Biz Buzz: Restaurants and salon opening in Ammon plaza soon
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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
AMMON
Tenants announced for new strip in Ammon
AMMON – Lease negotiations for the Hillcrest Plaza near Dutch Bros in Ammon have been finalized, and we now know who the new tenants will be. We were able to speak to some of them about their opening dates.
A sign for Luxury Nails and Spa is already visible on one of the units.
Brent Wilson with TOK Commercial tells EastIdahoNews.com another tenant is Super Chix, a chicken and custard chain based in Texas. It’s not scheduled to open for several months, according to the owner Bill Hawes.
Jersey Mike’s Subs and Duck Donuts will also be opening there soon.
Bonnie Wetsel, co-owner of Duck Donuts, says it is planning to open in the space east of Luxury Nails and Spa early next year.
“It just depends on the build-out. We literally just signed the lease,” Wetsel says. “I’ve heard that some supplies are taking a little longer for builders to complete their projects due to COVID.”
The opening date will be determined once construction is complete.
Duck Donuts is a national franchise offering warm, made-to-order doughnuts with a nearly unlimited amount of flavors and combinations. The duck donut is the signature offering, which is a vanilla cake donut coated, topped and drizzled to the customer’s liking. The menu also includes coffee, sandwiches and sundaes.
Wetsel says she and her husband, Wyatt, have fond memories of going to a Duck Donuts location in Utah, and their experience inspired them to open a location in eastern Idaho.
“When they started building that location at Hillcrest Plaza, we thought it would be a great location for something. We weren’t really sure what initially, but after visiting the (Duck Donuts) in Utah, we thought, ‘OK, this is it,'” Bonnie says.
The Wetsels moved to Idaho Falls about 12 years ago after buying IF Rentals Property Management, which has since changed hands numerous times.
They currently own 5 Star Truck and Auto at 6030 South Yellowstone Highway across from the Budweiser plant.
Wetsel says another Duck Donuts location is under construction on the other side of the state. She is unsure when that one will open, but she says the Ammon location is likely to be the first in Idaho.
Once the Ammon store is up and running, the couple plans to open another location in southern Idaho and Jackson.
“We’re going to keep going,” Bonnie says.
Bonnie says they’re looking forward to opening for business and seeing how customers respond.
“We’re excited. I think it’s going to do awesome here,” she says.
Visit the website for more information.
Last month, we reported The Joint Chiropractic was also planning to open in that strip sometime in October. Owner David Essuman is now anticipating a Dec. 3 opening date due to delays with construction.
Wilson says an identical strip center will be built on the vacant pad east of Dutch Bros this spring.
BIZ BITS
Pocatello Animal Services starts Community Cat Program
POCATELLO – Pocatello’s community cats will only be making a temporary stop at the Pocatello Animal Shelter. Recently, Pocatello Animal Services started its Community Cat Program. Animal Services staff will set traps in areas of the city with known community cat colonies. Once the cats are trapped, they’ll be taken to Alta Animal Hospital, where they are spayed or neutered and given a rabies vaccination. Only healthy cats will be returned, and they will have their ears notched for identification purposes. The cats in the program will be returned to the area where they were found. With the new program’s implementation, members of the public are encouraged to bring stray cats to the Shelter on Mondays and Wednesdays whenever possible. The program is made possible through a $50,000 grant from Best Friends Animal Society.
Take a tour with Habitat for Humanity and be entered to win a prize
IDAHO FALLS – Habitat for Humanity in Idaho Falls is offering you a “Passport for Housing past, present and future.” Hop in the car and tour seven Habitat projects and facilities to enter Habitat’s grand prize drawing and show your support for those who need affordable housing in Idaho Falls. The three-day event begins Oct. 15 at 1954 North Yellowstone Highway. You will drive a total of 8.3 miles. You can take a self-guided tour or sign up for a guided tour. Participants are encouraged to wear face masks and abide by social distancing protocols. Visit the website for more information.
World War II-era aircraft engine on display at Rexburg flight museum
REXBURG – What mysteries are hidden inside a complex aircraft piston engine? The newest display at Legacy Flight Museum in Rexburg provides a glimpse into the inner workings of such an engine. Brian Peaden, a mechanic from Reno, Nevada, has created a cutaway of an 18-cylinder Bristol Centaurus engine and attached a small electric motor to spin it in slow motion. Recently, he donated it to the museum. Peaden is a retired automotive mechanic and has found a new interest in turning aircraft engines into operating museum pieces with both the outer and internal operating systems on display. The Centaurus on display is an engine that had been raced in the Reno Air Races but was no longer airworthy. It dates back to World War II and paralleled the beginning of the jet age. Learn more by visiting the museum at 400 Airport Road now open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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