The Marion Welcome Center, located inside the Marion Chamber of Commerce and Uptown Marion offices at 1070 Seventh Ave., has recently undergone a significant remodel to better serve both residents and visitors.
The Marion Chamber celebrated the redesign with a ribbon-cutting Thursday afternoon.
The transformation was made possible through a collaborative effort with students from Linn-Mar High School’s Venture Academics program. In January, the Linn-Mar students assessed the existing space and provided recommendations on layout, design, and merchandise selection, resulting in a more inviting and functional environment.
“They were able to help us redesign what an upgraded welcome center might look like,” Marion Chamber president Jill Ackerman said at the ribbon-cutting. “With all of the new amenities that we have in Uptown Marion and all of the businesses that are coming to town, we knew we needed to up our game too. So we did that. We’re bringing in new product lines, and we’re super excited to be rolling it out to the community.”
The revamped Welcome Center now offers a diverse array of Marion and Iowa-themed merchandise, including apparel, accessories, and unique tchotchkes. Additionally, visitors can find locally-made pantry items such as beef sticks, jams, jellies, and salsas – ideal for travelers seeking a taste of Iowa, or residents looking for distinctive gifts that showcase community pride.
“We had such a fun experience working with the Venture students,” Ms. Ackerman said. “They put great thought into their presentation and we are so happy with the implementation. The new design, coupled with new product lines we’ve brought in have elevated the shopping experience.”
Beyond retail offerings, the Welcome Center serves as a hub for community information, providing maps, guides, and resources to help both newcomers and long-time residents navigate and enjoy Marion.
“With all the excitement that’s been happening in our town, the growth, the improvement community-wide, in our curb appeal all the investments we’ve been making in amenities, people love where they live here in Marion, and people who don’t live in Marion are hearing about it,” Marion Mayor Nick AbouAssaly said. “We have visitors coming, and we have people here who have so much pride in where they live. It’s very timely that we have a place like this where people can have access to things where they can express their community pride, and they can give gifts to other people to show their community pride.”
The Marion Welcome Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
