Just wish we had a store in Spencer, IA…read more Friendly and helpful staff. It's like an old five and dime store, but with today's pricing.

We were on vacation, enjoying the gorgeous August weather and decided to pop in for some libations…read moreto enjoy by the pool. The service was friendly, prices were ok, selection was just enough and location was convenient at this locally owned gem. Okoboji Ave Liquor Store checked the boxes!

very lovely lady working there, they didn't have what I wanted but suggested other places.read more

We split the sandwich and the flavor is off the chart. Can't wait to see everything in the store…read morehere.

I'm a transplant to Northwest Iowa, so when I discovered The Hen House years ago - with its…read morebig-city charm, gifts and home decor options in a small-town setting - I fell in love. I often tell the owners that if The Hen House ever leaves town -- I'm outta here, as welI! The Hen House is my favorite shopping destination in Spencer. I also love to bring my out-of-town company to experience it for themselves, because it's tons of fun! They offer amazing seasonal items, baby gifts galore (ear of corn chew toy is my favorite staple gift), house wares, kitchen/dining, funking jewelry, pillos, lamps candles. . . Oh, and to receive a gift card from The Hen House is like finding a little lump of precious gold in your pocketbook.

Dollar stores seem to be the rage in the Midwest and other parts. This Dollar General is located…read moreright where there used to be a dairy drive in and kitty corner from where my Dad and Grandfather ran the Brink Oil Company. Of course I had to stop by, walk around, and add up several dollars worth of "stuff". It's not that I needed some of this, but who can resists a perceived bargain?

Like a previous Yelper had mentioned in his review prior to mine, this is a great, old-timey candy…read moreshop, located within the Emporium. Came here to see if they would have some unique candies to the Midwest, and lo and behold, they did. I ended up buying a bunch of Caramel Cobs, which I've never seen out East. They made great "little" (little is in quotation marks because these things are actually fairly large for treats) gifts for my friends back home. They have a bunch of other candies as well. Well worth checking out, if you happen to be in the Emporium or near Arnolds Park.

We stop there many summers. This summer a kid I was with showed me the candy cigarettes available…read morethere. While the selection is generally very good, and the people generally pleasant, the clerks were completely unapologetic about selling candy cigarettes (and candy chew). This lead to a long discussion in the car and some disagreement about the appropriate behaviour in such circumstances. So, I won't be back. I'll get candy from places that are quite literally less likely to corrupt (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candy_cigarette). So, you can see this a 5-star review as well as a 1-star review, and if you are a proponent of candy cigarettes, they have the widest selection I've ever seen. They are also overpriced, but for the selection it's a good deal.

They have some of the best prices of the goodwills ive been to some goodwills sell an item for more…read morethan new at store but this goodwill sells at great price for used items.

I have to be honest, the service out our Goodwill is hit or miss. There have been times I've had…read moreterrible service, and others when they've been extremely helpful. I know one time I was 9 months pregnant and took bags of donated items and the staff expected me to hoist the bags I brought up into the cartons in the back room. Other times, they've gone out of their way to be helpful. I do think we have one of the cleanest goodwills I've been to. There's room to browse and light to see, and things are neat and organized.

Hy-Vee (along with Fairway) are the more notable Iowa grocery store names. Hy-Vee also sells…read moregasoline and runs a separate chain of stand-alone drug stores. This one in Milford offers the pharmacy in back, a kitschy gift selection in front, and various household sundries in between. I wandered in one day to supplement some cabin supplies and hung around a bit longer just to listen to various community gossip being exchanged at check-out.