North English native keeps hometown pub alive

NORTH ENGLISH — Trent Forrest hated to see a longtime North English business close — so he and Jake McLaughlin, bought it.

For 50 years the building at 131 S. Main St. in North English was the Duster, a bar owned by Bob and Rosie Fetzer, said Forrest.

In 2022 Bob, at the age of 91, sold the business to Chuck Thompson from Texas. Bob died at 93.

Thompson “did a light renovation,” said Forrest, and renamed it Main St. Pub.

After two years, Thompson went back to Texas and leased the business to his nephew, Dane Inselmann, said Forrest. Inselmann was trying to run the bar while working full time at LL Pelling. After a year, he closed the business “temporarily.”

That was in February.

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McLaughlin and Forrest were in Bloomfield for a livestock event in February. That Friday night they went to Slick’s on the main drag in Bloomfield, Forrest said. The bar had a small kitchen, and Forrest thought the pub in North English should add one.

The next day Forrest got a text from Inselmann saying he was closing the pub. He wondered if Forrest wanted to buy it.

“We bought it over a text message,” Forrest said.

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“We really didn’t need or want another business,” said Forrest. He owns Iowa Elite Marketing Group and TAF Group Investments, a real estate investment company that serves Iowa and Keokuk Counties.

Forrest and McLaughlin also have a farm northeast of North English where they raise cattle

But at the time, North English had no other eating establishment, said Forrest. Revel’s Malt Shop had closed.

So Forrest and McLaughlin bought the pub. They enclosed 150 square feet in the back to make a kitchen, installed a fire suppression system and added new furniture, new flooring and new beer coolers.

“It’s an old building, so we had to do a lot of work,” said Forrest.

They also built a deck on the back for outdoor drinking, dining and socializing.

The malt shop at 226 S. Main reopened a few days ahead of the new Main Street Pub and Grub, but it has closed again, Forrest said.

The Pub and Grub opened Thursday, June 12.

Forrest was born and raised in North English. He graduated from English Valleys High School in 2005 and currently serves on the school board. He bought his family’s farm and built a house on the property in 2018.

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It was his love for his hometown that prompted Forrest to buy the pub. He and McLaughlin could have found other investments that would have made more money, said Forrest. “But the community loves this place.”

Residents of North English can have a night out without having to drive very far, Forrest said.

The pub welcomed football fans for the Iowa-Iowa State game and sponsored luncheons for school staff, for new English Valleys teachers and for the Compass Memorial Healthcare board. It was the lunch stop for the Racin’ for Grayson fundraiser in June.

McLaughlin isn’t from North English. “I’m imported,” he said. He grew up in Perry and lived in Des Moines for 15 years.

McLaughlin was senior vice president for Osmundson Mfg. in Perry when he went to Iowa City for a conference and met Forrest.

“I left the city life behind and moved to the farm,” McLaughlin said.

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That was over three years ago. “I love it,” said McLaughlin. “I grew up with those small town values.”

McLaughlin said he missed door dash and Target for a bout a week, but he’s replaced them with fresh air and cows and doesn’t regret it.

Though McLaughlin spent years in white collar corporate America, he’s not experienced as a business owner. Forrest is the “serial entrepreneur,” he said.

“We’re kind of just your local hangout spot,” said McLaughlin. “We’ve had a huge draw.”

They hand bread their tenderloins and buy local when they can. All their beef comes from Montross Family Meats a couple of doors down, and they buy other food items from Freeman Foods, also in downtown North English.

“My roots are so deep here,” said Forrest. “it was very important to us to make the biggest economic impact.”

Their employees include nurses, teachers and retirees picking up part-time hours. Jennifer Tinnes is the pub’s manager.

Forrest’s sister and mother, who live in South Dakota, came to help with the grand opening, and his sister, Megan Forrest, is moving back to Iowa to run the pub’s kitchen, Forrest said.

Some of the recipes are those of Gay Moffit, their grandmother, who served as head cook at the North English school for years.

Main Street Pub and Grub is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and open late Fridays and Saturdays. The kitchen closes at 9 p.m.