Thanksgiving Business Spotlight: Ollie's Diner and Candy Shoppe
[December 20, 2025] In
the middle of New Holland, 103 W Lincoln to be exact, is a cute little
restaurant called Ollie’s Diner and Candy Shoppe, which opened with a
ribbon cut in April 2024.
Ollie’s is owned
by Cass Young, who used to own Mama’s Munchies. Cass said she basically
took her 16 year catering business and added a diner to it. She has
worked in the food and services industry for 30 years.
Cass said she chose this particular business because the opportunity
opened up. She wanted to do something that went well with the name diner
and decided to use the name Ollie. The name Ollie is a shortened version
of Oliver Holland, who founded the village of New Holland.
When the previous owners of the restaurant in this location relocated,
Cass said she had an opportunity to open a new diner there. Cass is from
Mason City, so she considers New Holland her neighbor and said it has a
nice small town atmosphere.
Among the many breakfast and lunch options on the menu at Ollie’s Diner
and Candy Shoppe, Cass said the most popular items are Grandma Mac’s
sausage gravy and biscuits and Boss Hogg tenderloin.
The diner also
has the “piglet,” which is their version of a “horseshoe” or “pony
shoe.” There are both breakfast and lunch options for the piglet with
different options for the meat, potatoes and bread, topped with sauce.
Breakfast piglets also include an egg made your way and can be topped
with sausage gravy instead of cheese sauce.
Additional menu options include breakfast sandwiches, breakfast
burritos, omelettes, burgers, grilled chicken, grilled cheese and salad.
Cass said she makes the majority of the sauces and dressings used at the
diner.
To satisfy the
sweet tooth, Cass makes hand dipped milk chocolate, white chocolate and
dark chocolate with soft centers like coconut, peanut butter, lemon
cream, orange dreamsicle, dark raspberry and mint chip. Pretzel rods
covered with chocolate are another popular treat.
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In one room, a
fireplace adds to the cozy atmosphere. Towards the back of the main
room, there are several antique items for sale.
For Cass, the best part of running her own business is answering to no
one but God. She has absorbed everything from other places she has
worked at. Cass said Ollie’s is “the least corporate atmosphere I could
come up with.”
Cass finds the most rewarding part of owning a small business is having
it in a small community. The smaller community helps create more of a
family atmosphere. Cass said, “we have a lot of repeat business, which
was my goal from day one.” On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the diner provides
senior meals for people 65 and older. She also gets a lot of to go
orders.
If you are planning an event and need a place to host it, Cass has a
room in the back of the diner called “The Room at 103.” She has a
special catering menu for that room.
The advice Cass would give someone starting fresh and hoping to
accomplish the same goals she has achieved is to “have all your ducks in
a row, your t’s crossed and your i’s dotted.” Cass took four months to
open the diner because she made sure to open prepared. She said if you
start out on the wrong foot, you will stay there.
When you want to enjoy a nice meal in a small-town diner, head on over
to Ollie’s Diner and Candy Shoppe at 103 N. Lincoln Street in New
Holland. The hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Additional hours on Friday and Saturday are from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. You
can find Ollie’s Diner and Candy Shoppe on
Facebook.
[Angela Reiners]
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