T-R PHOTO BY ROBERT MAHARRY — Santa (Todd Egleston) and his staff — from left to proper, Lisa Pieters, Brooke Vaughn, Leia Collins and Lori Egleston — pose for a photograph on the new Santa’s Workshop contained in the Nicholas Center on Friday afternoon. The tackle is 2501 S. Center St. Ste. D.
For the final 25 years, Santa’s Workshop, led by the large man himself aka Todd Egleston, has been a fixture contained in the Marshalltown Mall across the vacation season, however the recent energy shutoff and subsequent closure of the frequent space on the order of the fireplace marshal compelled St. Nick and his crew to search for a brand new home.
Luckily, they discovered it throughout the road inside the Nicholas Center, the strip mall that additionally homes entities like Subway, Guiding Star, T2K Nutrition and Dunham-Fritz Chiropractic. So in 2023, the place to go for Christmas enjoyable is 2501 S. Center St. Ste. D.
“I feel sorry for the people at the mall. Even the mall manager (Scott Wacha), we graduated together. I feel terrible for him,” Egleston stated. “We put out a feeler that we were gonna need a place to be, and the people at T2K, they got a hold of the manager here and told her the situation and she said that we could use this place because of the situation, which was painfully nice of them.”
For the uninitiated, it doesn’t cost something to return in and discuss to Santa, however those that go to should buy image packages, frames, snow globes, Santa mailboxes, and extra — they’ll additionally view the expansive assortment of a whole bunch of nutcrackers. Egleston, who joked that he’s legally licensed to signal a test as Santa Claus, stays busy each vacation season between the Marshalltown Holiday Stroll (the place Michelle Garrett performs Mrs. Claus) and occasions in different close by communities together with Ames, and he famous {that a} scarcity {of professional} Santas is starting to emerge within the space.
“Because there are so few of us, (a colleague) and I work together on bookings and try to cover all the events. This year, I am just getting hammered with requests,” Egleston stated.
Santa’s Workshop can be open Thursdays and Fridays from 4 to six p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to five p.m. till Dec. 23 — although the staff was fast to notice they received’t flip anybody away who’s ready in line after these instances. Anyone with extra questions is inspired to succeed in out to Egleston at (641) 691-4167, and if he doesn’t instantly reply, he’s most likely busy engaged on considered one of his non-public snow elimination jobs.
Pet nights may also be held in partnership with the Animal Rescue League of Marshalltown on Dec. 12 and 19. With their vacation season and business beforehand in peril, Egleston and his spouse Lori are grateful for the house owners of the Nicholas Center — or the St. Nicholas Center, as they’re now calling it — for welcoming them into their new house.
“This is an ideal spot. We can do so much with it. We just want the kids to have a wonderful experience,” Lori stated.
Egleston and his staff of elves and different helpers are excited to hold on the custom of offering a regional hub for these seeking Christmas cheer. They aren’t certain what their long run plans are, however they’re glad to have a home this yr.
