Belmond Area Chamber of Commerce Belmond's unique arcade, clean appearance and friendly attitude offers everyone a pleasant shopping experience. Shoppers will find pleasant employees who have a real dedication to offering the customer the service desired and the goods needed. A wide array of businesses make Belmond an enjoyable town for shopping or dining.
Retail Assistance Program (RAP)
Community spirit is normally a hard thing to measure. But Belmond provided a handy yardstick in October 1997 when the town's citizens formed the Business Development Committee (BDC) of the Belmond Area Chamber of Commerce. The BDC set right to work by established the Retail Assistance Program (RAP) through generous donations and a $15,000 Revitalization Assistance for Community Improvement (RACI) grant for the Iowa Department of Economic Development.
The purpose of the RAP fund is to remodel existing store structures to conform with new-expanding business requirements and City of Belmond building codes. The BDC has been actively working to attract/create businesses to fill the empty store fronts and community needs. The repayment terms of the loans are anticipated to be from three to ten years with an interest rate of approximately five percent. The fund is administrated by the City of Belmond.
The RAP fund has been in place for 20 years. Since that time, 17 loans have been made totaling $171,083 with several of those loans already paid back. The BDC is able to make loans to qualified businesses at this time.
Businesses and Shopping
Belmond is proud to have Kinseth's Plumbing & Heating, a mechanical contractor and family owned business that is in its third generation of ownership. They celebrated 70 years of being in business in 2016. In addition to the Main Street district, Belmond has other locally owned businesses including True Value, Memories of Mother, Joe's Service Station, Wright County Motors, The Black Dahlia, Sugarpie Bakery, House of Treasures, Allen's Home Center, The Belmond Independent, Millie's Hallmark, Bloemke Pharmacy, Dave's Meats and Baldwin's Okay Tire.
Belmond is truly one of the most unique small-town business districts in the state. Belmond is proud to be able to offer you eight dining establishments, five gift shops, a florist, and two dance studios.
Besides eating and gift shopping, you will be able to get your computer repaired, get a tan at one of two tanning salons, check out a new TV or have your old one repaired and get new tires on your vehicle.
In addition, put your spouse to work and have them stop at one of the Belmond stores for the following: formal wear, golf cart repair, grocer, hardware store, newspaper, satellite equipment, shopper, self-service storage, three vehicle repair shops and one body shop, new and used auto dealer, discount variety store, or either one of the convenience stores.
Shop these fine businesses and you will be pleased to see that Belmond's Pride will be passed on in your presence.
