

Yes kinda sad many what I would call useless business's. But I will give Batterys and Bulbs credit. They have the hard to find items you can never find at Costco and have to have shipped from Amazon. Very nice stores. Doesn't an ex-Football player own a franchise of this store? Also lot's of competition and high taxes harm those trying to keep shops open in the current economy. I know a place on 1st Ave that his property taxes run $28,000 per year. He tells me he is very frustrated and he has a small place, but in a great location.

 

[Accipiter]

Ace Hardware in Coralville has been iffy, with rumors of closing for several years; Menard's-Lowe's-WalMart-Costco really hurt their business. It's too bad, as the folks who worked at Ace had been there forever and were really helpful. I fear the Ace in North Liberty(especialy), and on Mall Drive in IC will follow suit someday.

 

[Hawk and Awe]

The CFO or the City planner or whoever has overseen the deals for Coralville the last couple decades should be taken outside and shot. It's amazing to me that they continue to get their debt downgraded given all the built in advantages they have. They should have the 2nd most thriving economy on the State (behind DSM) and all I read about is businesses that are closing. What a disgrace.

 

[bdg8]

The CFO or the City planner or whoever has overseen the deals for Coralville the last couple decades should be taken outside and shot. It's amazing to me that they continue to get their debt downgraded given all the built in advantages they have. They should have the 2nd most thriving economy on the State (behind DSM) and all I read about is businesses that are closing. What a disgrace.

Well when new businesses come to area, typically someone in the area loses business. So what do you want? No new businesses?

 

[Hawk and Awe]

Well when new businesses come to area, typically someone in the area loses business. So what do you want? No new businesses?

No you misunderstood. I want businesses that aren't subsidized. When businesses close and stay closed it hurts the tax base. The people of coralville are paying for their mall right now. Not sure how that makes sense.

 

[bdg8]

No you misunderstood. I want businesses that aren't subsidized. When businesses close and stay closed it hurts the tax base. The people of coralville are paying for their mall right now. Not sure how that makes sense.

Gotcha

 

[timinatoria]

Lenoch and Cilek? They have 3 locations, so maybe they are just moving that one but I'm not sure. Ace is still a pretty strong franchise. I don't see many of their established stores go out of business. Sure they have people who get into the hardware business for the first time and don't know what their doing and fold, but that isn't that often.

 

[The_Joker13]

Ace Hardware in Coralville has been iffy, with rumors of closing for several years; Menard's-Lowe's-WalMart-Costco really hurt their business. It's too bad, as the folks who worked at Ace had been there forever and were really helpful. I fear the Ace in North Liberty(especialy), and on Mall Drive in IC will follow suit someday.

Ace is the Kmart of hardware stores. Only a matter of time till they go under for good.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Gameday Iowa is closing? Why?

 

[timinatoria]

Ace is the Kmart of hardware stores. Only a matter of time till they go under for good.

Ummmmm....no.

What other hardware distributor or coop will take their place?

 

[lucas80]

Gameday Iowa is closing? Why?

Prejudice and envy against Ron's greatness.

 

[lucas80]

No you misunderstood. I want businesses that aren't subsidized. When businesses close and stay closed it hurts the tax base. The people of coralville are paying for their mall right now. Not sure how that makes sense.

And, the mall is losing renters. They have no real solution to the spot formerly occupied by Sears. I have heard a rumor that they are considering bulldozing it so they do not have to keep that space on the books as their exemption expires. Rumors, but with Old Navy leaving there are other stores supposedly leaving, and there are no replacements.

 

[ottumwan in tx]

hardware stores in general seem to be hurting. big box stores like home depot put the screws to them

 

[The_Joker13]

Ummmmm....no.

What other hardware distributor or coop will take their place?

Nothing will take its place, the big supercenters will push them out.

 

[Hawgk]

Ace is the Kmart of hardware stores. Only a matter of time till they go under for good.

Not really. Ace hardware fills a niche that in that they have stellar customer service when compared to their competitors. Kmart had no niche and basically tried to copy the Wal Mart strategy and got beat, badly.

 

[Wendy79]

Gameday Iowa is closing? Why?

