Contractor Condos offers shop space for rent

Contractor Condos, off South Yellowstone, at Burggraf Way and Heritage Lane. This photo was posted Sunday on their Facebook page.

Developer Casey Jackman's original plan was to build storage units, but when he noticed how many units were being used by contractors and subcontractors he decided to turn them into shops by adding power and heat. As a result, Contractor Condos is going up at the intersection of Burggraf Way and Heritage Lane, off South Yellowstone Highway.

Jackman's company, CJI Properties, is nearing completion on six 20-foot by 40-foot units. Another five are to be built in spring 2018.

Each unit is 20-by-40 feet, with a 14-foot overhead door and an 18-foot ceiling. The units feature plenty of electrical outlets. The development is served by a communal restroom. There is easy access to Interstate 15, and for deliveries the grounds have room for semi-tractor access.

Monthly rents start at $500 per unit for tenants willing to sign a lease for a year or longer. For information, call Jackman at 208-709-2317. The Facebook page can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/contractorcondos/.

Bank of Idaho CEO gets cybersecurity certification

Jeff Newgard

When it comes to financial data security, Bank of Idaho is stepping up from the top down.

In early November, Bank of Idaho President and CEO Jeff Newgard traveled to Denver to attend courses and test for certification in the CompTIA Security+ program. This certification gives a strong base of knowledge in several areas of cybersecurity, including threat management and security infrastructure.

Newgard’s certification, paired with his involvement with the Independent Community Bankers of America’s Special Committee on Cyber-Security, means his perspective on the subject matter includes the most current information in both industry-specific implementations and more global applications. This enables the bank to make educated decisions to better safeguard the institution and its clients.

“By having a stronger understanding of the technology and processes, I am better prepared to work with our I.T. leadership to ensure we take the right steps to protect the bank, and more importantly, our customers,” Newgard said.

The top-level commitment of resources reflects the high priority the Bank of Idaho places on the protection of customer information, while the increasing frequency of widespread data breaches illustrates the importance of such measures.

“I’m kind of a hands-on guy, and with so much in the news about data breaches and digital fraud, I felt it was important to get a better understanding of how we, as a community bank, can better protect our customers. My work with the ICBA Special Committee on Cyber-Security, and my recent studies have greatly increased my awareness on the issues facing all of us. We are committed to doing all we can to protect our customers, from the top down.”

Burton elected v.p. of Fall River Co-op board

Ralph Burton

Fall River Electric board member Ralph Burton of Island Park has been elected vice president of the nine-member cooperative board. Burton has been a board member for six years and an owner-member of the co-op for nearly 20 years. As vice president, Burton is authorized to act on behalf of the board president when he is unavailable and perform any other duties as assigned by the
full board membership. Fall River Electric board members are elected annually by the Co-op’s board of directors.

Burton is the retired CEO of The Amalgamated Sugar Co. and Snake River Sugar Co. Amalgamated, with roots reaching back to 1897, is an American sugarbeet-refining company and is owned by Snake River Sugar, a Boise based cooperative.

Commonly misused phrases that will make you sound unprofessional

As someone who has read press releases and business communications for more than 35 years, I can tell you what words and phrases make me groan. For example, I don't need to be told you are "excited" or "thrilled" about the business you are opening or the person you are hiring. I assume you are those things. It would be news if you were apathetic or tentative.

Likewise, the word "robust" is becoming so overused that it's hard not to shut down whenever I see it.

As far as misuse of the English language, any person who writes "tow the line" rather than the correct "toe the line" is immediately docked. I can think of other examples, but it turns out I don't have to since I found this link on Twitter this morning:

Commonly misused phrases that will make you sound unprofessional.

I found some of the examples laughable, but others were close enough to home that they made me cringe. This is safe for work. You will be a better communicator if you review it.

I hope I have piqued (and not "peeked" or "peaked") your interest. 

