Drake Tourism Project in Centerville, Iowa

Recently GoCenterville.com and Commercial Resources, Inc. (CRI) along with local partners rolled out the new Drake Tour project.  “The goal of the project is to keep interested people informed of activities near the Centerville, Iowa area and to get input from those interested in helping make the GoCenterville.com – Drake Tour – a success” said Bill Burch, Owner of Commercial Resources, Inc.

There are several strategies that CRI used to promote the project and put Centerville, Iowa on the tourism map. Cheryl White of Commercial Resources, Inc. added the Drake Tour to the gocenterville.com website and placed an ad in the Des Moines Register Sunday edition in the Experience Iowa section.  Cheryl wrote a grant to request funds from Central Iowa Tourism and submitted an ad to be published in three spring 2011 issues of Our Iowa magazine.  She created the Drake Tour Brochure which includes a map identifying the location of the tour sites and a summary description of sites tourist will visit.  In addition, Cheryl created “Ask me about Drake” buttons for staff to wear. 

Pat McAfee, of CRI, participated in the cutting out and painting of 7 Drake billboards and coordinated the commercial construction of 4 Drake Billboards.  Pat researched and contacted TV media outlets Channel 3, 8, and 11 about the Drake Project.  Pat spoke to and emailed Drake Tour information to:

• 15 Iowa Tour Operators. 
• 17 Travel Federation of Iowa agencies
• 12 State of Iowa government agencies
• 18 members of Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
• 12 members of CenStates Chapter TTRA
• Editor of Our Iowa
• Editor of Midwest Living
• Drafted press releases to send to area newspapers

      In preparation for the Drake Tour Opening event, Pat:

• Arranged for 2 tour buses
• Prepared the tour schedule for each bus
• Arranged to serve guests lunch
• Contacted various travel agencies within the state of Iowa

Pat is keeping a close eye on expenditures to make sure that they are able to accomplish their goal within the budgeted monies available.

CRI was thrilled to share that the seed money to jump start the activities was generated by thoughtful and interested local businesses who rented brochure spaces in brochure displays at Honey Creek Resort. They are grateful for everyone involved in making the project a synergistic success, and gave out a special thanks to Honey Creek Resort for giving them the opportunity.

GoCenterville.com and the Drake Tour Project are off to a stellar start.  CRI is on schedule and exceeding original commitments and expectations.

Rural Iowa Business Purchased by Georgian Company

Recently, in Keosauqua, Iowa, a small-town business is under new ownership. Barker Company Ltd., which has roots both in Keosauqua and Centerville, Iowa, was purchased by Hill Phoenix, Inc.  Barker’s creates and produced many items, from specialty merchandise that are shipped to grocery stores, to similar products that appear in convenience stores and numerous food service stations. 

The company will now become part of Hill PHOENIX’s specialty products division. Hill PHOENIX officials say they plan to continue operations at the manufacturing facilities in both Keosauqua and Centerville.

Hill PHOENIX is based in Conyers, Ga. The company manufactures commercial refrigerated displays and other refrigeration systems.

Upon news of the purchase, Bill Burch, President of Commercial Resources, Inc. who manages over a dozen businesses in the Centerville area, stated, “Purchases of businesses like this are a common and expected part of industry.  As with all change, it will understandably be met with concern and speculation.  I trust that the quality, work ethic, and attitudes of the community will speak for themselves if Hill Phoenix ever chooses to assess the operation of Centerville’s plant.  Our companies will be excited for any opportunity to work with or support Hill Phoenix in their efforts here.”

Members of Commercial Resources, Inc. and other businesses owned/managed by Burch [such as The Shoppes at Bradley Hall, The Columns, The Continental, Mystic Publishing, and the Exline Country Store] are also excited for the growth of business in the small Iowa town.

