05/15/2026
Lowenberg Bakery, 109 Years of Bread and Family.
Growing up in Ottumwa, chances are the smell of fresh bread came from one place: Lowenberg Bakery. For more than a century, Lowenberg wasn’t just a bakery. It was part of our daily life, a place where family worked, a staple when we gathered, and even a few sweet treats for our lunch boxes.
A Family Dream That Started in 1875
Lowenberg Bakery began in 1875, founded by the Lowenberg family. German immigrants who arrived when Ottumwa was thriving with new industries. The city was still young when their first small bakery opened at 320 East Main Street.
A few decades later, the business moved to 334 West Second Street, just steps from the Des Moines River. If you’ve ever seen the old photos and postcards, you know the spot with that unmistakable Lowenberg Bakery sign.
Bread, Pastries & the Famous “Gold a Sno” Cake
In the early 1900s the shop was known as Lowenberg Brothers Bakery, and the family was known across the state. In 1914, Anton Lowenberg became president of the Iowa Master Bakers Association, showing how respected the bakery had become.
Lowenberg built its legacy on quality, a few of the many baked goods included:
Sunbeam Bread
Mary Jane Bread
Small Cakes and Pastries
And its Depression-era favorite: the “Gold a Sno” cake
A Workplace That Felt Like Family
Part of Lowenberg’s story is the people who worked there. For decades, the bakery was one of Ottumwa’s most stable employers. Many Ottumwans spent years, sometimes entire work life, inside those warm, flour-dusted walls.
A few of the names remembered:
Hazel Lewis, who worked there for 34 years (1950s–1984)
Luella Stater (1971–1984)
Donald L. Jones, who spent nine years there during and after WWII
Kenneth “Kenny” Anderson, who joined after the Korean War
Otto H. Samp, employed from roughly 1905–1915 during the bakery’s growing years
The bakery also participated in the era of rising labor organization, signing a working agreement with the Bakery and Confectionery Workers’ International Union Local 412—a sign of how large and established the operation had become.
The Ovens Go Cold—But the Memories Remain
After 109 years in business, Lowenberg Bakery closed on August 17, 1984. By then, big industrial bakeries and Wal-Mart were squeezing out small, family-owned operations across the country. Sad. It was the end of an era, not just for the bakery, but for our whole way of life in Ottumwa.
But the stories remain.
Former employees and friends have held reunions, families share photos, stories, keepsakes, and memories of early mornings, warm loaves, and that unforgettable smell!
Why Lowenberg Still Matters
Lowenberg Bakery is more than a business remembered with nostalgia. It’s a piece of Ottumwa’s immigrant roots, our working history of making things. Our, now rare, self sufficient nature of the time.
When we talk about Ottumwa’s past, we’re really talking about us and the places that shaped our lives. Lowenberg Bakery did that for more than a century, and its legacy continues every time someone says:
“Remember the Smell”
