Goodwill to buy Iowa City pet building

Goodwill of the Heartland has agreed to purchase the current location of Brenneman Seed & Pet Center, the agency's long time neighbor on First Avenue in Iowa City.

Brenneman's will transition their Brenneman's Grooming and Pet Supplies business to 531 Southgate Ave, in Iowa City, continuing the family business which has been in existence for 105 years. Items at the 1500 South First Avenue location will be marked down until the store closes Aug. 15.

Goodwill will utilize the space as the agency continues to grow. Long-term plans for the buildings and land are yet to be determined. For now, the Goodwill Reboot Computer Store and Goodwill's e-commerce operations will move into the facility.

“The Yoder family has been a great neighbor to Goodwill for many years and we wish them much success in this next phase of their family's business,” said Jeff Nock, President & CEO of Goodwill of the Heartland. “Adding the land and facilities presents tremendous flexibility as we grow over the coming years. We're increasing opportunities for the people we serve and the new space will allow us to better serve them, our staff and our customers.”

In 2010, Goodwill of the Heartland served more than 5,200 individuals and families throughout its 19-county territory in southeastern Iowa and western Illinois. That marked a 7.5 percent increase in clients served over 2009.

For more information about Brenneman's offerings and sales, contact the store at 338-8501.

About Goodwill of the Heartland

Goodwill of the Heartland provides services to advance the well-being of individuals with barriers to independence. Funded in part by 13 Goodwill Stores in southeastern Iowa and the Quad Cities, Goodwill of the Heartland provides job training, vocational rehabilitation services and work experience.

The organization served more than 5.200 individuals and families in 2010. For more information about Goodwill services or for our retail locations, visit goodwillheartland.org or call (319) 337-4158.