By Beacon Staff
Over a period of 16 months, the buildings at 712 and 722 Jefferson St. will undergo renovations to transform the first floor of the properties into a brewery and grocery store.
The brewery will feature German and Norwegian beers, as well as a small food menu. At this time, no concrete plans have been made for the second floor.
Kathy and Brandon Bentz, owners of Fusion Tech in Roseville, Ill., purchased the two side-by-side buildings in late November.
Both buildings were constructed by Samuel Scotten, a Burlington native and Chicago businessman, according to records from the State Historical Society of Iowa.
Dating back to 1912, the structure at 712 Jefferson St. is also known as the Gabeline Implement Building. Several companies selling farm implements operated at the address over the years, including Sears Roebuck & Company. The building was recently occupied by Five Flags, which sold janitorial, pool, and spa supplies.
The Scotten Building at 722 Jefferson St. was finished in 1915. Various businesses have been located in the first-floor storefronts over the years; the second story was the home of the Knights of Columbus until around 1955. Riverview Designs, Me Time Massage, and Starr Asylum Tattoos currently occupy the first floor.
More details will be coming in a future story in The Burlington Beacon.