Fox Lunch
1318 Second Street – Perry, Iowa
As you look at the structure located at 1318 Second Street in Perry, you might question the importance of a small hollow tile block building appearing on the National Historic Register of the United States. However, if you were to talk with many of the lifelong residents of the Perry Community you would find that this small unassuming structure houses many memories of happy, lively conversations as locals and railroad travelers shared delicious food and popular topics of the day.
This building like others aligning Perry’s Second Street Historic District is an example of how transportation stimulated growth in Iowa during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Rather than locating this business structure on First Avenue, a wider more heavily travelled street, this building was built on Second Street as it was the closest to the railroad depot and other railroad facilities. The building was constructed in 1931 with John Fox as the proprietor of the business. Therefore, this structure has always been known as the Fox Lunch Building.
The Fox Lunch Building is a one-story, commercial building, whose façade is constructed of hollow tile block which was originally painted brown and later painted white. It has a storefront window, which features a precast concrete lintel, situated to the north of the building entrance. A wooden fence stands to the south of this building between it and 1314-1316 Second Street. The façade of the building is considered 1 Room. The 1 Room façade indicates a structure that is only 25 feet wide and normally only one-story tall. This building is an anomaly in Perry’s downtown because of its small size and the use of hollow tile block for its façade.
This structure has no architectural classification. Although this building does not conform to a particular architectural style, its employment of hollow tile as a facing material calls attention to the willingness of Perry entrepreneurs to experiment with new building materials. The Fox Lunch building is the only such building within the Perry Historic District whose façade is so faced. The siting of this building calls attention to the up building of Second Street as a commercial corridor during the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries.
When Mr. John Fox opened this building in 1934, as a café, he had a lunch counter with seven stools. Mr. Fox later added an additional six stools to the inside of the building. He operated the business from 1934 until January of 1964. Mr. Fox worked long hours as the café was open most times 24 hours a day. Many of the railroad workers would come to Fox Lunch for their meals whether breakfast, lunch, or dinner and then return to work. The convenient location at only a block and a half from the depot was perfect for workers in the area. The close proximity to the Grand Theater also provided a good place to stop for a homemade dessert following a trip to the movies. Mr. Fox offered a special lunch menu with a large variety of homemade pies. His business was so good that even through the stools were filled with customers people would come in and stand behind someone who was already seated to wait for their turn for a stool and some delicious food. Following John Fox sale of the building in 1964, the building housed Eddie’s Lunch in 1977 and during the 80s Danny’s Lunch.
Most recently the building housed a ladies fashion business. However, the success of a ready to wear store in this small building was not successful causing the building to be empty for several years. After being empty for several years, deterioration began. With the restoration of the Grand Theater by Fridley Entertainment of Des Moines it became apparent that improvements to the Fox Lunch building were needed. Seeing the need to improve the aesthetics of this area of the Perry Historic District, the Perry NUDGERS began the task of restoring this building to its original state. This process is being continued by the current owners of the building who are making changes needed for their business.
As you look at the structure located at 1318 Second Street in Perry, you might question the importance of a small hollow tile block building appearing on the National Historic Register of the United States. However, if you were to talk with many of the lifelong residents of the Perry Community you would find that this small unassuming structure houses many memories of happy, lively conversations as locals and railroad travelers shared delicious food and popular topics of the day.
This building like others aligning Perry’s Second Street Historic District is an example of how transportation stimulated growth in Iowa during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Rather than locating this business structure on First Avenue, a wider more heavily travelled street, this building was built on Second Street as it was the closest to the railroad depot and other railroad facilities. The building was constructed in 1931 with John Fox as the proprietor of the business. Therefore, this structure has always been known as the Fox Lunch Building.
The Fox Lunch Building is a one-story, commercial building, whose façade is constructed of hollow tile block which was originally painted brown and later painted white. It has a storefront window, which features a precast concrete lintel, situated to the north of the building entrance. A wooden fence stands to the south of this building between it and 1314-1316 Second Street. The façade of the building is considered 1 Room. The 1 Room façade indicates a structure that is only 25 feet wide and normally only one-story tall. This building is an anomaly in Perry’s downtown because of its small size and the use of hollow tile block for its façade.
This structure has no architectural classification. Although this building does not conform to a particular architectural style, its employment of hollow tile as a facing material calls attention to the willingness of Perry entrepreneurs to experiment with new building materials. The Fox Lunch building is the only such building within the Perry Historic District whose façade is so faced. The siting of this building calls attention to the up building of Second Street as a commercial corridor during the late Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries.
When Mr. John Fox opened this building in 1934, as a café, he had a lunch counter with seven stools. Mr. Fox later added an additional six stools to the inside of the building. He operated the business from 1934 until January of 1964. Mr. Fox worked long hours as the café was open most times 24 hours a day. Many of the railroad workers would come to Fox Lunch for their meals whether breakfast, lunch, or dinner and then return to work. The convenient location at only a block and a half from the depot was perfect for workers in the area. The close proximity to the Grand Theater also provided a good place to stop for a homemade dessert following a trip to the movies. Mr. Fox offered a special lunch menu with a large variety of homemade pies. His business was so good that even through the stools were filled with customers people would come in and stand behind someone who was already seated to wait for their turn for a stool and some delicious food. Following John Fox sale of the building in 1964, the building housed Eddie’s Lunch in 1977 and during the 80s Danny’s Lunch.
Most recently the building housed a ladies fashion business. However, the success of a ready to wear store in this small building was not successful causing the building to be empty for several years. After being empty for several years, deterioration began. With the restoration of the Grand Theater by Fridley Entertainment of Des Moines it became apparent that improvements to the Fox Lunch building were needed. Seeing the need to improve the aesthetics of this area of the Perry Historic District, the Perry NUDGERS began the task of restoring this building to its original state. This process is being continued by the current owners of the building who are making changes needed for their business.