Iowa Shopping

  High Amana General Store
by DueSer
 
  • High Amana General Store
      High Amana General Store
    by DueSer
  • Food Mall within the Old Capitol Mall, Iowa City
      Food Mall within the Old Capitol Mall,...
    by atufft
  • Old Capitol Mall, Iowa City, IA
      Old Capitol Mall, Iowa City, IA
    by atufft
  •   Shopping
    by Toughluck
  •   Shopping
    by Toughluck
 

Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Kalona Bakery: Homemade Quality at...

by deecat

While in Kalona, we went to the Kalona Bakery. While we were there, we checked out their menu. They had freshly made sandwiches and soups.They are very famous for their donuts, pastries, cookies, cakes, pies, rolls, bread, and homemade noodles. My mother always made such delicious homemade noodles [very thin], and when I saw theirs, I just had to purchase a bag to take home to try. I learned that Kalona Bakery supplies more than 100 grocery stores throughout Iowa and nearby states with their famous homemade noodles! If you eat lunch there, you may order sub sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, taco wraps, soups salads, and bottled beverages.If you are a tourist who just wants to take home some delicious food, you are able to find canned meats, pastas, Old-Fashioned Cinnamon Rolls, jams and jellies, and the noodles, of course.In addition, they sell Kalona mugs and they make...

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Jordan Creek Shopping Center: OUR NEW MALL!

by melissaK

This is our brand new mall in West Des Moines. It has a lot to offer with two floors. You can find a bargain or an item to splurge on. Well, Oh I don't know! We just shop for normal things like clothes, shoes, jewelery, accessories, etc., etc. Price depends on what you buy!

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High Amana General Store: Historic Shopping

by DueSer

This old-fashioned general store located in High Amana was built in 1857. Still open today as a general store, you can buy souvenirs as well as something for the road.Inside, you'll find exactly what you might expect - old, wooden floorboards, punched-tin ceiling, big wooden bins and counters, jars of preserves on shelves behind the counters...you feel as though you just stepped back in time as you walked through the door.A small selection of items you can buy here are: local crafts, such as lacy snowflake Christmas ornaments, regular store items, such as scissors, pens, etc., and food items, such as candy, and root beer and cream soda brewed and bottled at the Amana Brewery (so creamy and so good!) The local handicrafts can't be beat, especially Christmas ornaments. Some lace, some wood, all totally unique and beautifully made. Everything is reasonably priced.

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Burlington Coat Factory: Burlington Coat Factory in Des Moines

by ArenJo

This is one of the best Burlington Coat Factorys I have been to. The prices are cheap, lots of sale items and lots of good products. Lots of Enyce, Sean John, South Pole and other clothing of that sort.

Basket Expressions: Great Gifts and Gourmet Coffees

by deecat

While on our Ladies Getaway Weekend, we drove to Dubuque, Iowa to visit the shops on Bluff Street. It was a Sunday, and most stores did not open until noon, and all the stores were not open. Probably the best store that we visited that Sunday was calledBasket Expressions. All four of us were able to find items that we purchased, and that is rare.A mother and daughter own this store [mother Millie Dolter and daughter Jennifer Jennifer Klaas]. It has been open since 1990. Its main purpose is to have a place where customized gifts can be purchased. This is an 11-room Victorian shop.Inside Basket Expressions is an "in-store Stone Cliff Winery tasting room. This winery is located 7 miles north of Dubuque. The wines that you are able to taste are Cherry, Cranberry, Sweet Concord, White Zinfandel, Cabernet, and Chardonnay. Here you are also able to personalize a bottle of wine with a label that...

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Heritage Designs Quilting & Needlework Shop: Ultimate Quilt Shop in Amana Colonies

by deecat

Jill Martin the majority of this tip. She was my travel partner on this trip, and she is the quilter who knows the most about the worth of quilt shops.Heritage Designs Quilting and Needlework Shop in Amana Colonies, Iowa, occupied a large space. There were several rooms of fabrics stored on shelves and in bins. Quilts hung on the walls. I’m not sure how the space was organized, but the staff was helpful in directing us to sections of the rooms and searching for items.Not surprisingly, the shop reminded me of those we visited in Ohio Amish country with a friendly old-fashioned feeling.The shop had recently moved to this larger space and was located next to the Information Center in Amana. [Dee] I personally was really impressed with the layout and amount of choices that this quilting shop had to offer. The lighting was wonderful so it was easy to match colors and designs. I purchased a...

