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News
LaPachanga Mexican Restaurant opened for business in June of 2010
LaPachanga Mexican Restaurant opened for business in June of 2010. Penn Central Mall was thrilled to welcome a restaurant back to the mall. LaPachanga is owned by Martin & Anna Perez and makes the fourth restaurant they own. They are based out of Burlington, Iowa and now have 3 restaurants in Iowa and 1 in Illinois. LaPachanga, which means “the gathering” or “the lively party” is sure to be a crowd pleaser. They take pride in their cleanliness and the quality of their food. They even have some American dishes for those folks who aren’t in the mood for Mexican cuisine. They will be open from 11 am to 10 PM Monday through Saturday and 11 am to 9 pm on Sundays. Come see for yourselves that LaPachanga is “The Best Mexican Restaurant”!
February 2010 Oskaloosa Herald Progess Edition Story
Penn Central Mall became locally owned again in February 2010 when Musco Sports Lighting purchased the facility. Penn Central Mall in Oskaloosa's downtown is the home to 20 retailers and is a hub of community activities throughout the year.
In late 2009, Penn Central Mall welcomed a new clothing store to its group of merchants. Schweser's is a family-owned chain of clothing stores based in Fremont, Nebraska. Schweser's carries women’s and children’s clothing and accessories
In 2010, the mall will once again be the home of a Mexican restaurant. La Pachanga is a Mexican restaurant that will help anchor the mall's east entrance. The restaurant is expected to open in mid-April and features both Mexican and American cuisine. La Pachanga is a family-owned restaurant based out of Burlington, Iowa.
The mall's merchants sell items ranging from clothing and jewelry to nutrition supplements and hobby supplies. Penn Central Mall's Center Court is the jewel of downtown Oskaloosa. The spacious area is located in the heart of the mall, where groups hold community activities throughout the year. Center Court has been home to events such as Kidtoberfest as well as local concerts and Christmas parties. Spaces of various sizes are available to meet most any meeting or function need.
"Penn Central Mall is home to businesses that provide key products and services in our community, and we are optimistic about the future of Oskaloosa. Both the mall's key location in the central downtown, and its close proximity to our Musco campus contribute to our interest in local ownership,” said Musco President Joe Crookham. "Our vision is to maintain and grow the retail activity there in addition to our continued use of part of the building.”
"During the coming months the Musco facility team will work with the mall maintenance group to evaluate needs and develop a comprehensive plan for making improvements," said Jeff Greenhalgh, Director of Facilities Operations.
Stop and shop at Penn Central Mall. Mall hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Penn Center Mall can be found on the Internet at www.penncentralmall.com. To schedule a meeting or event, contact Mall Manager Patti Ryan at (641) 673-9414.
Schweser's to Open New Store in Oskaloosa, IA
Schweser's Stores is proud to announce that it will open a new store in Oskaloosa, Iowa, October 3rd. Along with 7 other stores in Iowa, This is the 29th store for the company. The 5,000 square foot store will be located in the Penn Central Mall in downtown Oskaloosa.
Schweser's Stores, Inc. is a Midwest fashion icon with roots that date back to the 1880 when immigrant George Schweser opened the first general store in David City, Nebraska. His son, Fred Schweser, opened the company's second store in Columbus, Nebraska in 1929. The company, which is still owned and managed by the same family, now operates 29 stores in 6 Midwestern states. The closest store to Oskaloosa is in downtown Centerville, Iowa which opened in 2007.
Schweser's specializes in fashion apparel for misses, petite, and plus sizes, along with a full assortment of children's apparel. The fashion departments include Dresses, Coats, Casual wear, Career wear, and Coordinating Groups. The store also carries a wide selection of accessories and gifts. The company operates entirely in the Midwest, which allows it to carry exclusive fashions that cater to the sensibilities of Midwestern women.
Schweser's operates primarily in small towns with populations of 5,000 to 20,000 people. The company has served the women in small towns since its inception and it continues to focus primarily on these markets. "We like to operate in small towns because we can actually get to know the fashion tastes of a particular town. The people of the town get to know you and trust you, which builds loyalty. Plus, there are significant underserved populations in small towns right now who do not want to spend their time and money traveling to the bigger cities. We have heard from many people in Oskaloosa who felt that our store would be a great fit for the community, and we are confident that this is true," said company president Ty Smith.
The Schwewer's philosophy is to offer personal service to our loyal customers while carrying brand name clothing at discounted prices. To maintain the lower retail prices the company makes purchases weekly form the major fashion markets. The company maintains relationships with major suppliers in order to buy opportunistically, while other larger department stores often miss out. The company is able to negotiate bulk prices for goods and ships them directly to its headquarters and distribution center in Fremont, Nebraska for ticketing and distribution to a six-state region.
"Oskaloosa is the right kind of town for Schweser's. We only operate in small, but strong Midwestern towns. We feel we can offer women of these towns something they cannot find at other retailers. We offer personal service, fashions designed specifically for them, prices they can afford, and the convenience of shopping without having to travel long distances. After they shop at Schweser's they won't even want to travel to the larger cities to do their shopping." said company president, Ty Smith
The company also noted that it plans on staying in Oskaloosa for a very long time. "We have always operated under the principle that slow and steady wins the race," said Mr. Smith. "We are very careful to make sure that we open new stores in the right towns, in the right space, with the right lease. We do not open stores quickly or with tremendous frequency, but we also do not close many stores. I am confident that we will have a very successful store in Oskaloosa."
With a 129 year history of fashion, value, honesty, and service, Schweser's has been able to expand its business based upon its successes. This investment in Oskaloosa is another sign of this success and represents Schweser's commitment to serving the community of Oskaloosa for many years to come.