It's not so much as closing as it is staying open until hopefully Ron can find a buyer.

 

[HIWB]

It's not so much as closing as it is staying open until hopefully Ron can find a buyer.

The store will close when the store will close.

 

[BondHawk]

And, the mall is losing renters. They have no real solution to the spot formerly occupied by Sears. I have heard a rumor that they are considering bulldozing it so they do not have to keep that space on the books as their exemption expires. Rumors, but with Old Navy leaving there are other stores supposedly leaving, and there are no replacements.

That isn't a Coralville problem, that is a mall problem all across the country. Especially for big box stores, and double especially for crappy ones like Sears.

 

[IowaHawkeyeFBnBB4Life]

Why is GDR trying to find a buyer? Do you get the patent to revolt shaving system as well?

 

[linkshero]

Ankeny is opening a second Ace location just south and west of Prairie Trail soon. The building is almost done. The building developer is a big Hawkeye fan, BTW. The second Ace location is just about 3 miles straight west of a Menards, and Home Depot. Ankeny currently doesn't have a Lowes', I guess because they have one in Ames, and Altoona. But Lowe's has two West Des Moines locations, about 4 miles from each other.

Home Depot has an incredible physical retail blueprint, and strong merchandising plan, but their staffing is just awful. Menards seems to be the opposite. Lowe's, a blend of the two. I think there is still a huge opportunity for local neighborhood Ace stores, but they have to be near rooftops, and not in business corridors.

 

[UKGrad93]

Too bad about Ace Hardware. It was the one place that had people that knew something about what they sell. Also, they rented a lot of equipment. I don't want to drive into Iowa City to rent yard equipment.

The mall has done well for a mall, but the vacant Sears store is making the place look run down.

 

[ChrisVarick]

Gameday Iowa is closing? Why?

GDR recently purchased Amazon to integrate it into the megastore and will now focus on online domination.

 

[plmac9]

I was driving down the strip today and noticed that Ace Hardware now has a going out of business sign. Of course we all know about the GameDay Iowa closing. For a place that has a fairly strong economy this area is getting hit pretty hard.

If you start from the Iowa City direction you have the Mr Movies building that has been closed since the floods. Then there is an oriental foods store on the right side that has the doors boarded up. GameDay Iowa is a goner. The Verizon next to Starbucks is closed and going into a smaller location down the street. There is space available in the strip mall Hy-Vee is in. The Two Rivers Bank building is empty in that lot. McGregors never has any customers and sold about 1/4 of their space to a church. Ralston Creek has been empty for over a year. Just outside of town Simpson's furniture is going out of business.

You also have a bunch of businesses that I don't see a need. Batteries & Bulbs? Go to Costco or Amazon. Complete Nutrition? Bet you could get it cheaper on Amazon. Oreck? Go get yourself a Dyson. There are just so many business like 2nd Wind Fitness that I never see customers parked. Not looking good. If we just had a massive convention center and minor league hockey team all would be well.

No that this affects much of what you said but Two Rivers is just moving to another location in Coralville. Ridgeway Drive.

 

[BondHawk]

No that this affects much of what you said but Two Rivers is just moving to another location in Coralville. Ridgeway Drive.

Well thank God. I don't know how the area would survive with one less bank that no one goes to.

 

[timinatoria]

Nothing will take its place, the big supercenters will push them out.

I work in the hardware business, and this is what everyone thinks but it won't happen. Too many rural communities are too small for a 90,000 sq ft Lowe's/Home Depot/Menard's. The recession in 2009/2010 wiped out lots of independents, but mostly the poorly run stores. There are tons of great independent retailers who are still thriving. There's a ton of consolidation with distributors. Ace had bought out independent hardware distributors on both coasts, and there are rumors that they will buy one of the remaining Midwestern distributors as well. When they do they will be able to sell to hardware stores and lumberyards that don't fit the current 'Ace profile' or stores that don't want to fly the Ace flag on their stores. There are now many dealers buying through Ace as their main distribution that don't have Ace signage as part of their new program.

I don't work for Ace and I don't work on that account so I'm not an Ace homer, but this idea that all independent hardware stores/lumberyards will disappear is a myth.