Iowa City bagel shop planning return, a year after fire

An Iowa City business destroyed by a massive fire hopes to be back in business by early 2013.

Mario Arguelles, former general manager at Bruegger's Bagels, 225 Iowa Ave., said he hopes to return the business to its old location by January.

"That is our plan right now," said Arguelles, who is currently managing another Bruegger's in Iowa City.

The historic building that housed Bruegger's burned down last September.  Investigators believe a piece of equipment started the fire and have since ruled it accidental.

The city has approved an initial plan put in place by Bruegger's to rebuild the business, which would include one retail space below and two apartments above the bakery.  However, city officials are waiting to revise and discuss a few additional details with Bruegger's staff before construction can move forward.

"There's nothing on the city's end holding up Bruegger's," Jeff Davidson, Director of Planning and Community Development, said in an email Tuesday.

Arguelles said he doesn't know exactly when construction will begin, but said he is anxious to get the downtown location back open.