A mainstay business on Winnebago’s Main Street has shuttered its doors.
A sign on the front door at Roerig Hardware store reads: Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for supporting us! The store is now closed permanently!
Jennifer Howard, the city’s economic development specialist, briefly talked about the store’s future and two other business ventures at the Economic Development Authority’s (EDA) board meeting on Wednesday.
“There are some signs that it will be up for sale,” says Howard.
Currently, an EDA loan of $25,000 to help purchase the hardware store has a balance of $15,757, but this month’s payment of $201.50 is six days late.
City administrator Judi Hynes says Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation and a bank also provided loans to buy the store.
Hynes says property the buyers own near Truman was used as collateral to obtain the loans.
Board member Doug Hill asked Howard to find out whether the EDA could get paid the balance remaining on its loan if the store is sold.
In other business, Howard says the building where the Winnebago Grill, Scotty Biggs Barbeque and Ann Marie’s Kitchen were once located has been sold.
She says the new owner has indicated quite a bit of remodeling will be needed before it opens as a Mexican restaurant.
As for the sale of the J-M Eagle site located on Highway 169, Howard says, “There has been several inquiries on the property, all inquiries have been passed on to J-M management.”
Howard says J-M has indicated they will accept a “reasonable offer” and she plans to contact the realtor for J-M to allow city officials to tour the facility.