Taylor's Maid-Rite of Marshalltown: Iowa Time Machine January 1, 1957

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On January 1, 1928, Taylor’s Maid-Rite opened in Marshalltown. Although not the original location, an honor held by Muscatine, Taylor’s Maid-Rite in Taylor is one of the most iconic and longest-running locations of the popular Iowa sandwich shop.

The first Maid-Rite sandwich shop, opened in Muscatine by local Butcher Fred Angell, combined a special cut and grind of meat with a secret set of spices to create the famous Iowa sandwich. When he tested it out on a local deliveryman who quipped, “Fred, you know this sandwich is made right,” an American icon was born. With the success of the first Maid-Rite, franchises soon followed.

After paying a $300 fee, Cliff Taylor brought Maid-Rite to Marshalltown. Sourcing pickles from the Marshall Vinegar Works and buns from the Marshalltown Strand’s Bakery, Taylor’s business soon took off. The Taylor's also added their own homemade pies to the menu, which featured hamburger ground fresh daily. When Cliff passed away in 1944, the next generation took over, with Don and Polly Taylor assuming responsibility for the popular local restaurant.

In 1958, a new ‘state of the art’ building saw Taylor’s Maid-Rite make a move across the street from the original stand. The business continued to prosper in the new location, and in 1985, it passed to Don and Polly’s grandson, Don Short. Eventually, Don and Polly’s daughter, Sandra Taylor Short, took over operations to continue the successful, family-run business. Over time, the franchise struggled, and by 2002, only 83 Maid-Rite stores remained. Twenty-one Maid-Rite locations, including Taylor’s Maid-Rite, still operate throughout the state of Iowa, as well as eleven additional stores in other states. #Iowa #OTD #History #MaidRite #Food