June 29, 2023

This paid piece is sponsored by Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.

Grab an iconic doughnut and get ready for a day of fun with just a quick trip south of Sioux Falls to Centerville.

You’ll find unique shopping and fun dining within an easy walk in the community’s downtown.

This historic downtown Centerville building was a bank, a post office and most recently apartments when Christiana Ostrem saw a community void she felt needed to be filled.

“It was in pretty rough shape,” said Ostrem, executive director of The Seed Coffeehouse & Eatery.

“Our landlords helped us renovate the space and turn it into what it is today.”

Today, it’s part coffee shop and bistro, part community gathering place – and that’s the whole idea.

“The whole point of this coffee shop is ministry-oriented,” Ostrem said. “We wanted to not have profit be a barrier to us doing what we want to do. So we fundraised all our funds to start, and we also try to invest in the community as much as we can, put any profits we have right back into community sports teams, the school, even individuals helping them out if they need a lunch.”

The Seed at 600 Broadway St. offers breakfast and lunch, a full line of espresso drinks, smoothies and teas. The most recent addition has brought extended hours.

Shakes, sundaes, homemade ice cream sandwiches and scoops are served with SDSU Ice Cream.

Hours are 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

“It’s been neat to see the range of ages. We get everything from seniors to young moms to high school kids coming in here,” Ostrem said.

Just a short walk away, you’ll find Centerville’s newest home for all things home decor.

“Our motto is ‘decor and more,’ so you can find home decor here. You can also find gift options, furnishings, furniture, and we refurbish and also buy new and resell furniture,” said Kari Surprenant, owner KS Custom Creations.

She started making wood signs out of her house, then expanded into pop-up shops out of her home and special events before opening the retail shop KSCC Marketplace in 2020 at 817 Main St.

“Centerville is amazing,” Surprenant said. “We are so supported by the community foundation and by the community members. We pull from a lot of different small towns in the area as well, but Centerville, it will always back you 100 percent.”

Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

And don’t leave town without a new look. Inside Chic Boutique, owner Christen Cunningham has filled her store at 608 Broadway St. with finds for every style.

She never intended to start a boutique, but after her daughter shut down her Centerville salon during the pandemic, “we went ahead and got a few things in there to supplement her income,” Cunningham said.

“A little bit of jewelry, some T-shirts. Pretty soon, people were asking if we could customize and if we could get purses and jewelry, and it just started spiraling.”

With the salon out of space, she found a building for the boutique and opened on Black Friday 2021.

“I want everybody to feel valued when they walk in the door — want them to feel better about themselves, having come in and looked around and found something that made them feel beautiful, made them feel important and that they matter,” Cunningham said. “My main thing is customer service. I’ve been in retail for over 35 years, and you don’t get that everywhere. So it’s just the connection, the personal connection.”

Chic Boutique offers more than 70 jean styles in sizes 0 to 24, handbags of all kinds, casual to professional clothing styles and gift items.

There are options for birthday and wedding gifts, with wrapping available, and an inspiration corner for someone who might be having a bad day.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

“I’m pulling in a lot of shoppers that are coming from Sioux Falls,” she said. “I have ladies that are doing shopping day trips, coming down and going to The Seed for lunch, stopping at KSCC and looking at her merchandise. We just do a really nice job of sending people back and forth to each other to make sure they hit everything in town.”

And, of course, you can’t venture to Centerville without a stop at the iconic former Royal Bake Shop, known for its Zebra doughnuts and now under new ownership. Bryan Hille bought Ellis Donuts from Keith and Janine Ellis this spring and renamed it Zebra King Donuts. The building’s sign at 516 Broadway St. still bears the old name, but there’s a new sign on the window.

A word of advice on the Zebras: Order at least a day ahead. Locals tell us doughnuts often are sold out early.

Hours at the bakery are 6 a.m. to noon Tuesday through Saturday. Note: The bakery will be closed July 4-13 and will not accept phone orders July 14-15.

Tornado Days

This happens to be the perfect week to visit Centerville! Tornado Days takes its name from the high school mascot. Teener Baseball games begin the festivities, but the kickoff party with music is in the park tonight. On Friday, there’s a golf tournament, Dakota Kids tractor pedal pull, toilet bowl races and the Firemen’s Street Dance featuring the BS Band. Saturday features a range of fun from a kids track meet to softball, volleyball and bean bag tournaments. The car show is from 3 to 6 p.m. on Main Street. Sunday is filled with activities from a community worship service in the morning to a bike parade, bingo and a community supper, wrapping up with fireworks at dusk. On Monday, the unofficial Float the River invites people to grab a kayak or tube and meet at 1 p.m. at the Vermillion River along town. For the full schedule, go to visitcentervillesd.com.