Small Town, Big Plans

Written By Danna Larson

What’s the next venture? Always brainstorming...

Hi! I am Jackie McAllister and I going to tell you my story and timeline, starting at my time when I moved into Cascade. I met my best friend, my husband, and entrepreneur partner in 2005. Jake has been a business owner ever since I met him, and I’ve always felt the inspiration and drive he has. Together, we’re always thinking about how we can help grow Cascade.

Jake encouraged me to follow my dream of opening my own salon “J. Salon & Spa” in 2006 in downtown Cascade. It takes a lot to start a new small business or any business of that kind, but the members of Cascade and the surrounding area have supported me for the last 15 years.

Five months after opening my salon we got married, and in December 2007 came our first son, Kasch! In 2008, Jake started another business adventure, “Midwest Injection Inc.” Midwest Injection Inc. is a company that specializes in biosolids removal, for the municipality and industrial sector. This company also has three dragline crews that handle custom manure pumping in the agricultural industry. Both provide services throughout the United States. While Jake and his crews traveled all over the US, I was at home with our family and working in Cascade. The community and friends of Cascade made me feel at home and we knew this would be our forever hometown.

Then in 2009, Jake and I created “McAllister Real-estate.” Since then we have been buying commercial and residential properties in the area, continuing to help Cascade grow. In August 2009, our second son Kobi was born, and boy, he is a spitting image of his father!

Jake is always brainstorming to help the area and along with helping to support our family, and in 2010 started “Eastern Iowa Transport.” This company specializes in commodity and heavy equipment transportation. A year later, Jake and a couple of partners formed “Hartbecke Properties” in the area. In June of 2011, our youngest, Keaton, was born, and that completed our family of five!

2013 brought our first Main Street Cascade purchase! We bought the building that houses “J. Salon & Spa.” We hired a local Cascade contractor to remodel the entire building, both inside and out. I have three amazing local stylists that work with me, and our salon brings the farmhouse feel to Cascade.

A couple years later, Jake and a couple local investors bought “Cascade Custom Manufacturing” and then changed the name to “Global One.” We wanted to bring Cascade to the next level and offer our products and fabrication globally. This company specializes in custom steel fabrication and welding, and also fabricates meat hooks for packing houses all throughout the United States.

In 2016, Midwest Injection Inc. added another side business, including septic services, port-a potties, and table/chair and cooler rental. These all come in handy, especially when there are large graduation parties and outdoor weddings, and that is what small town Eastern Iowa is known for.

In 2017, I opened my first VRBO vacation rental in Mesa, Arizona. It was a great ‘home away from home’ when our family went on vacation, but definitely it makes coming back to Cascade feel so much better. I just really appreciate Cascade and the wonderful people in town, it is so heart-warming!

In the summer of 2018 we completely revamped the J. Salon & Spa parking lot and added an amazing mural to the side of the building. This definitely helped jazz up the main street and is a statement when you drive across the bridge to the west.

In 2019, Jake told me as I was picking up the kids on their last day of school, “I put an offer on (Blackie’s)”. This was our second Main Street Cascade purchase! We purchased Lyon’s Service Center (Blackie’s) in July of 2019. Betty and Blackie Lyon’s opened in 1961. Jake and I have done business with Lyon’s for years and wanted to keep the business name and their tradition going. We were so lucky to have Betty and Blackie give us this opportunity to carry on their successful business and be able to grow it even further. Lyon’s is a gas/ fuel station, convenience store, and service station.

A couple weeks after we purchased Lyon’s, we hired a local Cascade contractor and remodeled both inside and out and have expanded what we offer. We also have expanded the towing business that came along with this company from light duty to heavy towing and recovery, creating our new name, “Lyon’s Service Center Towing & Recovery.” Linda (Lyons) Hoffman manages our convenience store, and her brother Randy Lyons manages our service center. Linda plays a very large role in the Cascade Community. She organizes several Cascade events and volunteers so much of her time to help make Cascade a better place. You should really attend our “Rockin’ on the River” events or our “Cascade Hometown Days” weekend! They are so exciting and draw an awesome crowd of Cascade residents and out of town guests as well.

In the fall of 2019, I opened another VRBO vacation rental in downtown Cascade above my salon. This is a very cozy and contemporary place to stay and enjoy Cascade. It is so exciting to hear the stories of where my guests are from and why they are visiting Cascade. With all the new and existing businesses in Cascade, I really have a lot to offer my guests.

Then in the fall of 2020, Jake and I decided to revamp the parking lot and pump area at Lyon’s. Our gas station is on the corner of Highway 136 and business 151, and is in the heart of downtown Cascade, so we wanted to give it the most attractive appearance possible. We poured all new concrete, replaced all the gas pumps, moved our large Conoco sign to make it easier for semi’s to fuel up, and added a patio for our “popular ice cream” lovers! Take a seat on our bench or picnic table and kick back with some ice cream and enjoy watching the walking and driving traffic go by, or come in the morning and grab a coffee and donut and visit with some of our regular locals.

Photo: Allison Corbin of Captured by Corbin Photography

In November 2020, we purchased our third Main Street Cascade building! With a group effort of many local contractors, this was a hardworking 34-day remodel for both the upstairs and main floor. We also poured all new concrete outside just in time before the snowfall. I designed this building to take on the farmhouse style, which would be perfect for a new business to open and also to fit in with my salon and our small town. We were so eager to invite “Hollow Tree Gifts & Floral” (owned by Ben & Shannon Frasher) to occupy the entire main level. Shannon’s mom, Deb, owned the business in the country out of her home, and recently Shannon purchased it, moved the business to Main Street Cascade, and has revamped the look. Congrats Shannon, we wish you the best of luck!

In 2021, Jake started another venture, “MII Enterprises.” This company specializes in buying and selling used cars, trucks, trailers, tractors, and heavy equipment. Jake has always had a knack for buying and selling and this has helped us invest in Cascade.

Now it’s the summer of 2021, and the weather is in our favor, so we gave the Hollow Tree building a fresh new look on the front, put all new steel and garage doors on the back portion of the building, and added another amazing focal point. Now, when you enter our small town, you can be “Welcomed to Cascade” by this beautiful mural when you head east at the stop lights.

We want to congratulate all the other businesses in Cascade and thank them for all their hard work and dedication to making our small town feel more inviting! Other businesses have put both small and large investments in their properties and every little bit helps beautify Cascade!

Why is Cascade “The Place We Call Home”? I just love the warm feeling of running down the street and waving at others, out for a walk, run, or driving by. I love seeing all the kiddos riding their bikes, getting ice cream, and walking to the amazing new pool! Our schools are top notch, and all of our school activities keep the Cascade kids busy. I love all the restaurants and outdoor seating, the cute shops, the beautiful river, the river walk and park, the walking trails, and so much more! We sure have a lot of amenities for a small town and every day Cascade keeps growing. The people are amazing, heartfelt, and the positive compliments are very encouraging and make Jake and I want to keep investing into our town, and we encourage others to do so as well. We do have future plans to keep beautifying Cascade! Let’s keep the trend going and make “Our Small Town” a destination spot! 

Danna Larson
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