Lease won’t be renewed
By Holly Neumann
The Iron Grille, located at Glacier Wood Golf Club in Iola, will close for the season Saturday, Nov. 5, and will not renew its lease for 2023.
Brad Cieslewicz, manager of the restaurant, listed staffing issues and the inability to grow as reasons behind the decision.
“We are on a golf course,” he said. “You can talk to any golf course in Wisconsin and business goes down in the winter and this is something that we have struggled with over the years.”
He said he feels thankful and lucky to survive in the industry this long, but said it is just not sustainable.
“For the past eight years, we have had great summers and golf seasons here and then business slows down,” Cieslewicz said. “It is really hard to get staffing for eight to nine months out of the year.”
Cieslewicz said they have leased the restaurant since 2015.
“There have been many highlights over the years and we have met a lot of new faces, but it is really hard to make money in the food industry right now,” he said. “Thanks for all the memories. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and we will support whoever comes in here next.”
Glacier Wood Board President Brian Derus said the golf course is disappointed to see that the Iron Grille has decided not to renew its lease.
“They did an outstanding job serving the community, our members and the tens of thousands of golfers who come to Glacier Wood each year from all over Wisconsin and beyond,” he said. “We are actively pursuing a new lessee and plan to be in operation as usual for the 2023 golf season.”