Charming Charlie to open at Jordan Creek in November

Charming Charlie, a women’s jewelry, clothing and accessories shop, will open in the Village area of Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines, in the former location of Party City. This will be the first metro location for Charming Charlie, which has stores in Council Bluffs and Davenport. The 6,000-square-foot store is expected to open in November and will offer jewelry, handbags, shoes, apparel and accessories. Charming Charlie is known for having an expansive collection of jewelry and accessories, organized by color.

Jethro’s owner to open Italian restaurant
Bruce Gerleman, the restaurateur behind the metro’s collection of Jethro’s and other restaurants, will open an Italian restaurant called Jethroni Pepperoni by the end of the year. The casual Italian eatery will open in the former Pizza Hut at 3221 Adventureland Drive in Altoona and will not have any barbecue, unlike his six Jethro’s locations. Dominic Iannarelli, executive chef at Splash Seafood and Grill, which is another of Gerleman’s restaurants, will create the new menu for Jethroni. It will include Italian entrees and thin crust pizza, meatballs, cavatelli, steak deburgo and more. Gerleman is investing about $2 million into buying and renovating the building, expanding it from 3,100 square feet to 4,500 and adding a 30-foot tower that will mimic an Italian church steeple. The Pizza Hut closed in September.

Assisted living complex planned for Beaverdale
Hubbell Realty Co. is seeking input from the neighborhood of Boesen The Florist, which is where the company wants to build a senior housing development called Edencrest in Beaverdale. The project would feature 78 residences, including 40 units with assisted living and 38 for people with memory conditions. Boesen’s flower shop would remain at its current location at 3422 Beaver Ave., but its greenhouses would be removed to create space for the development. The Beaverdale Farmers Market, which has used the lots in that location for three years, would also be displaced due to the project. Hubbell officials have been careful to consult residents about the project; the company held an open house at the end of September to provide information. Construction on Edencrest in Beaverdale is expected to begin in spring 2016 and finish in early 2017.

REI announces November opening
REI announced plans to open its new West Des Moines location at 5901 Mills Civic Parkway on Nov. 6. The sporting and outdoor goods store has 23,000 square feet of space and offers products for camping, fitness, travel and a variety of outdoor sports. It is offering year-round REI Outdoor School classes and a bike shop that will do assembly and repairs. REI has 138 stores in 33 states, and it is part of the Mills Crossing development located at 60th Street and Mills Civic Parkway. The Fresh Market is also preparing to open in the development. REI will be open every day at 10 a.m. and close between 6-9 p.m., depending on the day.

Hubbell has contract to purchase former YMCA site
The Riverfront YMCA was demolished on Sunday, Oct. 4, but there are currently no plans announced for the future of the site. Hubbell Realty Co. does have a contract to purchase the 1.8-acre parcel at 101 Locust St., but the company hasn’t closed on it yet or announced any plans for what it might build there. Hubbell originally proposed a five-story apartment complex in May when it applied for $1 million in environmental cleanup tax credits, but after some backlash from development observers calling for a high-rise on the site, the company said it is considering a taller building. Demolition company D.W. Zinser is expected to finish clearing rubble at the site by mid-December.

600 Monkeys moving to larger space
In December, computer repair and service shop 600 Monkeys is moving to a larger space formerly occupied by Schaffer’s Bridal at 5515 Mills Civic Parkway, next to Mint L.A. The company is currently located at 5465 Mills Civic Parkway, Suite 220, next to Power Life Yoga, but the move will triple the company’s size. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday; and by appointment. Call 327-0600, visit www.600monkeys.com or find it on Facebook. CV