Story by Kevin Woodard
A former Bloomington councilman got approval from his former colleagues to expand…in exchange? Red Raccoon Games is intended to bring added retail business to the downtown area. This comes simultaneously as the council did not pull an item from the consent agenda, the ask of a business owner to rezone a property to better serve his industry…
The agreement will allow Red Raccoon Games owner Jamie Mathy to remodel and move into the Main Plaza building at 301 N. Main St.
The Bloomington City Council approved an Ordinance Approving a Development Agreement By and Between the City of Bloomington, Illinois and Forgetful Friends, LLC. Forgetful Friends, LLC, is owned by the same owners as Bowties & Fezzes, LLC which does business as Red Raccoon Games.
Red Raccoon purchased 110 E. Jefferson Street in 2021 and proposes to repair and renovate the building.
The company requested and received financial assistance from the City in the form of Municipal Sales Tax and City Property Tax Reimbursements. The building had been empty since 2008.
The building at 110 E. Jefferson, located on the northeast corner of N. Main St. and E. Jefferson St. just off the downtown square diagonally across from the old courthouse now the McLean County Museum of History, was first built in the 1950’s for a Woolworth’s store.
Red Raccoon’s ownership purchased Gryfalia’s Aerie located at 309 N. Main St. in 2014 and rebranded it Red Raccoon in 2015.
According to the Red Raccoon Website, “At any given time, over 1500 games are in stock, ranging from board games, card games, miniature games, children’s games and role-playing games. They have everything for gaming that you want that is not electronic. Besides selling games the store has gaming space for playing games for up to 90 players. The store is a hub for these gamers offering weekly events, tournaments and premier events making it, “a destination location for gamers all over Illinois.”
Jamie and Kelly Mathy are the owners behind the legal company names. In addition to Red Raccoon they were the owners of Kelly’s Bakery and Cafe located at 113 N. Center St from 2005 to 2018. Kelly now owns The Decorator’s Grocery located at 1010 N. Linden St.
Jamie was appointed to represent Ward One on the Bloomington City Council in 2013. He was reelected in 2016 and 2020.
On March 28 Mathy unexpectedly resigned from the council saying a business opportunity had come up over the winter and to remain on the council would be a conflict of interest.
Mathy has since stated that this project is that opportunity.
Red Raccoon asked the city for 50 percent of the Municipal Sales Tax generated by Red Raccoon over six years to be reimbursed.
As part of the development they plan to rent two retail spaces in the building to other businesses.
The company asked asked for 100& of the Municipal Sales Tax generated by those businesses over six years to be reimbursed contingent on those two new businesses being new to the city.
Red Raccoon also requested 100% of the city’s portion of the Property Tax for the parcel located at 110 E Jefferson Street to be abated for six years.
City council member Donna Boelen had questions regarding the 100% abatement at Monday night’s meeting.
“My main question or concern was offering 100% abatement for new businesses which means they will not necessarily be generating new revenue for the city. Whatever tax they would generate the city would rebate 100%. And there is a president that was set already with Green Top Grocery. .. It’s like I explained to Melissa, that the first year, if you look at that the charge for the first year was 100%. then the second year was 90, 80, 70 … over a ten year period,” said Boelen. “I would be more comfortable if the sales tax rebate for the new businesses was on a gradient rather than over six years at a 100% rebate.”
Boelen also shared with Cities that, “I try to keep what the city gives to a minimum.”
Boelen’s comments during the meeting were more communication to Bloomington City Economic and Communiy Development Director Melissa Hon regarding what Boelen would like to see in the future than they were objections to this political development.