Such a charming little store! Stringtown Grocery is a wonderful hidden gem in Kalona. The shelves are filled with bulk goods, local produce, homemade baked treats, and unique pantry staples you won't find anywhere else. The store is clean, organized, and has a peaceful, welcoming atmosphere. The staff is friendly and helpful, and the prices are very reasonable. I always leave with something special -- whether it's fresh cinnamon rolls, hand-packed spices, or locally made jams. Definitely worth the trip if you're in the area! read more

Good selection and reasonable prices. I like the homey atmosphere too. Good service.

This is a very nice Amish store with a wide and affordable selection. The refrigerated section in the back has soda pop for 40 cents per can (GREAT DEAL) including Vanilla Coke which I haven't been able to find anywhere else. read more

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This grocery has bulk dry foods/goods at a fraction of the price. They all have large bulk bags (50 lbs) of sugar, oats, flours, etc. Also, they have smaller bagged items if all sorts of spices, soups, baking goods. There is also a cold room where they have numerous dairy items and fruits. I always pick up a bag of fresh cheese curds. Feel free to ask for help if you want more than what is on the shelf. The workers are very friendly. read more

Bulk foods Heaven. Reasonable prices. Lots of items made locally, lots of items not made locally but branded 'Stringtown Grocery.' Produce, meats, cheeses, baked goods, candies, fudge, jams, jellies, small section of personal care items and supplements. Check out their greenhouse that's filled to the brim with annuals, perennials, hanging baskets, beautiful lawn and patio furniture, bird feeders, garden care items, and much more. We bought of of this year's vegetables plants for less than $25! Highly recommend. Cash or check only. read more

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I love the quality with good deal. The service, the ambiance are all amazing. I love to support local and love the community

Reviews don't do this extraordinary shopping experience justice. I'm not one to celebrate the co-op experience as I have clean ankles, shaved arm pits and live a right-of-center existence. My daughter is a veteran of the store. She said get a cart. That's the first right move. The first item on the shelf was flax seeds, whole and ground. I mix that in my bread recipe. A small container like at the grocery deli was under $2. From there it was game on. There are plenty of other usables for normal cooking in manageable quantities and prices. BTW, the stickers have packaging dates to ensure you know the quality dates. Freshness matters. I live 7 hours away and won't be going home for several days so I passed on the refrigerator items. But if you want a 30 lb. box of bacon, it's in the back cooler. I only spent $40 but the meal possibilities are numerable. Go. You won't be disappointed. read more

Amazing place . Been going here for years . Baked goods are incredible! They also have a great selection of dry goods and plants !

Any visit to my inlaws absolutely requires a Stringtown sojourn. It honestly is one of the most unique stores in the country, in my opinion. While the gentle Amish eschew many modern amenities, they are still extremely astute business folks, and their simple grocery store that caters to their needs draws in far more of, 'The English.' I shopped here in the 90s, while stationed at U of Iowa, and their wonderful products and great value has not changed one bit. The only thing that has changed is a newer/larger, building, resplendent with awesome natural lighting and propane-powered refrigeration for their meats/produce and inside climate control. In this nut job of a world we live in, it is so comforting to experience Amish country, and relish thoughts of a simpler life. God Bless them... read more

Stringtown Grocery - Produce area... - Grocery Near Me - Kalona, Iowa

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Got a great deal on heads of cabbage. 1.99 each for a 6-7 pound head! Made it all into sauerkraut!

I have shopped at Stringtown for over 30 years. The selection is huge, the prices great, and the service wonderful. The quality above 10. The only downside is i have moved far away and the do not ship so i am out of luck. :) great place. Great people. Great goods. read more

