Biz Buzz: Popular sporting goods retailer opening in Idaho Falls next week
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Do you want to know what’s happening in 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
Al’s Sporting Goods opening inside old Toys R Us building in Idaho Falls
IDAHO FALLS – Crews are putting the finishing touches on the new Al’s Sporting Goods in Idaho Falls.
Company Vice President Dustin Smith tells EastIdahoNews.com the doors will open at 9 a.m. on Monday. Smith says the response from the community has been positive since the store was announced in December.
“Everybody’s really excited about what we’re going to bring to the community,” Smith says.
An official grand opening is in the works for the first weekend in October.
RELATED | New business opening in old Toys R Us building next year
The business is located inside the old Toys R Us building on 17th Street. Smith says the 30,000-square-foot building is ideally suited for the business’s first Idaho location.
“That main thoroughfare from Idaho Falls to Ammon — it’s one of the busiest intersections in town,” says Smith. “We do huge parking lot events. We needed a big parking lot where we can do those promotions.”
The idea of revitalizing an already existing building was an appealing prospect as well, Smith says.
Al’s Sporting Goods offers a wide variety of brands catering to the biking, hunting, camping and team sport crowd. They have gear from all the major brands, including Patagonia, The North Face, Vortex Optica, PrAna, and Adidas.
Smith says the thing that makes them different from competing companies is the selection of inventory.
“There are some stores that (specialize in a specific category), whether it’s fishing or camping or bike shops. We strive to have a full family experience and have categories that speak to the husband, wife and kids, all in one shopping experience,” he says.
Al’s Sporting Goods first opened in 1921 in Logan, Utah, and is the oldest full-line sporting goods retailer in the Beehive State. A second location opened at University Place in Orem about four years ago. The Idaho Falls store will be its third location.
Smith says the company is excited to begin serving customers in eastern Idaho.
“We’re excited to be part of the community. We’ve had our eyes on Idaho Falls for a long time. Our roots are in Logan, and we feel like Idaho Falls has a similar demographic,” says Smith. “We’ve been in business for 99 years, and we hope to be in business that long in Idaho Falls as well.”
The hours of operation will be 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Visit the website or Facebook page for more information.
BIZ BITS
American Heart Association awards EIRMC quality achievement award for stroke treatment
IDAHO FALLS – The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association presented Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center with the Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. The award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scientific evidence. This includes evaluation of proper use of medications and treatments aligned with current guidelines to speed recovery and reduce death and disability for stroke patients. Before discharge, patients should also receive education on managing their health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions.
Community celebrates completion of new elementary school in Rigby
RIGBY – Jefferson Joint School District 251 and the Rigby Chamber of Commerce are celebrating the completion of Cottonwood Elementary School at 3955 East 200 N orth. The chamber and members of the community gathered for a ribbon-cutting at the school Wednesday afternoon. School district spokesperson Monica Pauley tells EastIdahoNews.com that teachers and students are preparing for a new school year in the building, which begins Sept. 2. The new elementary school will serve families and students who live in the southeast part of town. Students have been attending multiple other schools throughout the district while Cottonwood Elementary was under construction.
Local power company awards $70,000 in scholarships to 10 high school students
ASHTON – Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative recently awarded scholarships totaling more than $70,000 to local students whose parents or guardians are members of Fall River Electric. A member is anyone who receives electric service from Fall River, whether at a permanent residence, a vacation property or commercial business. The scholarship program is funded by donations from owner-members of the co-op as well as unclaimed patronage capital by former members who have moved away from our service territory and have not provided Fall River Electric with an accurate forwarding address. Over the history of this program, Fall River Electric has awarded over half a million dollars in scholarships to deserving students.
RELATED | How a local power company is giving back to its customers
Each Fall River Electric scholarship is valued at $2,400 and given annually in increments of $600 over four years if the students the scholarship has been awarded to continue their education. Scholarship recipients are chosen based on financial need, scholastic achievement, extracurricular activities, and an essay each applicant submits.
Six students from North Fremont High School were awarded, along with one from South Fremont and three from Sugar-Salem High School.
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