Owners Rebecca Ropp and Beth Escher

When you stop in for a cup of coffee or for lunch you may find Rebecca either in the kitchen cooking or out front cashiering as she deals with the daily managing routine of a B&B, café, and still cooks a few days a week (this is still her first love).

Besides cooking Rebecca also enjoys gardening, making floral arrangements and spending time with her family and friends and having a good laugh. If you ever need to get to Cedar Rapids from Kalona, call Rebecca and hold on tight!

You will see Beth every day over noon (as she’s taking a break from her other full time job) and Saturdays. She is more involved in the accounting end of the business and wherever else she is needed.

Beth has lived in the Kalona area all of her life. She has three children Brandon, Chelsea and Zach which also keep her busy. She enjoys reading, embroidery work, being with friends and family, and going to movies

One of the most asked question is where does the name ‘Columns & Chocolate’ come from???? Well as you’ll see there are columns through out the whole building including outside to upstairs in the Guest House. And chocolate comes from all the different chocolates we sell. And no, we don’t make any of them here yet.

History
The original owners and builders of this house were by the name of Ulysess and Martha Snider dated back to the early 1900’s. Mr. Snider was the Undertaker, but his wife was never one of his customers, Martha lived until she was 103 years old!

Mrs. Snider loved growing vegetables in her garden and had a cave in the back yard to store them in. Cave? Don't ask, we haven't found the cave yet.

Over the years it has been occupied by several different Doctors and residents.

In January of 1997 Todd and Sherri Thompson became the new owners and spent months renovating it into a Victorian style building. They spent a lot of time shopping for antiques, all those mismatched dishes and the unique inspirations that give this place that one of a kind feeling you experience as you walk in.

Opening the doors for business in Sept. of 1998 with four rooms upstairs for the Bed & Breakfast and downstairs a tearoom and mercantile it has grown so much bigger then Sherri could ever have dreamed.

That’s when she decided to sell it to Beth and Rebecca in Aug. 2003 so she can spend more time with her family.

Now you know the rest of the story.

Kalona, Iowa

Quilts:
For 25 years, the annual Kalona Quilt Show and Sale has drawn thousands of visitors to the town, making it the quilt capital of Iowa. Held the last Friday and Saturday of April, the show reveals what is current in the quilt world in terms of new designs, fabrics and adaptive techniques.

Quilting is both an art and a social event in Kalona where the quilting bee is common in homes, churches, and clubs. The results of these hours of close handiwork are available throughout the town's shops. Even more, examples of antique and modern quilts are on display at the Kalona Quilt and Textile Museum.

In the process, Kalona quilts have found homes throughout the world (including one in the Kremlin) and were the subject of a Japanese documentary film. Many have found that the thread in Kalona quilts is a tie to history, especially in a town where the past continues with the presentKnown as "The Quilt Capitol of Iowa," the charming country town of Kalona is a quilt all its own--a myriad of unique patterns both old and new. This is held towards the end of April every Year.

Its pioneer heritage is richly displayed in the Historical Village & Museum of antique collections, as well as in the horse-and-buggy Amish who continue to live in the simple, wholesome lives of our great grandparents.

Red Hat Day in Kalona
How It Started:
It all started with a simple gift. Sue Ellen Cooper gave a dear friend, Linda Murphy, a copy of the poem "Warning" by British author Jenny Joseph and a bright red vintage fedora to celebrate her 55th birthday in November 1997. "Warning" begins: "When I am an old woman I shall wear purple with a red hat which doesn't go and doesn't suit me" and continues on to state that aging can be filled with many frivolous and "freeing" moments. The Red Hat Society officially formed in spring 1998 under Sue Ellen Cooper, who is fondly regarded as the Exalted Queen Mother. The Founding Chapter, the first chapter, humbly formed in Fullerton, California with an afternoon tea. The second chapter formed in Florida. Word quickly spread of these outings after a story appeared in "Romantic Homes" magazine in July 2000. Since then, thousands of articles have been published in regional newspapers and national magazines such as "Good Housekeeping" and "Women's Day."

Kalona Area Tours
All area attractions are open to those who want to discover Kalona and its Village on their own time. Group tours of the area are arranged for groups of fifteen or more people by the Kalona Historical Society. Each tour includes a home-cooked meal in a Mennonite home, a visit to the Historical Village and a variety of other attractions from which selections are made, all under the direction of experienced tour guides.

You will travel the scenic backroads with our guides and discover the world of the Amish who continue to flow with the seasons and live simple, wholesome lives from our great grandparents. You'll see their homes, schools, farms and beautifully manicured gardens as you pass by. The tour will also include a visit to a local shop.

The Amana Colonies
Whether you are an antique lover, wine connoisseur or someone who simply enjoys browsing through shops filled with exquisitely hand crafted and unique items, you will find shopping in the Amanas a delightful experience. Nearly 60 different specialty stores are dotted throughout our villages...unique Christmas shops, needlework and quilt shops, many quality antique shops, heirloom furniture and clock shops, handcrafted ironwork and baskets, beautiful woolens from Iowa's only woolen mill, galleries and shops filled with treasures created by artisans dedicated to the tradition of quality.