Joel Mahr and wife Jill Fulton operate Primrose in downtown Corning.
Primrose UPSCALE DINING NESTLED IN A RURAL COMMUNITY By Ann Clinton | Photos by Joseph L. Murphy
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estled in Adams County in southwest Iowa, the town of Corning is a quintessential rural neighborhood. Flanked by rolling hills of soybean and corn fields, the local farming community is critical to the little town’s vitality. Semitrucks hauling grain often rumble through the city limits on their way to Poet, a nearby ethanol refinery. However, something extraordinary sets this county-seat town apart
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from its counterparts in other areas of the state. Word has gotten out, as evidenced by the out-oftown license plates lining main street on any given weekend. Omaha-native Joel Mahr and wife Jill Fulton opened Primrose, an upscale restaurant featuring a new menu each week, approximately three years ago in downtown Corning. The establishment became an instant success, and
as popularity increased, the restaurant has transformed the perception of small-town dining. “Townsfolk say they are glad we chose Corning, but the truth is, Corning chose us,” Mahr says. Ray Gaesser, who farms near Corning, says for him and wife Elaine, it’s pretty terrific to have such a beautiful venue and highquality food in the small town.
