Marion Uptown Revisited

With all the talk about Main Street America, and how important it is to support your local businesses, who – in turn support community activities and employ local people – I decided to take a stroll through the Uptown District of Marion this week.

I was guest editor of the Marion Patch, and I was excited to revisit some of the old stomping grounds of my grade school days, as well as the scene of the Marion Arts Festival in the Uptown District I had last visited a few years ago.

Some businesses were still there, like the Cottage Rose quilt shop, 1048 7th Ave., which was one of the first on the block, along with the old Marion Maid-Rite, now a historical institution.

The Maid-Rite, along with Zoey’s Pizzeria, still frequents the corners of 7^th Avenue and 10^th Street. The Maid-Rite waitress informed us that even though their homemade onion rings may be the same, but they now have a website and Facebook page.

The Cottage Rose has also been around for 20-plus years, and uses the Internet to attract a lot of customers to their patterns, materials, classes and retreat space upstairs with their strong online presence. Beginning quilt class starts in April, so give them a call: 319-377-1482.

The old Flat Tire is now Ramsey’s Metro Market, 1120 7^th Ave., with an amazing selection of gourmet sandwiches much like the Fat Tire – including five kinds of grilled cheese and six styles of paninis. They also offer an array of wine, high quality meats and cheeses to take home for later.

Meanwhile, Temptations has moved down the street to 1244 7^th Ave., and is now The Chocolate Shop. They are now able to make their famous delectable truffles in-house, instead of shipping them in daily from Atkins.

It’s no wonder Witte’s End was voted most relaxing locale in Marion via the Patch Readers’ Choice Awards: cozy couches and overstuffed chairs adorn an assortment of rooms, while traditional table and chairs are available for the more study-minded. There is even a real coffee bar to sidle up to.

Witte’s End, 630 10^th St. has been around since 2007. Owner Cathy Petersen said they bake their own scones and coffee cakes each morning, ordering in muffins from a local source.

Petersen was manning the coffee bar solo the morning I stopped in for an iced latte and cherry walnut scone. The espresso had a sweet and tangy flavor, while the scone was tender and full of plumped dried cherries, with just the right amount of sweetness. They close at 2 p.m. so get there early.

I picked the side porch area, so that I could pick up the free wi-fi from the Marion Public Library, which stands kitty-corner to the coffee shop. Unfortunately, the connection was on-again, off-again; so perhaps getting their own wi-fi connection would give the wonderful ambience of the shop an added benefit for people who need reliable Internet access.

I am glad to see Uptown so vibrant and busy on the weekdays I was there. I spent an hour inside Campbell Steele Gallery chatting with Owner Priscilla Steele. I was sad to hear Marion Uptown was only four votes away from gaining the (federal) Main Street status. I hope this year’s effort, which the Marion Chamber of Commerce is supporting, will prove successful.

All the businesses in the gorgeous old buildings are a treat to explore. I urge people from Marion, Cedar Rapids - and beyond - to step inside one or more of the businesses available and waiting to give you that small-town hospitality and quality only local businesses can provide.