As we explore more of the surrounding areas outside of Iowa City, we keep running across incredible places like Stringtown. We've heard about this place from friends for a while and decided today was the time to check it out - what a find was Stringtown! The building is located on a slightly less than paved road, just down the street from the Twin County Cheese factory. This simple building is absolutely magic. Those hippies among us will appreciate that no electricity is used (these folks are Amish after all). The skylights and gas lights work well to enlighten your shopping experience. As you walk in, you're greeted by four aisles of bliss. The first contains tons of candy, pies, moon pies and baking sweets, as well as more types of flour than I know existed and tons of bulk spices that are about 30% of the price you see in traditional grocery stores. The remainder of the aisles contain everything from hand made granola, and noodles, to bread and pies that are only rivaled by the church ladies! At the back fo the store, sits the cooler where there are some amazing finds. The cheese selection is ample and the prices excellent. The whole cream butter that comes by the pound and if you're down, they sell blocks of lard. The block freezers in the back of the walking in cooler contain Amish grown beef, chickens and turkey as well as fresh frozen fruit by the pound. The best item we sampled here however was the beef jerky - straight up the best we've ever had. Stringtown is a gem of a store and one that should be discovered by everyone. The prices are great, the selection is solid when you're in the mood for basic cooking necessities, and you'll certainly find something you weren't expecting. Word to all - they only take cash and checks so make sure you've got enough so you can take home everything that looks good. read more

Stringtown Grocery - Grocery Near Me - Kalona, Iowa

I love this place. I don't really know what else to say, but this is a unique shopping experience since this is an Amish-run grocery store full of bulk goods, specialty jams, and fresh produce. Before moving away from the area nearly 20 years ago, I used to come here with some regularity to buy bread flour, pastas, jams, and roasted soybeans. Back then, the store was a nondescript small white building along the road. Cultures came together here, as cars sporting plates from different states would be parked next to the buggies of the the local Amish population. Today, there's a new, bigger building with a larger parking lot for the tourists that flock to this place, but the Old World charm still remains. The store is still staffed by the lovely Amish (and I believe Mennonite) people, who are all exceedingly friendly and helpful. The store still carries a broad variety of bulk dried goods and prices that are frankly unbeatable. Yes, there is some touches of modern. The refrigerated section is, in fact, electrically cooled. There are automatic doors and electronic registers. But during the day, the light is provided by skylights. Tourists and locals mingle happily, and it's easy to strike up a conversation. Some speak with a lilting accent that is as endearing as it is unique. read more

Great variety of wholesome bulk food! I love the brooms and cheeses. Fresh vegetables and meats

It is a fun place to go even if you don't go to get something you need. You will probably go out with a bag of something. My husband likes the cinnamon rolls but I like the spices. You can get as little or as much as you want. It's the only place left to get ham seasoning paste. Love that stuff. read more

Awesomely Amish! Such a great place. They have so much selection and you cannot beat the prices. Bring your cash or check. No credit here. The place is not lit by electric lights and can be dim on cloudy days as the sun starts to go down. Lots of wonderful Amish made or packages items to select from. Love the jams, honey, homemade peanut butter, syrup, candies, meats, cheeses and wow the bulk spice section!!! read more

It's bordering on impossible to beat their prices on avocados or bell peppers, 79 cents is their standard price for those normally expensive items! I bought 7 avocados & didn't feel like I got ripped off for trying to eat healthily, wonderful! They have a very deep selection of items & tons of bulk items to purchase for baking at home. Many natural items for natural item costs, but not a bad deal when you factor in that it's a rural area. I always come here when I make a trip to Kalona, it's worth it! read more

This place is kinda out of the way, but well worth my 40 minute drive. They have a HUGE selection of EVERYTHING! Ok, just kidding, but they do have a ton of stuff....They sell so many different things in bulk, from spices, nuts, candy, baking ingredients, noodles....Too many to list. I travel here specifically to stock up on the fillings for my Kolaches...They have a great selection of different flavors, (black raspberry being my favorite), and the amount you get for the price cannot be matched. They sell canning supplies, kitchen gadgets, gardening supplies, a nice variety of different things. They have a large cooler with a really nice selection of produce and dairy...I pick up Prairie Breeze cheese from Milton Creamery and chocolate milk from Kalona Dairy, both produced here in Iowa. (Once you try the Prairie Breeze, you'll bee hooked!) The store is owned and operated by the Amish, just really nice, polite folks. Make sure you bring cash or check though, they don't have card machines. The gal at the register kept my treasures at the register for me while I ran to a gas station a couple miles away to get cash​. I could spend hours just looking around this place. read more

