Iowa Logos

Famous Iowa Logos

Iowa is often considered a bridge state, connecting the vast plains and grasslands of the west to plentiful forests to the east, and is bordered by both the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. While more than 17 native tribes had called Iowa home for centuries, its discovery was credited to French explorers Joliet and Marquette in 1680.

Iowa is a significant historical stepping stone for many political changes and during the civil war sided predominately with the Union, many of its citizens voting for Abraham Lincoln. They knew through such a progressive Republican leader the future of America was destined to be just and equal. Land ownership, freeing of slaves, and prospects that came with new rail lines pushed Iowa into a more modern age. 

Here below we have collected some logo designs that represent companies famous for being founded in Iowa.

Hy-vee

One of the more prominent grocery retail chains in Iowa and through much of the Midwest, Hyvee offers a wonderful selection, friendly staff, and reasonable prices that keep its customer base loyal and happy. It was founded in 1930 but its first official logo wasn’t presented until 1952. It was in black and white and perfect for newsprint.

The first logo was the most involved. At the top, in an almost comic book lettering font it reads “IT PAYS TO SHOP AT”, followed just below that with the company name in what is reminiscent of comic action sequences, “Hy-Vee.” Those who remember classic Batman comics can imagine a punch that says “POW,” replace it with “Hy-Vee”, and it becomes clearer in the description. Finally, below and to the right in a rectangular bubble, we see simple the words “FOOD STORES.”

IN 1955, Hy-vee went in a different direction with its branding ad campaign. In this version, the store name is in a similar font to common detergent brands of the time, still all in black and white, but with “100% Employee owned” taking up the lower right spot. The store chain coming out as a coop became a staple of its branding and the most recent version, this time in red and a unique font, still shows its employee ownership on the logo.

Casey’s

Iowa is a place where farmers are proud to toil in the production of foods for the masses, and Casey’s celebrates that in its distinctive barn and weathervane logo. The convenience store chain started in 1968 in Boone Iowa and is now present and popular in 16 states in and around the Midwest. They offer fuel, and food, and occasionally even have restaurant chains attached to their building.

The original Casey’s logo was distinctive and looked much like the steeple of a barn, the roof area in brown shingles with “CASEY’S” in white lettering backed by red below the roof, “GENERAL STORE” in Black backed by yellow below that. A weathervane topped the logo, also in black. Casey’s rebranded to update its connection with the public in 2020, changing the entire façade of the logo to all red, with only the word “Casey’s” within in a fun font.

Pella

Founded in 1925, Pella quickly became a household name for their glass products, more specifically Mason Jars, which were used for everything from moonshining to preserving fruits. IN 1992 Pella moved into the home window and sliding door market and rebranded, changing its name to Pella Corporation. The town of Pella, Iowa is its primary base of operation and many of the residents work within its employee ranks.

Pella’s logo is simple and has withstood the tests of time. It is always written in cursive, in black coloring, but can be seen backdropped by either gold or white, however, the majority of its product line shows the gold circular backing with its brand name within. Some of the products have a circular logo within a square frame, typically to single out their windows amongst competitors.