George The Chili King and Jefferson
No doubt you are wondering right now, “what does George The Chili King have to do with Jefferson?” In fairness, the connection may exist only in my mind. But, please, allow me to explain.
Before moving to Jefferson about two and a half years ago, I lived in Des Moines, our capitol city, for over twenty-five years. Just like I now love making Jefferson my home, I also greatly loved living in Des Moines. I made friends in Des Moines that I still visit any time I have reason to go to my former home town. I loved the many iconic businesses in Des Moines and patronized them as I was inspired to do.
George The Chili King was one of those iconic businesses.
So, imagine the sadness I experienced as I read an April 2, 2024 article written by Addison Lathers, a Des Moines Register journalist, that told the story of the closing (two years ago) of this restaurant that opened at 5722 Hickman Road in 1952 – five years before I was born! Imagine the sadness I experienced as I saw the picture of the iconic George The Chili King sign being hoisted away by a tall Vesco crane so that it could be sold to a collector! Imagine the sadness I experienced when I read in the Register article that the George the Chili King building was now on the Des Moines Heritage list of historic buildings at risk of demolition!
So, what can residents of Jefferson learn from the closing of George The Chili King, a greasy spoon restaurant successfully run for over 70 years? Perhaps Jefferson citizens can experience some level of comfort and, even hope, in knowing that Iowa’s largest city also knows the pain of losing dearly loved businesses. Related to this, perhaps we can learn that mourning the vacant spaces on our courthouse square may be a necessary part of an on-going process to free up our energy so all of us can work together to help our beloved community thrive as fully as possibly.
But we don’t really need the story of George The Chili King to learn about the cycle of loss of iconic businesses and the creative re-building of new businesses. We can learn this lesson from our own history. In 2007, an organization called Questers researched and compiled a history of how buildings on the historic square of Jefferson had functioned throughout the years. On each page, the Questers included a photograph of how the buildings looked then and now.
You can study this incredible book, called “Our Town Then and Now” yourself by asking for it at the Jefferson Library. What impresses me are the wise, carefully chosen words at the top of each page which I quote: “Our Town Then and Now: Because buildings and cities grow and change here is a record of how this structure functioned throughout the years.”
As I read the list of businesses in each location that thrived for a time, closed and were replaced with a new business, I thought of all the energy it took for someone to start a business, the sadness in closing it or the hope in moving it to a new location and, then, the energy it took for another person to start his or her own business in that same spot.
And the cycle continues today. As you walk the Courthouse Square, you will see much construction to remodel existing businesses and to start new businesses, you will see businesses that have a long history and that are brand new to the square, and yes, you will also see vacant buildings.
But here’s some good news! At their April 9, 2024 Executive Meeting, Greene County Development Corporation (GCDC) voted to create a new program with the priorities to both keep existing businesses on the Square and to attract new businesses to the Square. In announcing this new program as part of GCDC’s quarterly report at the April 9th Jefferson City Council meeting, Executive Director Ken Paxton explained that this problem of vacant retail store fronts is a problem across our country and not unique to Jefferson. Without any doubt, it will take many months for GCDC to get this program up and running, but this is good news! And I commend GCDC for deciding to face this challenging problem – and opportunity- directly.
Perhaps GCDC and our community can receive inspiration from a wonderful sculpture, called “Reaching” that has been installed on the south side of the court house for most of the past year. Created by Drew Evans-Arenas, from Marion, Iowa and selected as the “People’s Choice” in the 2023 Ring Out for Art sculpture exhibition, the sculpture features a woman, created out of nuts and bolts welded together, standing tall and proud with her head looking up and her arms stretching upward, in this case appropriately towards the top of Mahanay Bell Tower. She is reaching, reaching, reaching . . .
As a newcomer to Jefferson, I view this wonderful “Reaching” sculpture as perfect metaphor for how I see the people of Jefferson. I see the people of Jefferson reaching, reaching, reaching in so many ways to make Jefferson become an even more interesting place to live that offers all the amenities both longtime residents -and newcomers- need to make for a good life together.
“When you reach for the stars,” teaches Leo Burnett, founder of a worldwide advertising company, “you may not quite get one, but you won’t come up with mud either!”
In that spirit, I say, keep reaching, Jefferson! Keep reaching!
Having lived in Jefferson since only December 2021, Bryan knows he will always be a newcomer in town. Though this may surprise his readers, he wants everyone to know that he truly delights in this role!
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