Stringtown Grocery - Bulk grains - Grocery Near Me - Kalona, Iowa

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Another place that always must be visited when back home. Seeing it maybe once every 3-4 years makes me realize how lucky I was having it so close to home growing up. People travel a long way to come here, but that's also because it's an absolute point of interest for visitors and travelers. Cash only, cash only, cash only, and you sure better know they don't have an ATM here. read more

Take Hwy 1 about 20 minutes out of Iowa City, turn left, and you're in bulk heaven. The staff is super friendly! You cannot beat their prices on the majority of their products. Nice facility. Plenty of parking outside. The interior is simple and they have oil lamps for when it get's dark. I thought that was neat. It is nice to see the wide selection of items: grains, candies, spices and teas. Even hardware and tools. If they are in stock, pick up some whoopie pies. Amazing! When I'm in that neck of the woods, I usually pick up dry goods like oatmeal, beans and baking ingredients. Make sure you leave your credit cards at home and bring your old-school cash if you want to shop here. TL;DR: Come here if you want bulk food on the CHEAP and like to be attended by friendly people. Well done Stringtown! read more

Great shopping experience for a country store with large variety of groceries and hardware

How could you not love this place? I come here for my spices, sweet tooth, and produce! My mother loves their baked goods section. It is a cute, clean, and unique place to shop at or visit if you don't live close. The staff is friendly, quick, and very helpful if you need anything. Weekends are a bit busy, but if you can get here Mon-Thurs it's not too crowded. Oh, try their pasta. I know, it's pasta...but it's absolutely wonderful and doesn't have all the other processed junk!! Love this place! read more

What an fantastic experience. Stopped by here on a day trip that was suggested by my neighbor and I cant believe after living in Iowa most of my life I have never heard of this place! This is an Amish store a few miles north of Kalona and its sooo worth the drive. They have things you will not find in normal grocery stores and if you do it will be wildly expensive. Their baking supplies aisle has flours and ingredients I have never even heard of. Alot of what they sell in the store is locally sourced within the Amish community but you will find some name brand items here and there. We got to watch a nice Amish woman make some fresh peanut butter! They have probably just about every kind of Jelly and Jam you could think of and probably 15 more you didnt think of. They have a large cooler area that has lots of cheeses and some meats, mostly deli style, and a decent selection of produce. Now that I know where this place is it will be one of my regular stops for groceries. If you are ever south of Iowa City you need to check this place out. Edit to add: I went without pictures for this review out of respect for their practices. read more

My brother lives near Iowa City, and a few years back my sister-in-law introduced me to String Town. Since then, I try to make a visit once or twice a year and my sis-in-law picks up things for me when I won't be visiting for a stretch. The absolute best prices on spices, hands down. Huge tubs of spices, seeds, garlic, orange peels for mere pennies. Tons of baking supplies, from flour to sugar to pre-made mixes for cookies, breads, pancakes/waffles, as well as all the decorating sugars, beads, etc. Also lots of snacking items, like pretzels, dried fruits and candies plus pastas, grains, and beans. Plus jams/jellys/butters and baked items (but not baked on site). Lastly, they have some refridgerated items, including my must-have flax seed. They sell different types of flax seeds, including whole and mealed (ground). read more

We haven't been down to Kalona for a while and just found out that Stringtown Grocery build a brand new store just to the west of the original store. Kalona, just 15 minutes south of Iowa City, is the largest Amish community west of the Mississippi I'm told. This Amish owned store has earned quite the following of customers all over eastern Iowa who come to stock up on bulk foods and spices, fresh produce, eggs, cheese, butter and more. The much larger parking lot was nearly full when we stopped Saturday afternoon. We love the butter and the bulk spices are an especially good bargain. Don't forget to get a Kalona Bar, a handmade ice cream bar, when you check out for just a $1.50. read more

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Love the selection and simple ness of this place!! Lots of cool ingredients you can not find anywhere else!