Executive director named for Idaho Falls Mayor's Scholarship Fund

Leslie Pincock

Leslie Pincock has been selected as the new executive director of the Mayor’s Scholarship Fund. Started by former Idaho Falls Mayor Jared Fuhriman, the Mayor’s Scholarship Fund annually awards scholarships to Idaho Falls area students in grades 8-12. The program has awarded more than 375 scholarships, worth more than $375,000, to help Idaho Falls area students attend colleges in Idaho.

“Leslie has a genuine passion for this program and the benefits that accrue to the recipients of these scholarships,” said Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper, in a press release.

Pincock has been a volunteer of the Mayor’s Scholarship Fund since 2013. In those years 180 scholarships have been awarded. An important criterion for students receiving these scholarships is that they did not think a college education was within their reach. The scholarship provides the student with support and belief in themselves and their future.

“I know the impact this program has on students and families and it goes well beyond the monetary
investment,” Pincock said. “The Mayor’s Scholarship Fund empowers students to believe in themselves because we, as a community are demonstrating that we believe in them.”

Pincock received a degree in Literary Criticism from Brigham Young University in Provo. She and her husband, Layne, have four children and one daughter in-law and live in Idaho Falls. In her spare time, Pincock is a fitness instructor at Gold’s Gym in Ammon.

Applications for the Mayor’s Scholarship Fund will be available Monday, Dec. 4. Interested students can pick-up an application from their school’s counselors, or from School District 91 and District 93 offices. Scholarship applications will be due Feb. 7, 2018. The 2018 Mayor’s Scholarship Fund will present students with scholarships on March 28, 2018.

Idaho Falls to host discussion on 'brownfield' revitalization

This comes from the city of Toledo, Ohio, whose brownfield program has leveraged $14 million in grant money from federal, state, local and private funding sources for aiding development in five different locations.

The city of Idaho Falls is seeking to obtain a $600K grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a brownfield revitalization program. Residents, business owners, and community organization members are invited to attend a presentation this afternoon from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Idaho Falls Public Library. 

Brownfields are vacant, abandoned or underutilized properties that have real or perceived environmental complications. Remediation and reinvesting in these properties takes development pressures off of undeveloped open land (“greenfields”) and protects human health and the environment as well as prevents urban sprawl.

In a request for proposals dated Sept. 22, Idaho Falls describes a plan to team up with the Idaho Falls Redevelopment Agency and Bonneville Metropolitan Planning Organization, to address brownfield development opportunities.

The number and location of brownfields sites in Bonneville County is presently undetermined,

as well as the economic impact of these sites in depressing property values and hindering

redevelopment of high priority areas. One outcome of the U.S. EPA assessment grants, if

secured, will be to develop an inventory and other information related to these sites to allow

for more effective planning by the city and the coalition in furthering their assessment,

cleanup if necessary, and redevelopment.

EPA offers a sample analysis of a brownfield cleanup proposal that gives gives an "Anytown, U.S.A." example at this link: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-01/documents/abca_example_for_cleanup_proposals.pdf. Here's an excerpt:

b. Previous Site Use(s) and any previous cleanup/remediation

The Site was the former location of an automotive repair facility and scrap metal yard. The automotive repair facility was owned by Arnie’s Auto Repair and operated between 1957 to 1989 from an onsite 600 square foot, one story concrete building. Following the closure of the repair facility, the new owner, Marty’s Metals, used the northwest corner of the Site, an estimated ¼ acre area, as a scrap metal yard. Marty’s Metals operated until 1997, when it went bankrupt. All scrap metal was removed by Marty’s Metals at that time. In 2001, the Town of Smalltown (“the Town”) took ownership of the parcel due to unpaid taxes. The Town demolished the onsite building and secured the perimeter of the Site with 6-foot chain link fence in early 2003. An underground hydraulic lift used by the automotive repair facility was left in place at that time.

One small underground storage tank (UST), which previously housed hydraulic oil used to operate a hydraulic automobile lift, and the hydraulic lift were removed in fall of 2003 by the Town under state cleanup funds. The underground storage tank and hydraulic lift were steam cleaned and sent offsite for recycling at that time. Soils immediately surrounding the tank and lift were also excavated and transported offsite for disposal. At this time, the Site was entered into the state’s voluntary cleanup program and is tracked under State Tracking Number 123456. 

