Oskaloosa Hardees Shutters Location

Crews worked at removing signage and boarding up windows at the Oskaloosa Hardees location on Monday. The sign out front read, “Closed Thank You Osky” (photo by Tammy Kelderman)

Oskaloosa, Iowa – Workers began dismantling the Oskaloosa Hardees location on Monday, December 29th.

The move was an unexpected one to Oskaloosa residents, many of whom had been to the location just the day before.

Hardees has been working to move its current business to a new location, just west of the current urban park, next to Kentucky Fried Chicken. The site plan for that construction was approved by the Oskaloosa City Council in June of 2014.

Conversations with mall tenants over easement rights for parking in the city owned parking lots have caused the project to become delayed.

Cecelia Burdi, a Hardees representative, explained that repairs are needed to the current location. Making those repairs didn’t make financial sense to the company at this time, considering the building would be demolished in the near future.

At a recent Oskaloosa City Council work session, the council reviewed possible parking options that will need to reviewed and ultimately discussed by the tenants located in the mall, who utilize the parking. The City points towards their approval of the site plan as an indication of their desire to have Hardees stay in town.

Employees were offered employment at the Knoxville Hardees location. Burdi said she was sad that some of the current staff is unable to make that drive. “Unfortunately, we’re putting some people out of work, which breaks our hearts. It’s not really what we want to do.”

“It’s our intention to come back,” said Burdi. “With any luck at all, in the spring time, we can do that.”