Concerts at the Continental—mesmerizing

On Sunday, November 15, 2009, a concert was held at the Continental restaurant and fine-living home on the historic Centerville Square in Centerville, Iowa.  The concert, a part of the “Concerts at the Continental—A Series for Weekend Afternoons” was held at 3:00 and featured Dr. Sam McClure, playing the violin, and Patrice Edwolt, playing the piano.  They played selections from Brahms, Stravinsky, Kreisler, and Grieg during the performance.  The Continental, maintained by local Centerville entrepreneur William Burch [www.williamburch.com], was the perfect venue for the event.  Funded by Morgan Cline, a close friend and business associate of Burch, the Continental features all the makings of a New York-style ballroom located on Main Street America.  Sharon Burch, wife of Bill Burch, also helped develop the event and commented that it was an overall success and a great addition to the already rich traditions of the Centerville region.  The Continental, which also houses executive suites perfect for those who enjoy luxury, was also an excellent place for the artists performing to stay.  Offering a full menu and bar, the restaurant at the Continental Hotel has items for every meal of the day.  Also, within walking distance of the restaurant and hotel are many other attractions that one cannot miss when traveling to the Centerville area.  The Shoppes at Bradley Hall [www.thecontinental.info] offers an excellent shopping experience.  Another great shop nearby is the Columns [www.thecolumns.com].  It is located just off the Centerville Square in a refurbished Neo-Classical white house, equipped with columns that give it its name.

Dr. Sam McClure is the Associate Professor of Violin/Viola and the Director of Orchestras at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, a town about an hour away from Centerville.  He earned his degree from Michigan State University and has performed with several nationally and internationally acclaimed musicians.  He has also traveled to Italy, France, the Czech Republic, and Austria to play.  He earned degrees in violin performance from the Eastman School of Music and Ohio University. 

Patrice Ewolt, who originally hails from Northwest Iowa, completed her undergraduate degree in Clarinet Performance and Music Education at the University of Northern Iowa and has taught in the Iowa Public School System for several years.  She completed her Master’s degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music and her doctorate from the University of Maryland.  She currently teaches at Central College in Pella, Iowa, but has also taught previously at Grinnell College, Truman State University, and also Southeast Missouri State University. 

The concert, as mentioned, was an overall success.  The Concert at the Continental Series shall continue to be a success and shall bring musical history that spans the globe to the small town of Centerville Iowa.

Exline Old Country Store and Antique Exchange – 6th Anniversary

Exline, Iowa – The Exline Old Country Store and Antique Exchange (www.exlinecountrystore.com) celebrated its 6th anniversary of the store opening on October 31st. About 7 years ago, local native Morgan Cline suggested that his hometown have an “old country store with all the good stuff” that he remembered when he was a boy. Locals rallied and supported the effort with the opening of the store coming about a year later. Now, six years later they had their 6th birthday party! Local entertainment was provided by Rodney Randall on the harmonica and Jim Traxler playing his guitar and singing. A good time was had by all. Since the anniversary falls on Halloween each year, a pumpkin carving contest was held. This year there were 12 entiries, which is a record! Special sales were offered within the store and door prizes were given at the end of the day to thank the community for the support and business they have given us throughout the year.

The Exline Old Country Store and Antique Exchange was only the beginning of a number of projects developed by Morgan Cline in Exline. In addition, Cline moved a one room school house to the main street area and renovated it as a replica of the original schools. Then there was the tiny E.E. Withrow building which he did the same thing making it the community betterment office. The list goes on to include renovation of local homes in poor condition, the development of Ponds and Prairies (www.pondsandprairies.com), Coal Miners Commons, and the Exline Hose Company No. 1 Museum.

There is much more than meets the eye in the area. Many are unaware that Brigham Young was named the head of the Morman Church about 1 ½ miles south and east of Exline at a place they called , “The Ring of Rocks.”

Thanks to Cline’s investments and his vision, The Exline Old Country Store and Antique Exchange is now on the map and drawing tourists from far and wide.

Southern Iowa’s Top Shopping Destination

Antique treasures and modern conveniences await the customer of The Shoppes at Bradley Hall in Centerville, Iowa. As soon as one enters the Shoppes through spacious glass doors, one’s eyes cannot help but move from one object to another. From gift items to collectibles (in my opinion, the Jelly Belly booth is worth checking out) there is something for everyone at The Shoppes at Bradley Hall—from the young to the old.

The site of the historic Shoppes is located on an equally historic house to the Centerville district. Completed in 1909, the house was completed for D.C Bradley on 519 Drake Avenue, the same location as today. The house was considered a social center of Centerville, complete with a ballroom on the third floor. When vacated, the house housed many different venues; for instance, a private residence, a nursing home, classrooms for college and elementary students and administrative offices for the Centerville Community Schools. In 1998, Morgan Cline, an East coast advertising executive with local roots, with the help of Commercial Resources, Inc., also located in Centerville, purchased the house from the public schools. January through August of 1999 was the renovation stage. Partitions and fluorescent lights came down, the woodwork cleaned, the wood floors refinished, walls were painted and papered, and carpet scraped off the tile flooring. In addition, the ceramic tile roof was removed, repaired and in some areas, replaced. Mr. Cline’s philanthropic vision of Bradley Hall was to preserve it indefinitely and in a fashion that would allow it to be enjoyed by all, thus evolved the Shoppes at Bradley Hall.

