North Winneshiek School could get new life as a Business Enterprise Center

A $10,000 Rural Business Development Grant will be used by Winneshiek County Development and Tourism and Northeast Iowa RC&D to develop a business plan for turning the former North Winneshiek School into a Business Enterprise Center.

Winneshiek County Supervisors on Monday officially accepted the federal grant.  WCDT Executive Director Stephanie Fromm told supervisors the money will be used to develop a business plan which would bring together many of the food producers who have been discussing the use of the building—especially the kitchen of the former school.  Fromm says food producers using the school kitchen could then sell their products in stores and wouldn't be limited to selling it at their home or at a farmers market.

WCDT's Lora Friest, who worked on the RBDG application, told supervisors, "The space has so much going for it."

Friest and Fromm say the grant will enable them to explore what needs to be done in order to make a Business Enterprise Center at the location a success.