Waterloo resident relocates to get Newton store going

One of the goals of any city the size of Newton is to get businesspeople to want to be there. By that standard, Auzzad Farooq is already a Newton success story.

Farooq has taken over as owner of the building at 702 First Ave. E., occupied most recently by a store run by Tom and Chris Sharp. The “Sharpy’s” sign was still up this week as Farooq and his cousin, Adil Jadoon, were preparing for Friday, when the convenience store is set to open under the name “New Star.”

Farooq and Jadoon recently moved from the Waterloo area to Newton to be closer to the business. He’d been scouting the Newton area for some time when he noticed last year the building was for sale.

“I really like Newton,” Farooq said Tuesday, while taking a break from preparations. “Especially in the summer, when there are a lot of people out, it’s a lot of fun.”

Farooq, a native of Pakistan, has lived in the Waterloo area for years. The Newton store will be one of his two stores, with a New Star in Hudson, Iowa, being the other one. Hudson is about nine miles southwest of Waterloo.

“The Waterloo market for convenience stores is very competitive,” Farooq said.

Farooq said he used to operate a similar store in Cedar Rapids, and his family members own or work at stores in cities around the region, such as Fort Dodge and Clive.

Concerns about safe neighborhoods and an emerging business climate were factors in finding a good location, Farooq said. He said he and his cousin moved to Newton to make sure they can give the new business the attention it needs.

“If any issues come up, you don’t want to be 90 miles away,” he said.

Farooq said the store has a factory-new soft-serve ice cream machine.

The store will have the usual treats one would expect to find in a convenience store. The City of Newton recently granted Farooq a cigarette permit, along with Class E Liquor, Class B Wine, Class C Beer and Sunday Sales licenses. The store will have electronic-cigarette vapor products as well.

Farooq said he will probably hire two or three people in the weeks ahead to help him with the store. The hours will likely be 8 a.m. to midnight during the week and 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. on the weekends, with adjustments made as needed.

“You don’t want to have one employee in an open store after 2 a.m., trying to comply with alcohol laws,” he said. “That isn’t safe.”

Keeping this type of store going is tough without cooperate backing; Sharpy’s lasted only eight months. However, Farooq is optimistic his commitment will help him succeed.

“The mayor (Mike Hansen) seems happy we are using this site,” Farooq said. “Any business can end up helping the whole business community.”

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com