Homer's Deli — Restaurant in Clinton

I have been a regular at this establishment all of my life. Their cakes, cookies, and food have always been outstanding. Their business is clean. Which is, also, worth noting. However, several instances have made me decide to no longer support this business. I will detail each instance in order to present my case as to why I will no longer purchase anything from this establishment. First, I happened to be at Fulton Meat Market. I purchased Sweetheart Buns along with meat. Discovered buns had mold. No big deal. It happens .Instead of driving across river again, I attempted to exchange buns where they were originally baked .Nope. I was told to return them to Fulton meat market because that was the receipt I had. I just wanted fresh buns. I do not know why they could not have honored the request. They baked them. Second issue, the owner has a tendency to hover over her employees and humiliate them in front of customers. They had a lovely Indian girl working there for awhile, but then owner would repeatedly be behind her enforcing the meat weight requirement for sandwiches. I have worked in the past for food establishments. I think if the employee was giving more meat to the customers then take her aside after customer is gone and show her how you would like meat measured and the weight you would prefer to be allotted .The behavior is rude and inappropriate in front of customers. Third, and, honestly, I could write several more....but, I will end with this, Christmas, we ordered several items including a cookie tray. Someone else picked up our partial order in the morning on our behalf. Our tray was no where to be found. However, our tray was found about 45 minutes before they closed later in the afternoon. An employee called me and asked if I wanted to pick it up. I did not pick up the other items in the morning. I am in heart failure and was not having the best day and one of my eight year old twins was sick and in the bath when she called. I explained I would pick up the tray but was not paying for it. Someone had been there earlier and they could not find our tray. I had not received an apology or an offer of a credit, at this point. The employee excused herself off the phone and said she would speak to her boss .The boss gets back on in a huff and admits freely that she does not pay her employees enough to be yelled at or tolerate customers like me. Which she should rethink that comment. Maybe, she should pay them more. I did not yell at employee. My guess is employee was already afraid of her employer and was just trying to promote the issue that they had screwed up earlier in the day. The boss wanted me to return the receipt (I did not have it, the person who picked up order was now in Davenport) and the boss wanted me to return the cookies that we purchased in place of what we actually ordered. (they were in my basement) I do not utilize my stairs unless someone is home. Heart failure. Atrial fibrillation. And, I was alone with small child. Not safe. I explained all of this to her. She hung up on me. I decided to post on Facebook the name of our tray and offer it up to the fist person who could get there before they closed which was soon. I called the owner of the establishment and relayed to her that in the spirit of Christmas (which obviously she needed some), she was to give that tray to the first person who walked in and asked for it. She hung up on me, again. By the way, a nice family with 2 little boys enjoyed that cookie tray. I hope the owners grew some spirit and compassion or learned something from these events and theytchange their attitude. I understand they run a business and a business is about making money. But, they will continue to lose local friends that have eaten their cakes since the 1970s. Including, myself. May, I suggest they utilize some of the sugar from their bakery and sweeten up their personalities. Hopefully, they are able to turn things around. However, my family will no longer...

Sweetheart Bakery is one of the Historical Icons of Clinton Iowa. Being from Clinton , I can remember this place as far back as when I was a child around the late 1970's and 1980's way before it merged with Homer's Deli. After returning to Iowa because of living elsewhere for 31 years I got to stop by this place a few times, The people who work here are awesome and from what I could tell from what I had from here the sweets still haven't changed the way the cakes and cookies taste aren't like any other bakery where I have lived and the neapolitans? Are something all there own, the way they smell and taste. I load up and fatten up when I come here, you only live once. Homer's Deli pork sandwich with bbq sauce is good. Way back in the 1980's before Homer's relocated and merged with or bought? the bakery, IF I am remembering correctly Homer's had the Best Cheese soup and GREAT Hot dogs. ( IF I'm right) , I've wondered why they aren't on the menu anymore. Hope you guys have success as a business for a great many years and decades to come. To any one reading this please support your small local businesses and if you visit Clinton Iowa you've got to try...

Both of these businesses are Clinton area treasures. The flavors they create are etched in my memories. Blarney's are synonymous with spring in our town. They're what the season tastes like. Sweet, fresh, warm and bright. When I place our standard order of a Homer's sub and turkey club, it never fails to stir memories of lunch on the dike when my wife and I were dating over 35 years ago, of bags of sandwiches, chips & pickles as we rushed to make it to another of our children's events. Today, as we introduce our grandkids to the things we love about our area, we're passing on a tradition as we make new memories. Still as fresh and well made today as made me a loyal customer all...