Stevens Block Restoration Project

04/21/2026

We are officially 9 days away from Stroll Back in Time, and prep is in full force!

Be sure to mark your calendars for a fun and informative night as we dive into the history of our downtown. You’ll hear the stories of how it all began and get a chance to explore the shops that are here today, each one thoughtfully curated and helping bring new life to our community.

It’s the perfect mix of past and present, and we can’t wait to share it with you! Thanks to KCAU for the shout out!!

History buffs in the Iowa Great Lakes, you may want to head to Spirit Lake on April 30. Find out more in the link in the comments:

04/07/2026

Downtown is getting ready for something FUN 🌸🛍️

Our local businesses are gearing up for the Spring Style Stroll and you won’t want to miss it!

📅 April 18
⏰ 1–5 PM

Shop your favorite spots, discover new ones… and along the way, collect flowers from each business to create your own custom bouquet 💐

Yes please 👏

Thank you for supporting local, it truly makes all the difference!

04/01/2026

🏢 HILL AVE HISTORY HUNT: 1706 HILL AVE

We’re continuing down the 1700 block… and this one has some great local ties 👇

📍 1706 Hill Ave – Spirit Lake

Today, this space is home to:
🧵 Interior Sewing by Lisa – custom work, craftsmanship, and a staple in our community

⏳ WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR

🧱 Built in 1936

Over the years, this building has been connected to some well-known local families:

✨ Most recently – Interior Sewing by Lisa
✨ Prior to that – The Pruss family (now of Allure & Co)
✨ Before that – The Evan’s family (Evan's Clothing) and.......

📸 HELP US BUILD THE FULL TIMELINE

Drop anything you remember below 👇
Names, years, stories, photos, we want it all!

And tag someone who has ties to this building or remembers what used to be here 😄

03/30/2026

🏢 HILL AVE HISTORY HUNT: 1704 HILL AVE

We’re continuing down Hill Ave… and this one has some serious history hiding inside 👇

📍 1704 Hill Ave – Spirit Lake

Today, this space is home to:
✨ Nové Collective – a beautiful, modern space bringing fresh energy into downtown within the beauty sector!

Before that, many will remember:
⚖️ A law firm, Sackett Law, operating here in more recent years

But with a building like this… we KNOW the story goes back much further.

⏳ AND HERE’S WHERE IT GETS GOOD…

🧱 This building was originally built in 1892.

That’s over 130 years of history sitting right here on Hill Ave.

Think about how many different businesses, people, and stories have passed through these walls…

📸 HELP US BUILD THE FULL TIMELINE

Drop your memories, names, years, and photos below 👇
Let’s see how far back we can go!

And tag someone who’s been around long enough to say:
“I remember when…” 😄

03/30/2026

We are so excited to see our downtown business owners working together to bring even more amazing items and experiences to our community! 🫶

Make sure to mark your calendars now, this is one you won’t want to miss!

🌸 Spring Style Stroll
📅 April 18
⏰ 1–5 PM

Grab your friends, stroll through downtown, and see what’s new this season!

03/27/2026

🏢 HILL AVE HISTORY HUNT: 1700 HILL AVE

We’re heading a little further down Hill Ave… and this one has nearly a century of history to uncover 👇

📍 1700 Hill Ave – Spirit Lake

Today, this building is home to:
⚖️ Law Office of Jack Bjornstad

But this space has played MANY roles in our community over the years…

⏳ WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR

🧱 Built in 1927, almost 100 years of history right here!

And over the years, we’ve heard this building has been:

⚡ Iowa Electric
☕ A couple different cafés
📝 Lakes Area Title
🏦 A bank at one point

From utilities… to coffee… to finance… to law, this building has truly evolved with our town 👏

🤔 WHAT ARE WE MISSING?

👉 What bank was located here and when?
👉 Do you remember the names of the cafés? Red's and Chief maybe??
👉 When was Iowa Electric and the Title Company here?
👉 What did the building look like back then?
👉 Any photos of the storefront or inside?

📸 HELP US BUILD THE FULL TIMELINE

Drop anything you remember below 👇
Names, years, stories, photos, we want it all!