With 10,000 square feet of usable space on the premise, The Shoppes at Bradley Hall in Centerville hosts enough space to contain quite a large amount of collectibles. With an impressive three floors, the onlooker may be intimidated by the size of the beautifully constructed Bradley house, but once inside one may find that the space is used effectively—every bit of space available is used to its fullest, from the items inside the kitchen sink, to items inside a closet in the hallway.

Bill Burch, a local entrepreneur to the Centerville area, had this to say about the delights of shopping at The Shoppes at Bradley Hall: “Of the over two dozen projects we have developed, Bradley Hall is one of the most gratifying and still the regions #1 shopping destinations.”

So, there you have it. “There’s a lot more business out there in small town America than I ever dreamed of.” Sam Walton spoke these words, and proof exists in Centerville, Iowa and The Shoppes at Bradley Hall. Small town reliability and reasonable prices coupled with big city products and ambiance, The Shoppes at Bradley Hall have every service to meet every need. With three floors of collectibles, there’s enough paraphernalia to suit each individual’s needs. Check out http://www.bradleyhall.info/ for more information regarding the historic site.

Honey Creek Resort and Centerville, Iowa – Great Fit

An exciting getaway is now at the fingertips of any individual living in southern Iowa. One trip to the Honey Creek Resort is enough to fulfill the needs of any summer traveler looking for a chance to relax and have a little fun. The resort, opened in 2008, is located just miles outside of Centerville, Iowa, and has more than enough activities to meet everyone’s needs.

There are cabins surrounding the resort, perfect for those of you who enjoy vacation best in peace and quiet [http://www.honeycreekresort.com/stay-with-us/cabins/]. For vacationers who enjoy a little mingling time with others, the resort itself is a great bet [http://www.honeycreekresort.com/stay-with-us/guestrooms/]. With all makings of an expensive lodge located on the outskirts of a large city, the Honey Creek Resort offers supreme service at reasonable prices and friendly service. There is also a great RV campground for the traveler that wants to feel connected to Mother Nature. This campground is set along the shores of Lake Rathbun, and offers water and electric hook-up [http://www.honeycreekresort.com/stay-with-us/rv-campground/].

The Resort is also houses a large aquatics center, great for the entire family. Located inside the resort, Buccaneer Bay is a two-story heated aquatic center that contains a two-story water slide, a video arcade, a whirlpool area, and, of course, a swimming pool that can accommodate anyone’s needs. Buccaneer Bay is an ideal spot for birthdays, parties, or just a fun afternoon, whether you’re from the Centerville area, or across the country. [http://www.honeycreekresort.com/amenities/buccaneer-bay-indoor-water-park/]

The Honey Creek Resort is also the proud owner of the Preserve Golf Course. The course is fit for the novice to the more experienced golfer. The Resort’s course also offers a golf cart with your purchase. “On my recent trip to the course, I found it to be a great way to spend an afternoon. The course wasn’t too difficult, yet it still offered a challenge. The setting is also very ideal: it’s located in a spot that offers a great view all year round,” said one satisfied customer about the course [http://www.honeycreekresort.com/amenities/the-preserve-golf-course-2/].

Visitors to HCR also have great access to some of the state’s best shopping in Centerville with such businesses as The Shoppes at Bradley Hall [www.bradleyhall.info], The Columns [www.thecolumns.info], the Exline Old Country Store and Antique Exchange [www.exlinecountrystore.info], and The Continental Hotel [www.thecontinental.info].

Residents in Iowa that go to the resort often notice the melting pot of license plates in the parking lot—many businessmen and women use the Honey Creek Resort to hold business meetings, so it is not uncommon to find people from out-of-state staying at the resort. Bill Burch, the president of Commercial Resources, Inc. in Centerville remarked on the diversity by saying, “Honey Creek Resort is having a significant impact on our businesses. We are noticing customers from St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, Des Moines, and Chicago using the resort. It is not unusual to notice over half of the cars in our parking lot are from other large metro areas up to 6 hours away!”

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) considered building a Destination State Park in the Centerville area for 30 years. With the building of Honey Creek Resort and State Park in Lake Rathbun, the state has seen some serious growth in sales in and around that area. “We are very pleased with the impact Honey Creek has had on our community. There is every indication that soon this region will become a recreation destination for the Midwest”, said Bill Burch.