Yumi's Bakery and Deli in Grinnell, Iowa Promises Fresh Food and Fun Atmosphere

"Grinnell [Iowa] needed some place where if you wanted a turnover...and just wanted to sit in the middle of the afternoon, [you could]," says Heidi Rockwell, owner of the new Yumi's bakery and deli that opened on March 17. The Broad Street business stands in the former location of Main Squeeze where Rockwell's daughter, Hannah Wagg, an Accounting and Business major at Iowa Valley Community College, was once employed.

With Hannah's knowledge of working a deli counter and Rockwell's experience as a former bakery owner in Dexter, Maine before moving to Iowa fifteen years ago, Rockwell decided to revive an old dream in opening Yumi's with her husband, Sam. Sam spends most of his time at the Rockwell's other business, Going, Going, Gone, which opened in 2004, whereas Yumi's is more of Rockwell's project. Rockwell attests that starting a business is a "great creative outlet."

And Rockwell certainly has been creative with Yumi's---from designing the business' space to preparing a range of tasty goods. The interior decorations are modest yet welcoming and evidence an aesthetic eye, even though Rockwell says that the fact the furnishings match so well was more coincidental than intentional. Tropical murals left over from the Main Squeeze, with their plethora of monkeys and macaws, evoke a jungle theme. Beige walls, green carpeting, wooden chairs, and leaf etchings on the countertops all contribute to the distinctive earthy feel. Burgundy booths provide a comfortable place for larger groups to hang out---or, as Rockwell, a knowing mother puts it, a place for parents to "corral their kids."

In fact, Rockwell wants the business to be very child-friendly, stating that Yumi's is supposed to be "fun for the kids." After all, everyone, young and old, gets hungry---and Yumi's carries plenty of different foods that are sure to appeal to all age groups.