In the 1900s, there were 5 ballrooms on West Lake Okoboji: Manhattan Beach, Roof Gardens, The Inn,…read moreThe Casino and The Central Emporium, then known as the Central Pavilion. The Central Emporium is the only one that remains a part of today's Iowa Great Lakes. It was originally built in 1901 and by the 1960s, the building sat empty until it was purchased in 1967 and used as boat storage. In 1971, the building was remodeled and began leasing out space for stores. During that first year, there were only 3-5 businesses including The Diver's Den, the Outrigger and a jewelry store. I started hanging out at the Central Emporium about that time in the early 1970s. It's gone through ownership changes since then and many shops have also come and gone. The Building itself has also been stabilized from falling into the Lake and at during my visit this summer, the old Girl looks pretty good on the inside as well. There's still the expected collection of tourist based shops, but the Central Emporium also includes a couple nice dining and drinking establishments (with great views), a branch of Hill Avenue Books, and even a few shops (e.g., Life on the Lake) that I enjoy. You can also get here by foot or by boat. I could see how a developer would think of this property as a good condo or other resort opportunity. And I do wonder how the Central Emporium makes money within the confines of a summer vacation season. But as long as this historic Iowa building still stands, I'll be there whenever I'm in town.

Always a fun and nostalgic place to visit. I've been coming to Okoboji since the 1980's, and The…read moreEmporium hasn't changed a lot. You can still grab a bite to eat, buy a bag of candy, or load up on all those Okoboji sweatshirts to wear during the upcoming winter. Plus, if you show up just after the summer season has ended, you'll get everything at a great discount.

With the loss of its anchor stores, this mall is a ghost town on a Saturday afternoon. Went just to…read moresee how bad it really was and I left feeling sad for Fort Dodge and the stores that remain. One can only hope that this mall will be bought and completely renovated soon.

Ok, so it's a small town and the mall is the size of a super walmart. But, how many shoe stores…read moredoes the town need? It has some good stores, like the hallmark (huge), but it seemed to be missing some girls clothing stores and a bookstore (oddly it had a music cd store). If you need shoes, there seems to be an entire row of them lined up. Otherwise, the sears and jc penny in the mall would be the only stores to meet most peoples needs.

Like Racine's in nearby Estherville, Evans Clothing & Shoes have been part of their respective…read morecommunities for many years. I've been to this location and remember another on the next corner. You won't get the prices if you're shopping for clothes at Walmart, but you get much better value and quality.

A great store with quality clothing and formalwear. The workers are friendly and knowledgeable…read more If you are needing to rent tuxes for an event, this is the place to come. The owner goes above and beyond to make sure everything looks and fits just right for your big day. He does in-store alterations at no extra charge to ensure the perfect fit. There is no better place in the Lakes region for your clothing and formalwear needs!

I bought a few Under Armour soccer related items from Goal Kick the other day. First time buyer!…read more The price of the items was fair and they processed the order quickly. I also got multiple shipment status updates, so I never had to worry about the company, which is not an insignificant thing, since I never used them before and they're located pretty far from me. Anyway, it only took a few days to receive, all the way from Iowa. Great job! In the end, I would definitely recommend Goal Kick for your soccer apparel needs. Five stars!

I was so impressed with my conversation with Patrick when I ordered a shirt for my son-in-law. He…read morewas responsive, receptive, helpful and pleasant. The range of products at Goalkick are terrific and I did my homework. I found the pricing to be most reasonable within the industry. Additionally, when I had chosen the wrong size, they were more than accommodating in helping me correct the problem, and once the jacket was returned, they more than willingly replaced it for the proper size. I highly recommend this company. I am not an online shopper normally, but certainly will go to goal kick for all my athletic wear needs.