If you’re walking or driving down Main Street in Clarion this week, you may catch a whiff of something delicious. It could be freshly baked cinnamon rolls or maybe scratch-made meatloaf. Whatever it is, it will be home-cooked and from the heart. Or at least that is the goal for the owners of the soon-to-be open Twiins Shoppe restaurant in downtown Clarion.
Mike and Mindy Hackbarth are the owners of the new Twiins location in Clarion. The restaurant business is not new to the family. They currently have the original Twiins location in Eagle Grove which Mike says his parents bought in the early 90s. He and Mindy took it over in the last few years as they retired from their previous jobs. Mike formerly managed a car dealership while Mindy worked as a registered nurse. The Eagle Grove location has your small-town diner feel, serving burgers, chicken strips and lots of ice cream treats.
Mike explains that last year, they decided to expand to Clarion. They started serving their tasty cold treats right on Hwy 3 at the former frozen yogurt stand/filling station. Mike said the Clarion crowd was more than welcoming. “We love the attitude of the Clarion folks. When they have come for ice cream, they are so positive and engaging. I guess ice cream does that to people!”
The Hackbarths said their local reception has been so great they decided to move forward with a goal they’ve had for a while…. To open a full sit-down restaurant in Clarion. So they recently purchased the old New Home Café location at 106 S Main Street and got to work. They painted, put in new carpet, added tables and brightened up the place. They are looking forward to welcoming hungry customers.
Mindy admits that they momentarily rethought their plans to open given the current COVID climate. She said, “It is scary to open a new business right now.” But she adds they decided to take the plunge and hope for the best. “We decided it’s now or never!”
Twiins menu should definitely help to lure in customers. The Hackbarths said they are aiming for good, home-cooked food. “We have the burgers and fries, but we’re really working toward a meal like you would have at home,” said Mindy. This includes meatloaf, goulash, ribs, and steaks. They will also be doing a Friday fish fry and an impressive sized, hand-pounded pork tenderloin.
Another great perk of the Twiins in Clarion is that they will be open for breakfast! Mike says the plan is to open at 7 a.m. with a full breakfast menu, including freshly made cinnamon rolls. Right now, the scheduled hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. everyday, with Wednesday being their only closed day. The Hackbarths added that they hope to be open in the next week. People can check their Facebook page “Twiins Shoppe Clarion Iowa” for updates.
For now, Mike says they plan to keep the ice cream at the Hwy 3 location. He noted that an eventual goal would be to move it all to the Main Street location, though they have to figure out the logistics of spacing and seating first.
Clarion Chamber Board President Jordan Marker is thrilled by the Twiins opening and is excited to welcome them to Main Street. “Anything we can do to keep Clarion vibrant and thriving is great, especially using downtown locations! I think that it will be awesome, especially considering they will have breakfast!”
The Hackbarths too are looking forward to being part of Clarion in a bigger way. Mindy, who will be one of the main cooks, said “I’m excited! I like taking care of people and one way to do that is with a good meal.” Mike added, “We’re just really happy to be part of the community.”
