01 Oct 2012

Celebrate National Pork Month at the Machine Shed

By Stacy Christoffersen
With special features, promotions and giveaways all month long October is National Pork Month. Since the doors first opened, Pork has been a staple on the Machine Shed menu selling over 300,000 pounds of pork every year. The Shed menu offers an
extensive variety of pork sandwiches, entrees and features, which is why the Machine Shed was honored as an "Honorary Master Pork Producer". Here's what guests will find at the Shed this During Breakfast hours say "I Love Bacon" and get a free extra slice of bacon with your During Lunch hours receive $1.00 off any pork entrée - including the popular Pork Tenderloin sandwich.

During Dinner hours receive $2.00 off any pork entrée - including the award winning double cut Iowa pork chops.  Learn tips, recipes and fun facts on the Machine Shed Blog (www.machineshed.com/ 

Download a complimentary recipe book with eight chef inspired recipes at www.machineshed.com.

Celebrate National Pork Month at the Machine Shed. To learn more about all the Machine Shed Pork Month events, visit their website at www.machineshed.com. The Machine Shed is located at Northwest Blvd and I-80 in Davenport, IA.

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20 Dec 2010

Heart of America Group expands business into East Peoria, IL and Olathe, KS.

By Stacy Christoffersen
Heart of America Group expands business into East Peoria, IL and Olathe, KS.

Heart of America Group CEO Mike Whalen announced expansion plans for the company into East Peoria, IL and Olathe, KS. Both projects will be built and operated by Heart of America Group. East Peoria will be a six-story, 137 room Holiday Inn and Suites with a Thunder Bay restaurant and a meeting space large enough to accommodate 300 people. "After our success with the Holiday Inn and Suites in West Des Moines, we wanted to team up with them again" said Whalen.

In Olathe, KS they will build a six-story, 107 room Hilton Garden Inn with a Johnny's Italian Steakhouse and large meeting space.

Starting with a 100-seat restaurant back in 1978, The Iowa Machine Shed, Heart of America Group has evolved into one of the Midwest's premier design, construction, and management company with a 32 year history of developing award-winning properties. Currently Heart of America Group is located in ten metropolitan areas across six Midwestern states.

The projects will be a catalyst for the City of East Peoria's EP 2010 project, which will revitalize a vast brownfield former manufacturing area into a mixed use "new" downtown.

Olathe, KS was looking for a business class hotel to accommodate the growth of their area as well. The Olathe project will be the second project in Olathe for the HOA Group; the first hotel is a Comfort Suites and Inns built in 1997 and continues to be operated by HOA Group.

Both hotels will be LEED certified and create 125 jobs in each market. "The hotels will have a unique look. We do all of our own design work so we can create hotels that aren't like anyone else's" continues Whalen, "Next year will be the biggest expansion year in the history of the company".

Construction on both of the $20 million projects will begin this spring with a target completion date in the spring of 2012.

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01 Nov 2010

Iowa Pork Tailgate Challenge

By Stacy Christoffersen

The Iowa Machine Shed is hosting the "Iowa Pork Tailgate Challenge" on Saturday Nov. 6th with all proceeds going to the Child Abuse Council. Starting at 11am at the Iowa Machine Shed, up to 12 amateur grill contestants will be grilling and competing for a panel of judges and a people's choice award as they prepare their own specialty recipes using Pork Tenderloin or Pork Loin. People can show their support and purchase a $2.00 ticket to sample the contestant's entrees and vote for their favorite amateur cook. "The Shed enjoys celebrating Pork Month and what better way then to have a tailgate competition and partner with the Child Abuse Council," states Jeff Grunder, manager of the Iowa Machine Shed.

For more information on the event or to be compete as an amateur cook, please call the Machine Shed Restaurant at (563) 391-2427 or visit  www.machineshed.com. The Machine Shed is located at I-80 and Northwest Blvd in Davenport.

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20 Sep 2010

Amateur Cooks needed For Iowa Pork Tailgate Challenge Saturday November 6th, 2010

By Stacy Christoffersen

The Machine Shed is taking entries from amateur cooks to compete in the upcoming "Iowa Pork Tailgate Challenge" with all proceeds going to the Child Abuse Council.

Up to 12 amateur grill contestants are invited to bring their own grill and equipment and prepare their recipes using Pork Tenderloin or Pork Loin (all pork will be provided to them). They will have approx. 2 hours to prepare and cook their entrée and present to a panel of judges as well as offer samples for "Peoples choice" throughout the day. There is no cost to enter, but contestants will need to call and register at the Machine Shed by Oct. 17th.

The Challenge will be held on Saturday, Nov. 6th at the Iowa Machine Shed and prizes will be awarded for the following:

Tailgate pork package for 20 people for "People's Choice" award
$150 gift certificate to the Shed for 1st Place Judges pick
$100 gift certificate to the Shed for 2nd Place Judges pick
$50 gift certificate to the Shed for 3rd Place Judges pick

Guests and visitors will be able to purchase a $2.00 ticket to sample the contestant's entrees and vote for their favorite. All proceeds go to the Child Abuse Council.

For more information, please call the Machine Shed Restaurant at (563) 391-2427 or visit www.machineshed.com. The Machine Shed is located at I-80 and Northwest Blvd in Davenport, IA 52806.

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03 May 2010

Local Asparagus and Rhubarb at the Machine Shed

By Stacy Christoffersen

From farm to table - local farmers produce are served at the Shed

The Machine Shed Restaurant is serving fresh Asparagus and making fresh Strawberry Rhubarb pie with fresh produce from area farmers.

