Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, Canteen Lunch in the Alley
Throughout this Congress, Ranking Member Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.
RED OAK, Iowa – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Canteen Lunch in the Alley of Wapello County. Throughout this Congress, Ranking Member Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa’s 99 counties.
“After purchasing the historic Canteen Lunch in the Alley restaurant in 2015, Scott and Janice Pierce have honored the restaurant’s humble beginnings and maintained its nearly century-long tradition of serving canteen sandwiches with a smile in Ottumwa, Iowa,” said Ranking Member Ernst. “I want to congratulate the Pierce family and the entire Canteen Lunch in the Alley team for their incredible efforts to preserve this neighborhood institution and thank them for continuing to serve tasty, homemade meals for hardworking folks in their community.”
Originally opened in 1927 by Dusty Rhoades, this mom-and-pop diner was purchased by the Carter family and moved to its current location on 2nd Street in Ottumwa in 1936, where it remains today in the care of the Pierce family. Since then, Canteen Lunch in the Alley has been serving loose-meat “canteen” sandwiches in the same location for 97 years at its unique horseshoe-shaped lunch counter. Today, Canteen Lunch in the Alley uses 800 pounds of ground beef weekly to meet the high demand. In addition to serving sandwiches, this hidden gem serves homemade pies, ice cream, hot dogs, and egg sandwiches. In 2017, Canteen Lunch in the Alley was named the best loose-meat sandwich in Iowa by USA Today and served as the host location of the World Championship Canteen Eating Contest three times since 2018.
Stay tuned as Ranking Member Ernst recognizes more Iowa small businesses across the state with her Small Business of the Week award.
###
