Princess Sweet Shop (Iowa Falls, Iowa) Explained

Princess--Sweet Shop
Nrhp Type:indcp
Nocat:yes
Partof:Washington Avenue Commercial Historic District
Partof Refnum:12000889
Location:607 Washington Ave.
Iowa Falls, Iowa
Coordinates:42.5194°N -93.2644°W
Built:1935
Architect:Klippel, L.L.; Sprague, J.J.
Architecture:Art Deco
Added:October 1, 1993
Area:less than one acre
Refnum:93000957

The Princess Sweet Shop is a historic building located in Iowa Falls, Iowa, United States. It is noted as "an outstanding example of Art Deco design from 1935. The Carrara Glass façade, and streamlined woodwork are typical of Art Deco design of the 1920s and 1930s, but a rarity in a small town in Iowa."[1] Ernie Karrys(Karamitsanis) and Nicholas P. Pergakis opened the Princess in 1915. Two years later, The Sweet Shop opened by Harry Pergakis. These three men were born in the town of Asprokampos, Greece. It was common for Greek immigrants to establish candy shop around the U.S.[2] They combined their operations at the Princess location in 1928. Sadly, Nicholas died of cancer in September 1928 at age 39. The building was destroyed in a fire on December 25, 1934. Local architect L.L. Klippel designed the new building, which was completed in 1935. It was the first building in Iowa Falls that was air conditioned.[2] Members of the Harry Perkagis family maintained ownership until 1987. The business is still in operation as a soda fountain under different ownership.

The building was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. It was included as a contributing property in the Washington Avenue Commercial Historic District in 2012.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Princess Sweet Shop. National Park Service http://www.nps.gov/history/Nr/travel/hardin/pri.htm
  2. Web site: [{{NRHP url|id=93000957}} Princess - Sweet Shop]. National Park Service. 2016-07-02. Molly Myers Naumann. with
  3. Web site: [{{NRHP url|id=12000889}} Washington Avenue Commercial Historic District]. National Park Service. 2016-11-07. Molly Myers Naumann.