Located on the south side of the square in the Madison County seat of Winterset, this building housed the J.C. Penney department store from 1931 to 1997. It was originally constructed around 1870 and used as a hardware store in 1886; a dry goods store occupied the building in the early 1900s. When J.C. Penney vacated the property in 1997, an appliance store moved in. Lori Nordstrom’s photography studio is now housed in the historic downtown building.
Published February 22, 2011 |
Businesses, Downtowns |
Madison County
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Located on the square in downtown Marion, Zoey’s Pizzeria will celebrate its twentieth year in business in 2011. Zoey’s keeps things simple with a small menu built around two styles of pizza. While many patrons swear by for the deep dish Chicago-style pizza, the New York thin crust pizza rivals any restaurant in the state. It’s thin but not too thin with the right proportions of sauce, cheese and toppings. You’ll be satisfied with a basic cheese pizza, but more adventurous diners will want to try the “Zoey” combo pizza or “Z-Taco-ey” pizza, which is topped with seasoned beef, onions, cheddar and mozzarella cheese along with sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, black olives and seasoned tortilla chips.
When dining in at Zoey’s, don’t leave without ordering a “Zookie” for your table. It’s a thick chocolate chip cookie baked and served warm in a deep dish pizza pan, topped with vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, and whipped cream. The bites get better as you work through the cookie with the melting vanilla ice cream, gooey chocolate chips, and warm cookie dough merge. You’ll want to split the dessert and may consider ordering a glass of milk, served ice cold alongside the Zookie.
Note that Zoey’s gets busy on the weekends, and the small restaurant doesn’t have much in the way of a comfortable waiting area. Be prepared to sit along the window sill, hover in the doorway or, if it’s a nice day, sit street-side while you wait for a table.
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Published February 21, 2011 |
Businesses, Features |
Linn County
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Constructed in 1914, the dark red brick Iowa Falls Post Office is one of 31 properties in Hardin County on the National Register of Historic Places. The building stands on a foundation of North Carolina granite and features four marvelous columns 30 inches in diameter and 22 feet high. The 450-square-feet lobby retains much of its original white oak woodwork, marble terrazo floor, and vaulted ceiling. Postal service was first established in Iowa Falls in February 1856.
Published February 18, 2011 |
Post Offices |
Hardin County
The Castle Theatre originally opened in the Delaware County seat of Manchester on June 25, 1935. Considered state-of-the-art at the time, the movie house not only featured a well-appointed theatre room with a seating capacity of 500, but also the latest motion picture equipment from Western Electric Company. When the community received word the theatre was planned for closure in 2009, a group of Manchester residents formed a non-profit group to raise money to purchase the theatre and make plans for its long-term operation.
After taking over ownership of the Castle Theatre in September 2009, members and friends of the Friends of Castle Theatre group have spent hundreds of hours cleaning the lobby, concession area, and auditorium. Additional investments were made to repaint the lobby and upgrade the theatre projection equipment. Following the initial round of improvements, the theatre reopened with a fresh look on October 23, 2009, and a formal grand opening celebration was held the following month.
For movies and showtimes, visit the Castle Theatre website or call (563) 927-5726.
Published February 17, 2011 |
Movie Theatres |
Delaware County
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In 1995, the Buena Vista County of Linn Grove authorized construction of a new building to house the community center, city hall, fire station, and library. The library, which dates to 1923, has been in the space since April 1996. The library’s first permanent location was in the back of a local general store.
Published February 16, 2011 |
Public Libraries |
Buena Vista County
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