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No Chain Stores Here: Wine, Cheese, Jelly, Herbs, Sweets, and Toys

by deecat

When you shop at Amana Colonies, you won't see a "chain store" in sight! Instead, you will discover handcrafted merchandise, specialty shops, boutique fashions, quality foods/beverages, and unique toys.As Jill and I wander the streets of Amana, we took our time and enjoyed this one-of-a-kind type of shopping.I cannot talk about all of the shops, but in this tip, I will concentrate on the ones that I photographed and where we made some purchases.Photographs:1. Wine, Cheese, and Jelly House . I purchased delicious jams here. We are busy eating them now..2. The beautiful stone building that houses The Herb Lady that specializes in all kinds of herbs. When you walk into the store, your senses are tantalized with the mixture of aromas.I was looking for some biGreek herbsbi, which I enjoy using when I am cooking the Rainbow Trout that my husband Allan catches when he goes on his twice annual...

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Yana's Ladies Boutique: Jill's Coat Purchase

by deecat

It's almost a tradition that whenever Jill goes on a trip, she automatically searches for a new jacket [I think she has a fetish for jackets, which is a nice fetish to have!]When we were in Amana, one of the seven Amana Colonies, we went inside a store called Yana's Ladies Boutique. It is a new shop in Amana and they advertise, "Classy Clothing & Accessories". That is not false advertising either. Some of the most beautiful items that we saw during our eight-day trip were found in Yana's.We saw several jackets, and, of course, Jill tried them on. They were beautiful, but the fit for Jill was not so great. Then the helpful young woman in the shop pointed out another longer jacket. We both loved the green color and design, but Jill was even more delighted when the woman told her that it was a reversible jacket! The minute she tried it on, she knew that it was the "one".Jill tries to...

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The Book Worm Books & Things: Great Bookstore in Bellevue, Iowa

by deecat

Be sure to check out all the photographs!The Book Worm Books & Things Store is quite unique. Like other bookstores, they have a variety of books {fiction, non-fiction, mystery, cooking, historical, authobiographies, children's books] and they also have "experienced" books that are still in great shape and much less expensive.They have a very special "Historical to the Hysterical" section about the Bellevue War, ghost of the Mississippi River and more. They claim to have the most extensive collection of Bellevue, Iowa, and Mississippi River history books in the Midwest. They also sell antiques and collectibles. I noticed that they have a huge selection of hand painted signs, some of which are quite humorous. In addition, they have a wide selection of scented candles. They also sell greeting cards by Leanin' Tree and Northern Exposure. I also saw neckwraps, memory stones, handmade craft...

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Gotta Have It: Jill Found the Perfect Hat at

by deecat

When Jill and I were shopping at Cable Car Square, she kept saying that she really needed a new hat; one that was capable of keeping sun off of her face, but it also had to be fashionable. We had looked in several places when visiting Galena, Illinois, but had not found one that suited her.Well, that all changed when we walked into the shop called "Gotta Have It"! I asked the owner Julie Berstler if they had hats, and she said, "we really don't stock too many hats". I just happened to look up and saw a set of stairs with items placed on each step in a lovely manner. There were three hats. So, I pointed that out to Jill. She looked at all three, tried them on, and selected a darling Red one. {See photograph #3} Gotta Have It carries Ladies clothing, jewelry, and accessories.It is open:Monday through Friday from 10am-5:30pmSaturday from 10am-5pmSunday from 11am-3pm. Jill did not tell me...

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The Place

Reviews and photos of Iowa attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Iowa sightseeing.

Experience Iowa
 

Questions and Answers

oreo82 profile photo

Q:  Hi I am thinking of visiting a friend who resides in Iowa and to visit the surrounding cities. What would be a suggested... 

bocmaxima profile photo

A: You should figure out which cities you'd like to visit first. Iowa is actually pretty well-located as far as surrounding cities, so you have some choices. My list would... 

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