Discussion topics include:

• What is a brownfield and where are they in Idaho Falls?
• The impact brownfield sites have on the livelihood, health and welfare of our community.
• Plans to transform blighted areas into healthy, viable spaces that enhance our neighborhoods and provide new employment opportunities.
• How public involvement is key to the success of this program.

For more information, contact the Idaho Falls economic development coordinator, Dana Briggs, at (208) 612-8777 or email her at dbriggs@idahofallsidaho.gov.

Reinke named to bank board

Chris Reinke

Chris Reinke of Ashton has been named to the board of directors of the Bank of Idaho and Bank of Idaho Holding Co. Reinke is a third-generation owner and vice president of Reinke Grain, in Ashton.

“Chris’s years of quality experience as a business owner and his knowledge of local agriculture make him a great addition to the Bank of Idaho team,” said Jeff Newgard, the bank’s president and CEO.

Reinke is a graduate of the University of Memphis with a degree in business management. While there, he was captain and a four-year letterman in golf.

Other Bank of Idaho board members will welcome Reinke at their next regular meeting, Nov. 14.

Blasting to continue this week on Broadway excavation

An artist's rendition of what the Broadway will look like facing west.

Downtown Idaho Falls is going to be punctuated with the sound of blasting today through Thursday, as excavation work continues on The Broadway, the construction project under way at the corner of Broadway and Memorial.

Over the past couple of weeks, downtowners have heard – and felt – a number of explosions. This week's should be the last ones needed to facilitate groundwork on the development, according to Jeremy Malone, vice president of Oppenhemier Development Corp.

"We're shaking things up both literally and figuratively," he said. "We hope this will be a real catalyst project, something that will help energize the great things already happening in downtown Idaho Falls."

The Broadway is the Boise-based Oppenheimer Development’s first project in Idaho Falls. When finished, the project will be the site of two buildings housing approximately 35,000 square feet of retail and commercial business space; a public plaza featuring a fountain in the summer and potentially a skating rink in the winter; and approximately 71 public parking spaces with 49 below-ground and 22 ground-level spaces. Blasting was called for primarily because the below-ground parking spaces need to be hewed out of lava rock.

The list of new tenants currently includes Bank of Idaho, Lucy’s Pizzeria, Smokin Fins and Parsons Behle & Latimer. Currently, approximately two thirds of the rental space is spoken for.

From the project's inception, Oppenheimer Development has been working closely with the Idaho Falls Redevelopment Agency, the mayor's office and numerous city agencies to be certain that the finished site will be in keeping with the city's needs and vision.

Ammon Kmart store slated to close

Ammon's Kmart store, which will be closing by January.

The Ammon Kmart store, 3101 E. 17th St., will be one of 45 closing this winter, according to an announcement from Sears Holdings, Kmart’s parent company.

The statement said a total of 63 Sears and Kmart stores will close by late January 2018. The Idaho Falls Sears, in the Grand Teton Mall, was not on the list.

"Sears Holdings continues its strategic assessment of the producitvity of our Kmart and Sears store base and will continue to right size our store footprint in number and size," the statement read. "We will continue to close some unprofitable stores as we transform our business model so that our physical store footprint and our digital capabilities match the needs and preferences of our members.

The statement says that eligible employees working at these stores will receive severance and be given the opportunity to apply for open positions at nearby Kmart or Sears stores.

Liquidation sales will begin Nov. 9 at closing stores. This development is the latest in a long line of closings for Sears Holdings. The company announced in July it would be closing 43 stores; in August, another 28.

Here’s an observation, posted on Facebook by a loyal BizmojoIdaho reader, John R. Parsons:

"For years (honest), Clair and I have driven past the local, typically-deserted K-Mart and asked each other, "How does that store survive?" It's been at least a couple of years since we actually set foot in the store. Even two years ago, there was a real funeral home feeling to the place. It was kinda like going to visitation for the deceased and wondering where the casket was. Meanwhile, all the merchandise felt old and unwanted. It was kinda spooky, actually, so spooky that we decided not to go there any more.

