After 10 months spent renovating, the owners of the La Paris building will unveil the detailed plans for their 11,000-square-foot commercial space at an open house Thursday, Sept. 7 from 4-6 p.m., with a groundbreaking ceremony 4:30 pm.
Refreshments will be served. The La Paris building is located at Willis Avenue and Second Street in Perry’s downtown cultural and business district.
“We are pleased to announced there will be eight new business ventures that will reside in the Historic District,” said Jacqueline Riekena of West Des Moines, who led demolition of the old Wooldworth’s and Spurgeons and more recently home to El Rey Market.
Calling the building a “destination venue,” Riekena said the retail complex will include the Elegant Rose Tea Room, a mercantile market, a bakery and cantina, 17 Spokes Pizza, Prairie Girls Clothing and Primitive Finds, the Buffalo Nickel and the Iowa Underground.
“The three corners of the building will be anchored by retail shopping, a pizza place and an amazing tea room,” Riekena said. “There will be a family-style restaurant and pub that will serve some of the best smoked burgers and meats. The bakery will bake sweets, treats, cakes, pies and rolls daily.”
She said the mercantile market will offer fresh produce, smoked meats and blue-ribbon-winning pickles, relishes, jellies, jams and other goodies. The basement, called the Iowa Underground, “will be a must-see on your bucket list in Iowa,” she said.
“The only existing entry that will relatively stay the same is located at the end, which is known as the Harbach Building,” Riekena said.
