DANVILLE – Ever since Don Leo’s Market opened in September 2017, co-owner Leo Dueck has wanted more parking. Now, he’s taking action to make that happen.
Dueck recently purchased three parcels of vacant land behind his downtown Danville storefront, located at 3 N. Market St., for $35,000, according to records from the Knox County auditor’s office. He hopes to have the grassy quarter-acre lot paved by this summer.
“This property came up for sale and it was a now-or-never kind of thing,” Dueck said.
The new parking lot will be located along Market Street, just north of Don Leo’s Market. It could contain up to 50 spaces, Dueck said, which will drastically increase parking availability at the shop. The market’s current parking lot only contains nine spaces.
“It’s definitely a good extension for the parking that we never had,” Dueck said with a chuckle.
Dueck would like to complete the project by this summer, as he said parking becomes particularly tight then.
“On Saturdays and on summer days, we’re too busy…” he said. “We have a lot of campers, and we get two times as busy in the summer.”
While the land just north of Don Leo’s Market is currently vacant, it’s zoned as commercial. It’s unclear what used to inhabit the property; Dueck said he began driving through Danville 12 years ago and even then, it was cleared. According to records from the county auditor’s office, Dueck bought the property Feb. 11 from Renee A. Mezie. The property was previously owned by Renee’s Country Cook’n Inc.
Dueck, who owns Don Leo’s with his wife, Jolene, said business has been steady since the market opened in 2017. Danville Mayor Joe Mazzari said the market, located prominently on the village’s north end, has become somewhat of a tourist attraction. Don Leo’s offers a wide variety of items including meat and deli cheese, sandwiches, bulk food and fresh produce.
“It’s not just a local service to the local people,” Mazzari said. “I mean, I know people come from quite a distance to come over and shop. His reputation is very high and [the store has] quality food and good prices, fair prices.”
Dueck said he’s hoping to expand his business in the future by adding onto the storefront. Right now, though, he doesn’t have a timeline for improvements.
“At this point, that was the next baby step, was to secure future parking,” he said.
Mazzari seemed excited about Dueck’s plan to turn the neighboring vacant land into a business asset.
“I think it’s huge for any business to grow,” Mazzari said. “So for that business in particular, to know that need is there and they’re willing to expand, that’s wonderful. I think it’s great for the community.”
The property next to Dueck’s future parking lot, also zoned as commercial vacant land, was purchased Feb. 11 by Eichers Trimtech LTD for $25,000. Dueck said his brother-in-law bought the property, and he plans to build a small pole barn for personal storage on it.
