A full day of ribbon cuttings and GROW Awards kept the Broken Bow Chamber of Commerce and dignitaries busy throughout Broken Bow and surrounding communities on Tuesday, March 16.
The morning began at Grocery Kart in Broken Bow as Steve Fowler was presented with a GROW Award for the improvements made to GK. The most recent improvements included new coolers, improved produce sections, cosmetic improvements, and most recently Family Fresh Sushi.
Fowler stated the goal of any grocery store is to improve for their customers and when they were presented with the opportunity they took it. Grocery Kart is located at 937 East South E Street, on East Highway 2, and is open every day from 7 AM to 10 PM.
Frontier Family Pharmacy was the next stop on the tour as the business finally had the chance to cut the ribbon to join the Chamber. Owners Tyler and Katie Sturgeon opened their doors earlier in 2020, but due to the pandemic had been unable to officially cut the ribbon.
On Tuesday, Tyler stated that when the opportunity came to purchase Holcomb Pharmacy he made the most of the opportunity and purchased the store from Mike Holcomb who was at one time Tyler’s boss.
Now with pharmacies in Broken Bow and Cozad, the Sturgeons and their staff hope to provide the best pharmacy products and services they can for the area. Frontier Family Pharmacy is open Monday to Friday 8 AM-6 PM and on Saturday from 9 AM-1 PM. They are located just southeast of the square on South 8th Ave./Highway 21.
South-Side Storage, located on South N Street, has been part of the Broken Bow area since 2017 and has offered additional storage options for those looking for extra space. New owners Bryce and Rebeka Anderson cut the ribbon to join the Chamber on Tuesday and said shortly after they moved to Broken Bow, the storage units were up for sale and presented an opportunity they couldn’t pass up.
Bryce mentioned that Rebeka was “pretty aggressive” about purchasing the units and thanks to the help of a number of individuals were able to make it happen.
Mayor Rod Sonnichsen said the storage units are a huge help to the city because they allow anyone who has an overflow of items to store them somewhere safe, which also helps continue to keep the city looking clean.
The final stop Tuesday morning was Fiesta Brava. A GROW award was presented to the business for their cosmetic updates to the interior. New lighting, booths, added pictures, and more have created a new feel and a fresh look for the building that has changed a number of hands since it was first built.
A favorite place to stop for many people in the Broken Bow area, it is also a top favorite for Lieutenant Governor Mike Foley who was part of the festivities for the day. Whether it is an end-of-the-day margarita you crave or authentic Mexican food, Fiesta Brava, located at 625 S. 10th Ave., has it all. Check out the delicious food and drinks open every day except Monday.
Following lunch, the caravan headed north to Sargent to welcome Ollie’s Coffee and Boutique to the Chamber. Owner Beth Ottun’s new business features great coffee and all sorts of different products from infant clothes and women’s wear to phone accessories and signs for around the home.
Kids are also welcome as a play area can be found in the store allowing anyone visiting time to shop and drink coffee while keeping the little ones occupied. Ollie’s is open Tuesday through Friday 7 AM to 5:30 PM, Saturday 8 AM to 4 PM, and is located at 311 W Main Street in Sargent.
If you have electrical irrigation questions or are looking for Reinke products, Pracht Irrigation in Berwyn would be a great stop to make! Adam Pracht, along with his family and staff, cut the ribbon to officially join Chamber at the irrigation shop at 411 Cayuga Ave.
Adam stated that he got his start in the irrigation business out of high school, joining Johnson Irrigation for eleven years before purchasing the business in 2020. According to their website, Pracht Irrigation will continue to provide its services to the Custer County community and surrounding areas. Pracht Irrigation is open Monday through Friday 8 AM-5 PM and can be reached at (308) 870-3142.
The seventh and final stop of the day was at Gibbons Electric in Ansley. Located in the old grocery store building, renovations are underway to turn the 100+-year-old building into a home office for Andy Gibbons and his crew. Andy stated he has been in the electrical business for as long as he could remember and can work on any type of electrical problem you might have.
“We want to be the ones you come to no matter what you have going on”, said Andy.
If you have electrical problems or have questions, call Gibbons Electric at (308) 763-1193.
After seeing a number of businesses and locations throughout Custer County, Lt. Governor Mike Foley stated that he was encouraged by the number of young families taking the jump to start a new business or take over existing ones.
“This has been an exciting day for me,” said Lt. Gov. Foley “We’ve been visiting some new businesses and some expanding businesses in Broken Bow, Sargent, Berwyn, and now in Ansley, and what has been fascinating and encouraging about the day is to meet so many young people and young families who are investing in the future of our state, building great businesses.”
