MRI & PET SCANS

toured the grain bin cabin and gathered together in the barn to eat, drink, and enjoy time together.

“I think my favorite part of it was the birthday card my husband wrote me,” Jillian says. “He said in the card, ‘Don and Bernice [his grandparents] would not believe that you have people coming from all over to stay at Wold Farm.’ And it makes me teary to say that because it was like, his grandma had a lot of big ideas, too. And she would love it. I think they would be really proud of this space.”

While Jillian was already making use of the gorgeous lighting in the bin and the farm’s landscape for photo shoots – including engagement and wedding photos – she began to think of other ways she could utilize the unique spaces.

“I had someone come as just a solo retreat, and it was life changing for her,” Jillian says. “I want to be able to help people have that space to connect and just be.”

After a close friend stayed in the grain bin for an artist’s “sabbatical” over the winter, Jillian began thinking outside the typical vacation rental box.

“I’ve already been thinking about how I can make this space more of a retreat, more of an experience. My yoga crew came out here one night and we practiced in the yard and then we had a gathering in the grain bin after,” Jillian says. “But I could see it being a space for healing/health and wellbeing workshops, elopements, microteeny events. Even a rural experience package where they could come and go on the river. I just have all of these ideas!”

But the idea of creating a space for people to elope is what eventually took root.

What could be more fun than jumping in the car with your beloved, leaving the frenetic energy of the city behind, and escaping to a renovated grain bin in the middle of a tallgrass prairie in Northeast Iowa to elope?

At least that’s what Jillian hoped when she posted an “Elopement Giveaway” on the Wold Farm website and promoted it through her social media network.

“I love love. I feel like we’re put on the planet to learn how to love unconditionally. That may not be everybody’s thing, but for me I feel like we are and that is a reason for being here and going through the hardships that we go through. And learning to love ourselves in the same way we love others,” Jillian reflects. “Everything comes back to love for me. The elopement thing really pulls it all together because, I don’t know, it’s like when you dedicate your life to somebody it’s the most obvious form of love.”

The giveaway itself is a substantial package worth almost $5000, and includes one night in the Grain Bin, dinner provided by a restaurant in Elkader, the officiant for the wedding, and a photo album of the event.

“It’s a really big giveaway, actually. I felt like I needed to make it super over the top,” Jillian explains. “I mean, a) to ask someone to elope, and then b), to elope at my house, and then pick me as your photographer. It’s pretty specific! I felt like it was worth a shot!”

To her delight, several couples applied.

Jillian selected a few finalists and began making phone calls to interview each couple.

As soon as she got Sara Chappell-Dick and Mickey Price on the phone, she knew she had found her winners.

“They feel like they could pack up and move here,” Jillian explains. “They feel like Northeast Iowa people. They were so outgoing and easygoing, and it’s just the two of them. I instantly felt comfortable with these two.”

Sara (26) and Mickey (27) live in Chicago with their dog Gingko. Both are outdoor enthusiasts and adventurers.

“We met in 2016, on Tinder,” Sara recalls via email. “Mickey had said that he was really into tea in his bio, so I messaged him that I drink several cups of tea a day – definitely an exaggeration. I had said that I love the poet Mary Oliver, which he responded to by quoting one of her poems (he told me later he had never heard of Mary Oliver before, he just googled it, lol). For our first date, Mickey cooked me a beautiful pheasant dinner. The rest is history.”

When Sara saw the Elopement Giveaway ad on Instagram, she thought it was meant for them.

“We’ve been talking about a courthouse wedding for a while now, with plans to have a party with family and friends later on. When I saw the ad for the giveaway, and saw that it’s held on a beautiful farm in the prairie – a landscape that we both love and feel at home in, growing up in the Midwest – we felt like it was exactly what we were looking for and fit us perfectly.”

To their surprise, they won!

“We felt that the traditional wedding setup didn’t fit us very well. We both strongly value simple living,” Mickey and Sara explain. “We also share what feels like a really close, really personal bond between the two of us that we would love to represent by celebrating privately. We think a private ceremony in a landscape that means a lot to both of us feels really special.”

For Sara, the elopement is extra special because it ties her family past to her present life with Mickey and to their dreams of the future.

“I am so excited to wear my mom’s dress! It was sewn and handembroidered by my grandma. There are these little flowers she embroidered on it that will look beautiful in the setting,” Sara says. “We’re also both really excited to see what Jillian and Zach have going on at their farm, because we dream of having our own farm one day and love to chat with people who are living it!”

Jillian is hopeful that Sara and Mickey’s elopement is the first of many in the future.

“I love my life, and I love that I do painting and festivals and photography and all these things, but this elopement ties all of them together and brings all of my creative energy right here, and creates connection in the most intimate kind of way,” Jillian says. “In a world where there is so much pain and suffering and sorrow, there is still so much joy and love, and that’s what we need to focus on. Because it’s always there.”

Christy Ebert Vrtis is a teacher, writer, mom, and crime drama enthusiast who loves to curate book lists for family and friends, run (slowly) on the Trout Run Trail, and adventure around the world and throughout the Driftless with her husband and kids.

An interview with father-and-son-duo Steve & Collin White of Mabe’s Pizza, celebrating 70 years in business and four generations of family hospitality.

