Location of first Hy-Vee store to be restored in Beaconsfield
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by Jeff Snyder
BEACONSFIELD, Iowa- The community center in Beaconsfield has plans to restore the historic site of the first Hy-Vee shopping location.
The original site, located in Beaconsfield was set up as a general store started by Charlie Hyde and David Vredenburg, the two founders of Hy-Vee. Hyde had a general store located in Kellerton, while Vredenburg lived in Lamoni where he owned and operated a general supply store. The two collaborated on the Beaconsfield project which eventually became the starting seeds of the Hy-Vee chain known throughout the Midwest.
The stock market crash of 1930 reached all the way to rural Iowa where banks succumbed to the economic collapses that ravaged their way through countries world wide.
The Beaconsfield location, which Hyde and Vredenburg remotely oversaw, eventually closed after four years of operation, also a victim of the collapsing economy, combined with severe drought and the closure of the local bank and declining population.
A foundation has been formed called the Beaconsfield Betterment Foundation a (501 (c)3) not-for-profit management entity. The foundation is a partnership with the City of Beaconsfield that was first proposed in December of 2025. The foundation is headed by Carolyn Carlson as president and Korbie Rinehart as vice president. Other members of the board include Emily Roepsche, Sandra Pierschbacher, Jessica Brown, Travis Hartman and Nichole McGinnis.
The first steps in restoration is to secure funding and it is understood that Hy-Vee corporate is considering a significant initial contribution. The goal is to get the building stabilized first, which includes shoring up a number of exterior walls that are in various states of disrepair. Once the building is stable, the Betterment Foundation will begin the difficult task of painstakingly restoring every piece of the original structure. Eventually, the interior of the structure will also be restored although the timeline for that portion of the project depends on the pace of completion of the exterior.
While it has not been definitively determined as to the final use of the restored building, it is certain that the building will continue on as a member of the National Register of Historic Places. The foundation will take full responsibility for managing the building project while working with city officials.
“We as a foundation, understand that we would not be at the point we are now without the determination and foresight of the Beaconsfield City Clerk, Ryan Garbe and their council over the years exploring any and all options for saving the buildings,” Board Vice President Korbie Rinehart said.
The foundation will soon be announcing social media sites that will support the ongoing restoration including information on how to donate to the cause as the project proceeds.
The foundation went on to explain that being the birth place of such an important business such as Hy-Vee, had a lot to do with the decision to pursue a total restoration of this historic building.
Donations can now be accepted at First Interstate Bank in Mount Ayr or mail to the Beaconsfield Betterment Foundation, c/o Korbie Rinehart 1951 260th St., Mount Ayr, Iowa 50854.