And tag someone who’s been around long enough to say:
“I remember when that was…” 😄

03/26/2026

🏢 HILL AVE HISTORY HUNT: 1618 HILL AVE

We had to stop at one of our FAVORITE buildings on the north side 👇

📍 1618 Hill Ave – Spirit Lake

We’re lucky to call this one our neighbor 🫶

Today, this space is full of amazing local businesses:

✨ Allure & Co
🍋 Spice & Lemon
💆‍♀️ Serenity Massage
✨ Skin & Co
🧘‍♀️ The Studio Yoga & Barre

This building is such a great example of collaboration, creativity, and community all under one roof 👏

⏳ BUT LET’S GO BACK…

We KNOW this building has some incredible history…

We’ve heard it may have once been:
🛍️ This & That Eclectic
🏠 Tonsfeldt Furniture
🍛 Fiascos
And possibly even something totally different before that 👀

This building shows exactly what makes downtown Spirit Lake so great:

✔ Historic spaces with new life
✔ Local businesses supporting each other
✔ A place that keeps evolving while staying true to its roots

And we LOVE having them right next door 🫶

📸 HELP US TELL THE FULL STORY

Drop your memories, names, years, and photos below 👇
Let’s build the timeline together!

And tag someone who remembers what this used to be 😄

03/25/2026

🏢 HILL AVE HISTORY HUNT: 1614 HILL AVE

We’re wrapping up this stretch of the north side (for now 👀) with a building that’s seen over a century of change 👇

📍 1614 Hill Ave – Spirit Lake

Recently, this building was purchased by:
✨ Splendid Treasures – we’re excited to see what’s next for this space!

Before that, many of you will remember:
🐾 Best In Show Pet – proof that Dickinson County LOVES its animals
💻 Computer Zone – taking us back a few years for sure

⏳ AND HERE’S THE BIG ONE…

🧱 This building was originally constructed in 1900.

That means 120+ years of businesses, stories, and transformations have happened right here.

🤔 WHAT ARE WE MISSING?

👉 What businesses were here before Computer Zone?
👉 Was it always retail—or something totally different?
👉 Any longtime staples people still talk about?
👉 Do you have photos of the storefront or interior?

📸 HELP US BUILD THE FULL TIMELINE

Drop anything you remember below 👇
Names, years, stories, photos, we want it all!

And tag someone who’s been around long enough to say:
“I remember when…” 😄

03/24/2026

🏢 HILL AVE HISTORY HUNT: 1610 HILL AVE

We’re continuing down the north side of Hill Ave… and this one is bringing up some memories 👀

📍 1610 Hill Ave – Spirit Lake

Today, this location is home to:
✨ Hill Avenue Chiropractic – helping keep our community feeling its best 🙌

But before that… things get a little interesting.

⏳ WHAT WE’VE HEARD (BUT NEED YOUR HELP!)

We’ve heard that at one point this may have been:

🍽️ A restaurant – possibly Rababs or The Market
🐣 And even further back… was there a hatchery here??

Now we need to know… how close are we?!

🤔 WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER?

👉 Was this actually Rababs or The Market?
👉 What years would that have been?
👉 Does anyone remember the hatchery being here—or nearby?
👉 What was here before the chiropractic office?

📸 HELP US SOLVE THIS ONE

Drop anything you remember below 👇
Names, years, stories, photos, we want it all!

And tag someone who definitely has an opinion on this one 😄

03/24/2026

🏢 HILL AVE HISTORY HUNT: 1608 HILL AVE

We’re continuing down the north side of Hill Ave… and this one might ring a bell 👇

📍 1608 Hill Ave – Spirit Lake

Today, this charming spot is home to:
✨ Lagniappe Tea Room – delicious food, cozy vibes, and one of the cutest spaces downtown ☕🍰

But this building has seen some very different uses over the years…

⏳ A LOOK BACK

Here’s what we know so far:

🥩 Ruthven Locker once called this space home
🐾 A pet store operated here in the mid-2000s

From a locker… to pets… to a tea room, talk about a transformation 👏

🤔 WHAT ARE WE MISSING?

👉 What was here before Ruthven Locker?
👉 Do you remember the name of the pet store?
👉 What did the space look like back then?
👉 Any photos or stories from inside?

This building shows just how much downtown evolves:

✔ Totally different industries over time
✔ Spaces constantly being re-imagined
✔ New life being brought into old buildings

And honestly… that’s what keeps downtown exciting.

📸 HELP US BUILD THE FULL STORY

Drop your memories, names, years, and photos below 👇
Let’s see how far back we can take this one!

And tag someone who remembers when this was something completely different 😄