New Jethro’s restaurant planned in Coralville/Iowa City area
Entrepreneur Bruce Gerleman plans to open a Jethro’s BBQ ‘n Jake’s Smokehouse Steaks in Coralville, the restaurant owner said.The restaurant will be Gerleman’s first in the Iowa City area.
The barbecue and steakhouse will be located in an 8,000-square-foot building, pictured, previously occupied by Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom, Gerleman said. The property, at 75 Second St., is across the street from the Hawkeye Softball Complex. It’s also on one of the most heavily traveled streets in the Coralville-Iowa City area.
“I’ve been looking to do a place in the Iowa City area for the past 10 years,” Gerleman said. “I looked at half a dozen locations and couldn’t find the right one. … This was worth waiting for.”
Gerleman said he acquired the property in early December and renovation work is underway. He said he hopes to open the restaurant by early April. He said about 125 people will be hired to work at the restaurant.
Gerleman currently owns and operates seven other Jethro’s restaurants in Central Iowa. He is in the process of converting a downtown Des Moines office building at 221 Park St. into a Jethro’s BBQ restaurant. The restaurant is expected to open next summer.
The new restaurant will be similar to one in Altoona with the same name, Gerleman said. “It’s my busiest location.”
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