INTRODUCTION & INTERVIEW BY BENJI NICHOLS

There are certain things that are identified as true Decorah landmarks: Dunning’s Spring, Vesterheim, Luther College, Seed Savers Exchange… and Mabe’s Pizza, of course! (Ok, there are lots more, but…)

For 70 years, the White family has been providing square cut pizza slices and hometown hospitality to Northeast Iowa locals and visitors alike. Now a fourth generation family business, the Mabe’s legacy started with Mabel White, who at the age of 49 (!), opened “Mabel’s Lunch Room” in 1953 at the corner of College Drive and Leif Erickson Street. Her proximity to Luther College was a winning choice from the start – they provided countless coffee, donuts, and eventually meals, to area residents and hungry students. It was one of those young patrons who asked Mabel about making a “pizza” – something she knew nothing about at the time, but would eventually make Mabe’s an iconic Decorah staple.

The “party cut” – where the pizza is cut into square slices to be easily shared among a crowd (or party) – is a signifying Mabe’s trait. Grandson Steve White confirms that the square cut pizza got its start because Mabel originally made the pizza in rectangle baking sheets at the Lunch Room before moving into the “modern” pizza world, with round pans and a new downtown location in the 500 block of West Water Street in 1962, where the name was shortened to “Mabe’s.”

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Eventually, Mabe’s settled into its current location at 110 East Water Street in 1978, shortly before Mabel’s son Don (second generation, pictured at right) and wife Maime would take over the family business in 1981. Mabel’s grandson, Steve (third generation), would return to Decorah after college at UNI and working in Cedar Falls, taking over the reigns with his wife, Connie, in 1999, just a couple of years before Mabel would pass away. These days, Mabel’s great grandson, and fourth-generation pizza purveyor, Collin (Jenny) White joins his dad, Steve, in helping to merge modern technology – like online ordering options – while keeping Mabe’s Pizza traditions – and family recipes – close to heart. From forging partnerships with local breweries, to supporting an endless number of community groups and projects, Mabe’s is a true main street (or Water Street, in this case!) pillar.

Join them in celebrating 70 years of square cut pizza and four generations of family-run-business this summer – and keep an eye out for monthly specials and celebrations.

You can find the audio version of this interview – and extra behindthe-scenes info –online as part of our “Rhymes With Decorah” Podcast series at www.decorah.fun

The Basics:

Steve (third generation) and Collin (fourth generation) White

Business: Mabe’s Pizza

Address: 110 East Water Street, Decorah, Iowa

Years in Business: 70!

Website: mabespizza.com

1. Tell us about the “leap” moment.

In 1953, Mable started Mabel’s Lunch Room – she was 49.

2. What was your path into the family business?

Steve: Of course in high school I did work (in the business), but then I went down to UNI in Cedar Falls, and I knew I wanted the restaurant business. I got involved in managing some restaurants there and to see how I’d like it, and when I graduated in ’81, I came back and started working full time.

Collin: I had a pretty similar story, I worked through high school, and went to college at Iowa Central. I knew I wanted to be in the business – I got a degree in hospitality management. After the first year they voted me the manager for our second year students, graduated in 2013, came back and have been back working at Mabe’s since.

3. Was there ever a hurdle where you just thought, “I can’t do this?” How did you overcome it?

The second location was on West Water Street downtown (now the “Oneota Professional Building” across from Vesterheim) – which became Mabe’s second location, burned on December 31, 1968, during a kitchen remodel. Don (Mabel’s son) and Mabel bought out Grove’s pizza, who were located in the Hotel Winneshiek building at that time, and re-opened in the “new” location just under two months later. Meanwhile they sought out a piece of property just down the street that was empty, and in February of 1978, Mabe’s opened up at what is our current location.

Finding employees is also always a challenge – we always need employees. We’re at about 2/3 of what we were at before the pandemic – we have roughly 55 employees, but were at about 75 before the pandemic. Luckily we have some very loyal employees that have been with us for decades.

4. Any mentors/role models you look to/have looked to?

Steve: Well, I’d say the number one thing is we wouldn’t be where we are today without Grandma Mabel – at the age of 49 starting what she did. I know she liked to cook, and her friends just encouraged her to start her business – she had four big boys and had to cook for them as well.

Collin: Besides Great Grandma Mabel, I’d say I look up to my Dad –seeing what needs to be done, to be successful, the amount of work that needs to be done not only at the store, but outside too.

5. What’s something that has helped mange your business run well over the years?

Collin: The nice thing for us is that my mother, Connie, has been helping with the bookwork for years, so that’s been nice to have inhouse, willing answer phones and questions. We also upgraded to a cloud-based ordering and POS system right before the pandemic which really helped.

6. How do you manage your life/work balance?

Steve: Since the pandemic we’ve changed our hours where we’re only open about 80 hours a week (!). But that’s just the posted hours – Collin and I are often in by 7:30 or 8 each morning, and we open at 11. Hospitality is a lot of work.

Collin: You’re always on the job, but we have some great employees that we can rely on – our pizza starts with the dough –we make it fresh daily, and we’ve had a very loyal employee who’s been working for us for 42+ years.

Tom Clements Jr. has been the mastermind behind our dough –and creates some real magic there. That’s a great example of a loyal employee who helps keep things going.

Good support. My wife Jenny and I just had a daughter – Having a supportive partner and family makes it all work too – she’s very supportive of it, and it helps out a lot.

Steve: But at the end of the day as the owner – the business doesn’t take a break, so when something goes wrong, or someone doesn’t show up, we deal with it, you just deal with it.

7. What does it mean to be an independent business on a rural downtown main street in 2023?

Well, we try to be involved in our community – we want to be involved and help in ways we can – whether that’s sponsoring a Park Rec program, helping the Sunflower Daycare project, and other things –we do the best we can to support those things – as the