Former KD businesses relocate

Most of the nearly 20 businesses have found new homes, but not all.

In late May last year, business owners were told they had 30 days to find new locations and be moved out before July 1.

Diane Widner, owner and manager of Dowry Costumes & More, opened her business in 1976 in the former packing plant as an antique shop with some vintage clothing. Costumes were added in 1981 when Globe Theatrical sold off some items.

Widner relocated from the third floor of KD Station to a place she said was "more easily accessible from the street" with convenient parking and more display space. She estimated the store went from 4,500 square feet to about 7,000-plus in their new digs at 704 Floyd Blvd., the old KMEG-TV studios.

Despite the segue from packing plant to television terrace, Widner is optimistic that the move has only enhanced the business.

"We're going to make it," Widner said. "Wherever we go, we'll make it ours."

A well-known Mexican restaurant and, like the Dowry, one of the original tenants, was Ruth's Cosina. Two new restaurants bearing the Ruth's name and connections to the original restaurant opened recently. Ruth's Mexican Fiesta & Grill now occupies the former Pizza Peddler space on the second floor of a building adjacent to KD Station in Sioux City. Ruth's Cosina & KD Karousel operates in the former Karousel restaurant in South Sioux City.

Rod Wellman, co-owner of Kiel Pro Video now renamed Full Effect Productions, was another of the tenants able to find an affordable new location. The business, which produces many corporate videos and commercials, operates at 3300 Northbrook Drive, Suite B.

Wellman said, for himself and co-owner Nick Kielhold, the move was a chance to upgrade from the 2,200-square-foot location in the KD to a larger one more suitable for the needs of their business. The new space is about 5,000 square feet, Wellman estimated.

"We had talked about moving to a larger space by 2006 because our quarters were cramped," he noted. "Our goal, even though our hand was forced, was to find a place that would improve our presentation."

Another improvement was the name change which better reflects what the business provides for customers, Wellman added.

"When we knew we were moving, we knew we would have to redo business cards and letterheads and thought it would be cost-effective to do it all at once," he explained. "Full Effect better portrays what we have to offer, even though our main focus is still video, we do many things that are multimedia related.

Ray McAvoy, owner of Backstage with Ray, decided to stay in business but change the store's format in the move. Backstage with Ray is an Internet-based business which open Fridays from noon to 7 p.m. for retail. The store is located on the first floor of the former "Pizza Peddler" building.

"My customers told me they relied on me for special orders and my knowledge," McAvoy said. "I can special order anything I might not have and I'll be open Fridays for the lunch hour, payday and after work." McAvoy's e-mail address is rmcavoy3@juno.com.

KD Station is located in a building constructed in the early 1920s to do business as Swift & Co. packing house, according to Journal files. When it closed in 1974, Swift & Co. moved to a location south of the city.

Kermit Lohry envisioned the building as a unique shopping and recreation complex as a reminder of two industries that were keys to the development of Sioux City: railroading and meatpacking. KD's bowling center was originally called the "Pack and Rail."

Utilizing unique architectural artifacts from within the 350,000-square-foot plant, renovation allowed the first shops to open in 1976 and 41 more to open a year later.

At its peak in the late 1970s, KD Station was home to more than 60 businesses. But after Southern Hills Mall opened in March of 1980, a number of tenants left KD. The gradual decline of the stockyards, once the nation's busiest, also contributed to a decrease in tenants and customer traffic.

But, in recent years, KD Station had enjoyed somewhat of a revival, signing up a half dozen new tenants and raising occupancy to its highest level in two decades. At one time, Home Depot, the nation's largest home improvement chain, planned to anchor a commercial and retail district on 30 acres just 1 1/2 blocks west of KD Station. But Home Depot's plans changed and it did not develop the site.

On March 16, a fire in an outdoor electrical transformer at KD sent flames from the first to the sixth floor on the exterior of the building which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Around the same time, an unrelated "serious" roof leak developed above the fourth floor bowling alley.

The city of Sioux City Inspection Services Division declared KD Station unsafe and unfit for occupancy in April, citing a roof leak and the owners' indication the building would not be maintained or improved. That was followed by the redtagging on June 30.

Other businesses impacted by the KD closing include:

- A-1 Marketing has moved 1101 West First St.

- Revelations Portrait Gallery moved to the former "Pizza Peddler's" building, next to KD Station, on the third floor.

- Noah's Ark moved to 2115 Leech Ave.

- Jay Lan moved to 3330 Gordon Drive.

- The One Stop Meat Shop relocated to the Floyd Boulevard Local Foods Market.

- Siouxland Intergroup moved to the Commerce Building, suite 201.

- Anthony P&L moved to 606 Cunningham Drive.

- Mortgage Services of Siouxland moved before the notice was given to 1007 Morningside Ave.

- Salt Cellar is no longer in business.

- Marvel Media can be reached at 948-3607.

- Historic Siouxland Marketing has no listing in the phone book.

- Timber Line Images moved downtown in the middle of July to 521 Fourth St.

- Creative Labs has no listing in the phone book.