Jethro’s BBQ opens Coralville location

CORALVILLE — Jethro’s BBQ has opened its first location in Eastern Iowa — a restaurant 10 years in the making.

The Iowa chain’s first Corridor location, 75 Second St. in Coralville, held a soft opening at the end of May after a few months of renovations. The location is Jethro’s eighth in Iowa.

With all of its other locations scattered across the Des Moines metro and Ames, the new Coralville location is Jethro’s first outside of central Iowa.

The opening comes after 10 years of searching for the right spot in the Iowa City area, according to a newly updated history posted on Jethro’s website. The chain, started by Des Moines restaurateur Bruce Gerleman in 2008, first looked into the former Bennigan’s restaurant in Coralville, as well as a spot near a west-side Menard’s, a place on the south side of Iowa City, the Ped Mall and downtown.

The current location was chosen in November 2022, after the owner of the former Old Chicago in Coralville decided to retire.

The Second Street spot was vacant for a few months after its former occupant closed in February 2022.

Plans for the new Jethro’s location were revealed earlier this year. Reports in December indicate that the concept is also eyeing another location in Waterloo and downtown Des Moines.

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