Ahh, Iowa Amish Country. The Stringtown Grocery is a little 4-aisle grocery packed with stuff, some familiar and some you've never seen. Like Circus Peanuts that are different colors, other than orange. And powdered soups that you get the feeling were emptied from Lipton containers into the plastic tubs they're sold in here. Still, it's a great place to get Amish baked goods and jams preserves. If nothing else, go by to perhaps see a horse & buggy in the parking lot. Cash only. read more

I visited Stringtown while visiting a friend in Iowa City in July, 2015. I wish I could have loaded up with more groceries before returning to Minnesota because this place is awesome. If you are the type of person that is concerned about the quality of your food, this is a great place to shop. The prices are unbelievably cheap in comparison to places like Trader Joe's and a whole foods store I go to locally. The no-frills packaging helps keep the prices down, but also adds charm. Kudos to the owners and operators. Carrie St.Cloud, MN read more

I must be the voice of dissent here. I get hosed every time I walk in. I'm hoping they don't see me as an "englisch," who has money and can be taken advantage of. Because I want to believe they are honest and wouldn't do this to people. Yet every single time I go in: the discount produce has mold, the bulk is ridiculously over priced, the non frozen meat is green! It never fails that the wrong price gets rung in for what I am buying. Which is fine. Mistakes. Except I have to balk at the overcharge and ask for clarification. I get glared at. Then I will get the correct price. Not impressed, unfortunately. read more

Top notch for novelty. Plus, their butter is tdf. And all that bulk stuff you get @ hyvee... you can get here for next to nothing!!

We loved this place. My sister keeps wanting to drive back just to go here. The egg noodles we bought are great the soup mixes great, the bread great. Everything is very good. Low prices and nice things all in one place. It is small, but that can be part of the charm. read more

My favorite part of Stringtown is their dried herbs and spices! Try their 4% Ground Cinnamon-awesome!!!

What a wonderful experience. My first time at a bulk food store. Clean, well stocked, colorful bulk candies,spices, grains, baking supplies and much more, even textured vegetable protien. I am hearing that this is a newly improved location. It is awesome. Everything was very fresh. There is packed on dates on all the products. I'm looking forward to going back again. This time with a grocery list and a game plan. read more

Stringtown Grocery - Junk food Amish bulk food store style - Grocery Near Me - Kalona, Iowa

This place is an all time favorite place to be among the Amish people and be presented with so many choices of food items. It is great to come here even if you don't need to buy anything; just look around and enjoy yourself. It, however, is impossible to leave here without making a purchase. The new expanded store with even more choices was a great experience. read more

this grocery store carries the best Pumernickle flour for the old fashion bread making. I've tried others but this is the right texture for those old fashion recipes for breads.., Lorie of Colo, read more

A friend took me here as part of a "ladies out" road trip to Kalona. Started next door at Central Discount-- which was a hoot- loved it!-- then followed up here before heading to the Kalona Cheese House just down the road. Great combo! This place was the best for chocolate- big chunks for candymaking and chips like raspberry choc.- and baking supplies, cheap blackstrap molasses, snacks, spices, noodles, grains and cereals much like a natural food store would have, plus a back room with refrigerated and some fresh produce. The skylight lighting and the at-the-ready oil or kerosene lamps reminded you that you weren't at your everyday food store. Great experience. Loved it! read more

I don't know how anyone could give this place anything but 5 stars! The selection is outstanding and the prices are amazing. I have relatives that live in the area and we visit Stringtown Grocery every time we visit and stock up. read more

Stringtown Grocery is beyond AMAZING! All their bulk products are incredibly priced low. Great quality! I buy ranch powder, cheese powder for macaroni and cheese and all my spices and real vanilla at low, low prices. Any kind of flour, pasta, rice, jams, candies you'd ever imagine! My bestie has a food truck. She purchases her 8 pound block of smoked gouda here for 1/3 of the price of her local Hy-Vee food store! They are an Amish owned and ran business. Sign on outside states wear modest attire. Ran on generators, no electricity but you would never know it! They take cash and personal checks. NO CARDS. They have a cold room for fruits and local veggies, cheeses and meat. It is my all time favorite, one stop shopping store. Only 15 minutes from Iowa City. The chances of you seeing a horse and buggy parked outside are pretty high. Support local! Shop at Stringtown Grocery. You wont be disappointed. read more

I have been going to Stringtown for decades and love it! I understand that they are building a larger store next door, much needed. The price on flour is so cheap and it's a great product! read more

Wandered in here with the daughter's future relatives. This is truly an amazing place! A huge variety of food items and a huge variety of people shopping there. The prices for the most part are super reasonable. read more