Auto Zone is working on opening a corporate-owned store in Newton. The national auto parts dealer is renovating the front half of the former Drugtown store at the corner of First Avenue East and East 12th Street. The 16,320 square foot building is across First Avenue from Walgreens. Commercial Real Estate Broker Richard Boggess says the building has been used for storage over the years, but hasn’t had an operating business in it since about 2008. 

Newton Economic Development Specialist Craig Armstrong says the building could have been sold or leased a number of times if it were not for the certain restrictions Hy-Vee, which owned Drugtown, had placed on the property for what could be operated in the space.

“They sold the property and did not want competition from a pharmacy, liquor store, and grocery. But they also put things in there that made it very difficult to sell or lease. Here’s the long list of things that can not go there, and here is the tiny list that can.”

Armstrong says CVS Pharmacy wanted to move into the building not too long after it became vacant. 

Auto Zone plans to open its new Newton store in late January or February.