But now, Shelby locals Doug and Marci Robinson, Dave and Judy Robinson, and Gene and Peg McCool hope to add Exit 34 to the list of places to stop while venturing cross country. That's where The Corn Crib sits, the 4-week old, bright red BP gas station that resembles the iconic farm storage barn. Already it has entertained a number of curious tourists who want their picture next to something that really says Iowa.
That's just the reaction both the Robinsons and the McCools were going for when they started talks a year ago of opening a gas station. "We wanted to be different, better, friendlier," said Gene McCool, who bases his business in the customer-friendly, meet-and-greet attitude of his twelve person staff. "We never wanted to be normal. We always wanted to be unique."
But according to McCool, the Crib owners didn't just want to be different. "We want to be a little bit better at what we do, too," he said.
So the owners decided to make the Corn Crib more than just a matter of pulling up to the pump. They began stocking the store shelves with grocery items not typically found at your local gas station, because a quick trip to get eggs or bread could be miles away for those who live in Shelby.
The Corn Crib also offers free wi-fi in hopes that it'll invite customers to look at the hot spot as more than just a gas station. You wouldn't know it by the outside, but inside are a number of booths and tables that the owners hope will provide a local morning or afternoon hang-out.
Internet isn't the only thing that's free, either. The Crib once featured a bucket labeled "Free Samples: Homegrown Potato Chips" at the cashier's counter, which happens to be made of a grain bin. But after a local passerby requested to take over a dozen bags home, the Crib discovered they couldn't keep the bucket filled, so they started bagging the chips. "We didn't anticipate the potato chips to be such a hit," said Marci Robinson. Nonetheless, the free samples still remain on the counter as a gracious gesture.
Gatherers at the Corn Crib will find themselves sitting amidst a classic farmscape that features a life-size wagon and buggy, a fanning mill used for cleaning oats, and a chicken nest complete with a fake hen. "How do you know it's fake?" said Gene, joking. He poses a good question, though, for most of the decorations are actual family heirlooms brought in by the McCools and the Robinsons.
However, under the home-style decorations, McCool made it his top priority to see that the Corn Crib was also environmentally friendly. The building is double-insulated and features energy efficient lighting, while the interior paint is free of VOCs - those toxic solvents that are released into the air as paint dries, and according to the EPA, may be dangerous to longterm health.
To take an extra precaution, McCool wanted to see that his building was also certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). A LEED stamp means that a building has been evaluated by the U.S. Green Building Council and is considered environmentally sustainable because it uses its resources more efficiently compared to more conventional buildings that simply meet the code. "There's no c-store in Iowa that has that," said Gene, referring to his prized convenience store.
The Corn Crib owners also has another first to boast. "We have the only Domino's franchise along the interstate in the United States," said Marci Robinson. "Or the first one at least!" It was a discovery made after plans were put in place, and they chose the franchise simply because they felt it was a quality product.
Next to pizza, the Crib also spent the whole winter taste-testing barbecue before landing on Austin Blues, a line of smoked meats from Hormel Foods. Now, they prepare and sell the $6 to $7 meals on a daily basis. Doug Robinson likes the beef brisket, and anticipates it will become a local favorite, just like the Corn Crib.
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