Iola’s bar-scene slump

IOLA – At an Iola Village Board meeting on Jan. 14, local bar owners were present to express their concern over the Iola Police Department.
Laura Marker, owner of the Corner Bar in Iola, was one of those residents who are worried about the police presence around her bar.
“You guys all want everyone to put effort into bringing their businesses up-to-date and having good curb appeal, right? Well it’s a little hard, and I’m speaking on behalf of bar owners here,” said Marker. “It’s hard to do that when your main sales [are] alcohol and your customers are being targeted by your police department.”
Marker said at the board meeting that she has lost income over the past three months, which she attributes to the presence of police vehicles.
Mark McCoy, owner of Mark McCoy’s Flat Tracker Tap, was also at the meeting and agreed with Marker’s assessment of the current situation in Iola.

“In our business, at ten o’clock at night if there’s an officer sitting in front of our front door, that very much affects our business,” said McCoy. “It’s been affecting business more lately.”
Village Board President Jennifer Schustek said her business at the Crystal Café, has also been slower over the past few months, which she attributes to a poor economy and not the police presence in Iola.
“In a tough economy, people have tendencies to point fingers and blame others for issues that are their own,” said Schustek. “People make choices every day, some good, some bad, and there are consequences for bad choices.”
McCoy rebutted her statement saying that the Crystal Café is not the same as a tavern.
“Our businesses are different than most other businesses, like the café,” said McCoy. “At four o’clock in the afternoon if an officer is sitting in front of your front door that’s probably not going to affect your business.”
A story about one of the Iola police officers pulling over a fire department vehicle, was brought up at the Village Board meeting, it was also circulated on the Iola-Scandinavia Happening Now Facebook page.
The claim is that an Iola officer pulled over a fire department truck because he did not hear a call over the radio.
Chief Zierler said the claim is false, stating that no officer conducted a traffic stop on a fire department vehicle the weekend of Jan. 10 which is when the story began circulating.
“As several people on social media have continued to spread the misinformation, it has affected not only the department, but village workers, and the village board members negatively,” said Chief Zierler. “The officer identified in the Facebook posts did nothing wrong.”
Schustek reiterated at the meeting that she wants to only hear facts, also claiming the accusation about the Iola officer was false.
“Social media holds a place for amusement, not facts,” Schustek said. “The use of this platform for opinions and complaints can lead down a dark path with ill intentions. The Iola police department has been bombarded with complaints from bar goers on social media.”
Chief Zierler said the Iola Police Department has complaint forms that can be filled out; however, knowingly making a false claim against a police officer is illegal.
Chief Zierler said no complaint forms were filled out in 2024 and none have been filled out yet in 2025.
Schustek and the village board police committee met with bar owners to further discuss their concerns Feb. 5.
Marker and McCoy were present as well as Sherri Miller, owner of Thirsty Perch, and they continued the conversation started at the village board meeting.
“They see the cops sitting outside of establishments, whether it be 10-LA, whether it be Mark’s, whether it be the golf course,” said Miller. “They’re like ‘we come in, we have one drink and have dinner, [and] you feel targeted to leave.’”
In 2024, Iola Police Chief Paul Zierler said, there were five operating while intoxicated (OWI) tickets written which were resulted from vehicle accidents, speeding or erratic driving or equipment violations.
He said of the OWI’s given none of the drivers were followed from any of the bars.
Marker said her customers will not come to town out of fear of being pulled over for trivial infractions as well as having feelings of being targeted.
“We feel the loss of business,” Marker said. “The damage has already been done; they are talking about it as far as Marion. I mean people are talking about it everywhere that it’s excessive, they won’t come to this community.”
Miller agreed.
“There are rumor mills but guess what? They kill a village in a heartbeat,” Miller said. “As much as everybody wants to believe they don’t, when Manawa’s talking, Clintonville is talking, Big Falls is talking, Waupaca is talking, I can’t even imagine what is going to happen this summer.”
The police committee has agreed to look in to the allegations and concerns affecting Iola bar owners
Pamela Parks, a member of the village board and head of the police committee, said that the concerns expressed are important and affect the community and she intends to follow up along with the committee.
Schustek and Zierler were both reached for comment on the concerns held by local bar owners.
“Iola has so much to offer, and the Iola Police Department is here to provide protection of life and property to all village residents and businesses, while giving our community the quality of life and safety they deserve,” said Chief Zierler.
Schustek agreed.
“The police are here to serve and protect the entire village, businesses and residents. We are very lucky as a small community to have a police department,” said Schustek. “The Iola police department is a very intricate part of keeping Iola safe.”
The next police committee meeting is March 4 at 5:30 p.m. at Village Hall, 180 S. Main St. The meeting will be open to the public.