small-town living at its finest

LAKELAND

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3474 Old Hwy 18
Ruthven, IA 51358

About

Lakeland EZ Stoppe was built on the edge of small-town Ruthven, Iowa in 1986.

This booming convenience store and gas station was family owned for over 30 years by Jim and Joann Schoning of Ruthven.

In late 2019, the Schonings sold the business to area residents Dan and Tammy Chapman and Pete and Andrea Crew and the name was changed only slightly to Lakeland EZ Stop.

The business may have changed hands but the family-owned, small town feel lives on.
Perhaps the most well-known offering of this quaint little “stop” is the soft-serve ice cream.
People are known to drive for miles in order to get a delicious lick of this sweet treat.

New Additions

Featured Items

Since the change of ownership, an addition has been added to the back of the store for storage, brand new restrooms were built, pay-at-the-pump gas pumps were installed, and a kitchen is being added that will serve pizza, chicken, and popular side dishes such as mashed potatoes/gravy, biscuits, mac and cheese, and fries.
Homemade Pizza

Krispy Krunchy Chicken

Soft-Serve Ice Cream

Our Community

Ruthven, Iowa, a small Palo Alto County town of about 770 residents is “small-town living at its finest.”

Located in northwest Iowa on Highway 18 and founded in 1884, Ruthven has been called the “Hub of the Wetlands” since five lakes are located within 10 miles of the community. Two miles north of town, Lost Island Lake offers visitors and residents a swimming beach, campground, cafe, resorts, public boat launches, and beautiful hiking trails.
Ruthven residents are proud of their K-12 public school, a well-kept public park and swimming pool, a public library, fire department, several churches, and a community care facility that has assisted- and independent-living units. Ruthven celebrates “Bully Bullhead Weekend” annually on the weekend following July 4th. The event includes a parade, a tractor ride, a kid’s carnival, athletic tournaments, and of course, the bullhead fishing tournament.

Email Us

Contact Us

3474 Old Hwy 18, Ruthven, IA
712.837.5414

Store Hours

Monday-Sunday: 10am – 6pm