Somehow, against all odds, it hung on for these past two years. Now the jig's up and all the deck chairs will be thrown off the ship between now and January. One wonders what's next for that cavernous building with one of the area's largest parking lots?

Alas, Poor Sears. Check out the Sears stock chart. Ten years ago on April 27, 2007, just before the housing bubble burst, Sears was flying high at $191.93 share. Today it's trading at $5.36 (not a typo).

It's kinda sad to see the slow-motion demise of what were once two of America's retail giants. We have very fond memories of the famous K-Mart "Blue Light Specials". Who else remembers those?

Speaking of distant memories, few of you probably remember that K-Mart was actually once S. S. Kresge. And, yes, I have fond memories of shopping in the Lafayette, Indiana S. S. Kresge back in the 1950's. Times....they are a changin'..."

Chapolera Coffee opening shop on First Street

Buttercup Bakery, 335 First Street, is becoming Chapolera Coffee on Nov. 15. This is a great deal for both parties, as Buttercup’s owner, Neccia Hahn, has been trying to sell the business for some time and Chapolera’s owners, Art Baker and Jenny Bueno, have gotten enough of a foothold in the market to move out of the Idaho Innovation Center on North Yellowstone. The three became familiar with each other at the Farmer’s Market.

I know everyone is excited about Dutch Bros. Coffee coming to Idaho Falls (the article I posted yesterday got 43,000 page views, according to the dashboard page, which makes me wonder),  but if you want to know what real coffee tastes like you ought to try Chapolera Coffee.

Baker and Bueno set up shop as specialty coffee roasters in late 2016. Their goal was to bring fair trade values and personal passion to the process, providing high quality coffee that has come from people who have received a fair price for their efforts.


Baker, who has an engineering background, is a Michigan native and University of Michigan graduate. Bueno is a native of Colombia who grew up surrounded by coffee and its culture. The name Chapolera pays homage to the people, more specifically the women, who work on the coffee farms harvesting the coffee. For generations, Chapoleros and Chapoleras have harvested coffee from one farm or region to another, raising their families while on the road.

For more information, visit their web page at https://www.chapoleracoffee.com.

Dutch Bros. building Idaho Falls store on North Woodruff

This is what you can expect to see soon where Sarah's Candy Cottage used to be.

BizMojo Idaho has information from its impeccably reliable sources that Dutch Bros. Coffee will be building its first store in Idaho Falls at 221 N. Woodruff Avenue, where Sarah’s Candy Cottage was.

If you’ve driven on North Woodruff in the last week, you undoubtedly will have noticed that the quaint little building where Sarah’s used to be has been razed. A permit for an 800-square-foot structure has been applied for at the Idaho Falls Building Department.

Dutch Bros. currently has several stores in Idaho, in the Treasure Valley, the Panhandle and one in Twin Falls.

The company was founded in 1992 in Grants Pass, Ore., by Dane and Travis Boersma, who’d opened a coffee stand at Dutcher Creek Golf Course. Third-generation dairy farmers, the realities of that business forced them out, so they took their espresso machine and experimented with a hundred pounds of coffee in their empty milk house. After a month of handing out free samples to friends and family, the duo began serving up mochas and lattes at a pushcart set up in downtown Grants Pass. They named their company Dutch Bros., and over the next few years permanent kiosks opened in other parts of the city, including a coffeehouse a few blocks from the original stand.

Today, the company is the country’s largest, privately held drive-thru coffee company, with more than 260 locations in seven states and over 5,000 employees. Dutch Bros. still gives away drinks — now over one million each year — to further the company's mission of “spreading the Dutch Luv.” The company donates over $2 million a year to its local communities and non-profit organizations, including the Muscular Dystrophy Association, in honor of Dane Boersma, who passed away in 2009 after a four-year battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease.