-Messenger photograph by Kelby Wingert
Sheila and Kevin Stumpf, homeowners of the Marker 126 journey heart, stand in entrance of the development progress of the venture. The venture broke floor in October and is predicted to be full this summer season.
DUNCOMBE — In simply 4 quick months, vacationers making their method throughout Iowa on U.S. Freeway 20 can have a brand new spot to stretch their legs, fill their gasoline tanks, seize a chunk to eat and gasoline up on caffeine.
Building on the ten,000-square-foot Marker 126 journey heart, positioned at 2339 Poplar Ave. south of Duncombe, is predicted to be full this summer season, with a tentative opening date within the first week of August, proprietor Kevin Stumpf informed The Messenger.
After some preliminary pushback from some area people members who had been sad with Stumpf’s proposal to construct a journey heart on the web site, the Webster County Board of Supervisors permitted his request to rezone the land from an agricultural preservation designation to a normal business one in September.
Marker 126, named for its location close to mile-marker 126 on U.S. Freeway 20, can have a comfort retailer in addition to a restaurant named Desk 126 and occasional store referred to as Brew 126.
“We need to provide a higher-end expertise and occasional is a fairly common merchandise,” co-owner Sheila Stumpf mentioned. “It sort of goes hand-in-hand with touring — you want somewhat caffeine in your journey generally.”
-Submitted picture
This rendering exhibits an aerial view from the southeast of the ultimate design of the Marker 126 journey heart, positioned on the intersection of Poplar Avenue and U.S. Freeway 20. The journey heart is predicted to be full this summer season and open in August.
The comfort retailer will nonetheless have self-serve brewed espresso, she mentioned, however the espresso store will provide specialty espresso and occasional drinks.
The espresso store and restaurant can have loads of seating choices, Kevin Stumpf mentioned.
“There will probably be a mezzanine space above the restaurant for added seating, after which there will even be an outside seating space on the again aspect of the espresso store,” he mentioned.
There will even be an choice to order the area on the mezzanine for conferences, the Stumpfs mentioned.
The journey heart can have eight gasoline dispensers and 7 diesel dispensers.
-Messenger photograph by Kelby Wingert
Building staff with Sande Building work on the basement and restaurant space of the Marker 126 journey heart.
Building on the journey heart has made noticeable progress because the constructing’s body and exterior construction has steadily risen over the previous couple of months. It would have some distinctive structure for the world, Sheila Stumpf mentioned.
“The construction has a sort of a mid-century fashionable vibe with quite a lot of industrial sort of touches too,” she mentioned. “So it’s sort of a mixture of the 2 kinds of design.”
Sande Building & Provide Co. Inc., of Humboldt, is the contractor for the positioning.
“They’re doing an incredible job,” Kevin Stumpf mentioned.
The journey heart is a roughly $6 million funding, Kevin Stumpf beforehand informed The Messenger.
He mentioned he thinks a number of the concern and resistance to the venture was due to how a lot was unknown.
“I feel from the start, they’re nervous about whether or not we are literally going to personal it? Or are we going to promote it to a KwikStar or a Casey’s?” Stumpf mentioned. “I’m a farmer and I’ve by no means performed this earlier than, however that is my ambition. That is my child and I’m going to be pleased with it.”
Stumpf mentioned his high priorities for the journey heart are security and cleanliness.
Stumpf mentioned he noticed a necessity for a spot for vacationers alongside U.S. Freeway 20 to have the ability to cease with out driving miles into a close-by city, and that vacationers and their cash are passing by means of Webster County with out stopping.
“It is sensible to have it proper alongside the (Freeway 20) hall,” he mentioned. “They’re not going to need to drive as much as six or seven miles once they’ve been on the highway for hours. They need to get off and get again on once more and get going.”
There isn’t a lot proper off the freeway between Grundy Heart to the east and Holstein to the west, Sheila Stumpf mentioned.
“It’s an enormous lifeless area,” she added.
The Sparky’s One Cease, positioned on the junction of U.S. Freeway 20 and Iowa Freeway 4 close to Rockwell Metropolis in Calhoun County, burned down in November.
Marker 126 is already seeking to rent workers. Kevin Stumpf mentioned he estimates they’ll have 30 to 40 workers positions out there. Initially, the shop will probably be open day by day from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., however he famous the potential for increasing hours if the necessity is there and workers can be found.
