By Gage Miskimen
A downtown restaurant recently announced some pretty frank news.
Swankie Frankie’s, 125 S. Dubuque St., will close its doors after Dec. 19 in hopes of relocating in the near future due to a lack of traffic.
“The students have given us a lot of suppor,t but it’s not enough,” owner Clyde Guillaume said. “Our fans have a desire to have some place more accessible.”
He added the need for a drive-through, more seating, and an outdoor dining area are some of the reasons he wants to relocate from the Pedestrian Mall.
“Customers have expressed the desire for a drive-through,” he said. “It’s about convenience. In bad weather, nobody wants to come walk down here. We are an ‘on the go’ society, so everyone wants that convenience.”
Guillaume said he doesn’t have a new location picked out yet, but it would probably be in Coralville.
“Someone was interested in our lease sooner rather than later,” he said. “I couldn’t pass it up.”
A move could potentially boost menu offerings, including new sandwiches, burgers, yogurts, and smoothies — some of which are currently limited because nearby businesses have similar options.
“There’s always a chance I could have another location back downtown, but part of the problem I have here is due to lease agreements,” he said “I am limited with what I can offer in terms of the menu.”
Guillaume said there is a possibility that Swankie Frankie’s could return to downtown Iowa City in the future.
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“It will be a matter of timing,” he said. “If I had a spot on one of the streets, rather than the Ped Mall, that would be ideal. There are some spots that have potential to open up in the next year.”
Nate Kaeding, retail development director Iowa City Downtown District said the competition for a spot downtown can be intense.
“A business leaving downtown is nothing you like to see,” he said. “Our spaces are very competitive so when a space opens up, there’s always a lot of interest. We hope to see something in there that compliments downtown.”
Kaeding said many businesses are interested in the location, but he couldn’t share any names at this point.
“It’s all pretty hypothetical,” he said. “Every business has very specific things in mind when looking at a location. There are a lot of different variables.”
Kaeding said downtown is made up of around 50 percent of bars and restaurants and he would like to see new businesses bring diversity to the landscape.
“We hopefully can look back in five years and see how much more diversity we have with businesses,” he said. “In the end, we certainly hope future tenants bring options, but in the end, it’s the building owner’s decision.”
Guillaume said he appreciates people’s support of Swankie Frankies.
“I appreciate the community’s support and the wonderful comments about our product,” he said. “Unfortunately, since there is no building immediately available, it will take some time but I hope to locate near a bus route for the students, and we will explore the availability of delivery.”
