Altoona leaders to review 12 applicants for container park spaces

Feb. 21—ALTOONA — A dozen entrepreneurial ideas are competing for five spots in a new park planned along Division Street that will be made from modified, metal shipping containers.

On Thursday night, the Altoona City Council is slated to review the 12 applications received through the Think Inside the Box business challenge to decide which ones will advance to the next round.

Assistant City Administrator Richard Downey said the main thing that officials will be judging proposals on is whether they will draw people to the new container park and increase activity in Altoona's downtown.

"The key thing is to activate the space," he said.

The city sought applications from interested entrepreneurs in late January and got a good response from those seeking to rent a spot in the park.

"We've got 12 applications total. It's a good field," Downey said.

Those applicants are:

—A railroad-themed pub proposed by Mark Anderson of Eau Claire, who currently owns and operates the nearby Golden Spike Bar & Grill in Altoona.

—Dale Gleffe of Eau Claire sees the park as a way to create a shop to sell fishing tackle and Packers memorabilia that he's been selling through other stores and online for 45 years.

—Women's clothing, shoes, gifts and accessories shop Coulee Boutique of Galesville would get a second location if Anna Ledebuhr is among those selected for Altoona's new business park.

—Green Fleet, an electric vehicle rental service based in Eau Claire, is looking to create a base for a luxury shuttle that will go between Altoona and the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, according to the application filed by owners Bill and Anna Lobner.

—A tea shop called Novel Teas is proposed by a trio of Eau Claire women, Nancy Schlieve, Julie Harris and Cheri Donnley, who had experience with a similar business that had been operating at one time in Banbury Place.

—Vintage collectibles and pop culture items would be sold at Geek Chic, a retail shop envisioned by Dawn Wells of Altoona.

—Beast & Bonito, a restaurant with a variety of noodle and rice dishes is pitched by Evan Mowry of Eau Claire, who has 15 years of professional culinary experience and specializes in making ramen.

—Pizza would be sold by the slice and whole pies to-go from the Big Fella's restaurant that Osseo entrepreneurs John and Lisa Newcomb look to establish in the Altoona park.

—Operating as a local food truck for the past two years, Ne-Ne's Tacos is now also looking to be one of the restaurants in the container park, based on an application from owners Rene and Rhonda Perez of Eau Claire.

—Vegan comfort foods would be the offerings at Cafe Indigo, a restaurant that Mandy Shea Williams of Eau Claire is looking to create.

—Asian-inspired seafood boil previously available at Eau Juicy in Eau Claire would come to Altoona based on the proposal from Xoua Yang and Xavier Yang of Elk Mound.

—Erika Zank of Altoona wants to serve nonalcoholic cocktails through a new business venture she calls Flamingo Mocktails.

Applicants chosen by the City Council to advance to the next round will be required to further flesh out their business idea. This will include a deeper description of their prospective business, a market analysis, a management plan, explanation of products or services it will provide, sales strategies and financial projections.

The final choice for businesses that will be picked to sign leases at the park is expected to be made by the City Council this spring, likely in April.

The park will have room for one taproom, two restaurants and two retail shops. Each business will reside in a 320-square-foot indoor space created by two metal shipping containers that have been converted for building use by Milwaukee company Containers Up.

The restaurants and taproom are both planned to do business through service windows, but there will be seating for patrons both indoors and outdoors in the park.

At one end of the triangle-shaped park is a performance stage so the area can host live entertainment.

Altoona is working toward having the park open this summer.