MINBURN, Iowa — The city of Minburn held a public hearing on their plans to close and sell a depot currently housing a beloved restaurant July 6.
The Nineteen14 has been a Minburn staple for six years, but owner Jeremy Mahler said he doesn't know if the restaurant will make it to year seven.
The decision has stirred up a lot of emotion from community members since its first mention in a June 13 council meeting. Council members ultimately voted to approve the termination of the restaurant's lease last month.
Now, the Nineteen14 restaurant is being asked to close its doors and vacate the property by the end of July.
Mahler wondered why he wasn't included in the decision. That's why he came to the July 6 city council meeting — to work calmly and respectfully with the city in hopes for a resolution.
"I hope that we can bridge this gap. There was more animosity tonight than I was anticipating," Mahler said. "But I still hold out hope that maybe we can figure this out in the long run."
"We were completely blindsided by these decisions. We were actually at a June city council meeting for an unrelated item, and weren't even told that there would be the fate of our business was being decided later that night on the agenda," Mahler said.
Minburn's Mayor Joe Stuetelberg said the city has worked with the owners and the reasoning behind the depot's future is simple: economics.
"The city hasn't really been able to make a profit or any money. We're actually losing money on the building by charging the rent that we do and paying part of the utilities and stuff that we do. So we just don't see it as in the best interest for the city any longer to own the building," he said.
Stuetelburg also said the city's intent is not to drive Mahler's business out of town — the city just doesn't want to own it anymore. Stuetelburg said that the city has encouraged others to purchase the depot if they so please.
"We're willing to take you know, the any offer from anybody for the building, once we are able to sell it," he said. "But this is tonight is just the very first step in being able to sell the building."