Champion Steaks to settle in Pine Valley

What’s been a place of recreation for 48 years will become the new home of Champion Steaks, which purchased the former Pine Valley Golf and Bowl.

Champion Steaks is a collaboration between Chad and Amy Rieck, Kyle and Ashley Weaver, Dave Rieck and Wayne Lents, who, collectively, produce beef and pork.

“We raise it, we feed it and then we sell it,” said Rieck. “We’ve been doing it for the last three years now under Champion Steaks. Now what we’re going to be able to do is provide an outlet here in Creston where you can come and buy ace individual steak, if you’d like, a pound of hamburger.”

Reick said Champion Steaks will also offer pork and a seafood line, with the goal of offering monthly fresh seafood.

“I don’t want to call it a monthly club, but a monthly order type program,” he said. “You’d get options of salmon, halibut, scallops, lobster, whatever you wanted.”

Rieck said for the seafood to be available, there has to be a demand to make an order.

“We’re trying it out a few different times on a monthly basis just to try something different,” he said.

The location will also be a feed store, offering livestock feed and minerals for commercial and hobby livestock ranging from cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, horses and dogs.

“Basically anything that can be shown,” Rieck said of the types of livestock they’ll offer feed for.

The upper portion of the building that houses the game room, bar and kitchen will become Champion Steaks’ retail space. Of the site’s bowling alley, it will become Champion Steaks warehouse for the feed company.

“One of the main reasons the bowling alley is going away is because of the septic issues the building had,” said Rieck.

Rieck said before Champion Steaks purchased the property, he believes its former owner had two or three offers fall through due to the cost of what it would cost to upgrade the septic system.

“That really was not going to be feasible for anyone to do what was going to be required of upgrading that system to operate that as a bowling alley any longer,” he said.

Rieck said a new septic system will be installed, but not to the scope of what is required of a large public recreational facility.

As far as the nearly 30 acres of green space at Pine Valley, Rieck said the owners are looking at all possible options.

“We’ve had some discussions, housing development, acreage development,” said Rieck. “It’s not much of grazing land for livestock, so it’s not going to be that. And it doesn’t grow grass very well, so I imagine it’s not going to grow corn very well, either.”

Rieck said the property is most suited for housing – anywhere from two to 40 houses. He and his wife thought about purchasing the property themselves to not only protect the boundaries of KSIB Radio, which they own, but to help maintain Creston’s west corridor.

“The commitment we made five years ago, tearing down the old building and putting up the new one, was we really take pride in what the entrance to Creston looks like, especially from the west side,” said Rieck.

His Champion Steak partners felt the same.

“We want people, when they roll in to Creston, to say, ‘Wow, this is a place I want to live some day.’”

Demolition has started and Champion Steaks is anticipated to open its retail location this spring. Livestock feed is already available by calling 641-202-2360. For more information, follow Champion Steaks and Champion Show Feed on Facebook.