Asparagus is hand picked at Barten Hagen Produce in Muscatine, Iowa.  It is at the Machine Shed in less than an hour after picking - never frozen or canned.  At the Machine Shed, the asparagus is grilled to order and crisp.

Chef Jeff Grunder has been busy making a Strawberry Rhubarb pie with the Rhubarb from Carl Carpenter's farm in the Quad Cities.  A popular request this time of year is for Chef Jeff's Rhubarb Crisp, below is his special family recipe.

The Machine Shed plans to be serving fresh Asparagus and Rhubarb through the end of May.

For more information, please call the Machine Shed Restaurant at (563) 391-2427 or visit www.machineshed.com. The Machine Shed is located at I-80 and Northwest Blvd in Davenport, IA.

Rhubarb Crisp

Fruit Filling Ingredients

1 gallon chopped fresh rhubarb

4 cups of sugar

1 cups of flour

    Combine ingredients.  Place in a 9x13 grease dish.

Crumb Topping Ingredients

1/4 lb melted margarine

1 cups brown sugar

1 cups of flour

1 cups oatmeal

Mix all ingredients and top the crisp. Bake @ 300 degrees for 1 hour.

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28 Jan 2010

Drive Home a new car from the Iowa Machine Shed

By Stacy Christoffersen

The Iowa Machine Shed is giving away a new 2010 Ford Focus

The Machine Shed is upping the ante in the restaurant business and rewarding their loyal customers with a chance to win a new car.  "We want to thank all of our loyal guests and try something new - we're giving away a new 2010 Ford Focus - how cool is that!" states Mike Whalen, owner of the Machine Shed.  "I was talking with our staff and said 'we should give away a car to our guests' and we worked with our business partners to make it happen".  Machine Shed partners include Lindquist Ford, Clinton Auto Group and the local media.  Guests can come into the Machine Shed or Lindquist Ford/Clinton Auto Group and simply sign up to win, no purchase is necessary.  100 finalists will be drawn by March 20th, 2010.  On Saturday, March 27th at 2PM each of the 100 finalists will receive one key and only one key open the car door.  Someone will be declared a winner!  Whalen continues, "Driving home in a new car - now that's worth a visit to the Machine Shed!"

For more information and rules, please visit www.machineshed.com/davenport. The Machine Shed is located at I-80 and Northwest Blvd in Davenport, IA 52806.

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30 Oct 2009

Thunder Bay closes for 4 days, re-opens on Nov. 13th

By Stacy Christoffersen

    Remodeling and reinvesting over $150,000 to bring Urban Chic to the Quad Cities

    Thunder Bay Grille in Davenport is closing at 2PM on Sunday November 8th as they do an extensive remodel throughout the restaurant and re-open to the public on Friday, November 13th.  The most noticeable change will be to the bar area in which a dining room will be removed to triple the current bar's space and creating a new lounge area named "The Birch Bar".  Thunder Bay will add an urban-chic interior - a blend of contemporary style and rustic elements creating a uniquely urban ambiance while remaining comfortably casual.  New furniture, flooring, lighting, and painting will also be completed.

    A new menu will be introduced- with an extensive tapas menu featuring items inspired from around the world.  Thunder Bay favorites have stayed, like the Jambalaya and Drunken Steak, but also now added are more woodfired choices and flatbreads.

    "We are creating a dynamic, up beat and energetic environment complete with high definition plasma televisions, Wi-Fi in the bar area, a tapas menu, and spiked smoothies.  We are offering a new adventure in dining that is fun", states Mike Whalen, owner of Thunder Bay and Heart of America Restaurants and Inns.  The remodel has slowly been taking place over the past month with the official closing to finish off final construction and conduct extensive training with the staff.

    Heart of America is accustomed to making dramatic changes in only a few days - Planted Earth was completely remodeled in only 7 days to re-open as Johnny's Italian Steakhouse in December of 2002.  "We wanted to re-invest in the Quad Cities - this is a great place to live, so we decided to spend our time and money right here and bring even a better dining experience to Davenport - with Thunder Bay favorite menu entrees and now adding over 40 tapas to choose from, you're bound to find one or two that you love", states Whalen.

    Thunder Bay is located at I-80 & Brady Street in Davenport, a newly designed website can be viewed at www.thunderbaygrille.com.  To make reservations contact the restaurant at 563-386-2722.

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20 Oct 2009

Iowa Pork Tailgate Challenge

By Stacy Christoffersen
The Iowa Machine Shed is hosting the "Iowa Pork Tailgate Challenge" on Saturday October 24th with all proceeds going to the Child Abuse Council.  Starting at 11am at the Iowa Machine Shed, up to 12 amateur grill contestants will be grilling and competing for a panel of judges and a people's choice award as they prepare their own specialty recipes using Pork Tenderloin or Pork Loin.  People can show their support and purchase a $2.00 ticket to sample the contestant's entrees and vote for their favorite amateur cook.  "The Shed enjoys celebrating October Pork Month and what better way then to have a tailgate competition and partner with the Child Abuse Council," states Jeff Grunder, manager of the Iowa Machine Shed.

For more information on the event or to be compete as an amateur cook, please call the Machine Shed Restaurant at (563) 391-2427 or visit www.machineshed.com. The Machine Shed is located at I-80 and Northwest Blvd in Davenport.

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