The Cobblestone Ballroom & Event Center in Lakeside received a special visit Thursday from U.S. Senator Joni Ernst, who stopped in to personally present the business with the Small Business of the Week award it earned back in February.
Ernst, a Republican from Red Oak who chairs the Senate Small Business Committee, told Cobblestone co-owners Jennifer Hustedt and Natalie Schumann that the recognition goes far beyond a framed certificate.
The Cobblestone was formally entered into the Congressional Record earlier this year, and Ernst said that means the business — and its revival — will be preserved permanently.
The Cobblestone, founded in 1929, was once a major regional destination for dining, dancing, and live music. After closing in 1986, the building sat vacant for nearly four decades until the Hustedts and Schumanns purchased it in 2022 and began extensive restoration work.
Schumann said the project has always been about honoring the stories that began inside the historic space — and making sure those stories keep growing.
Ernst said that the project reflects the kind of community‑driven investment she hopes to highlight statewide.
Since reopening, the Cobblestone has again become a hub for celebrations — hosting weddings, reunions, trivia nights and live music. One of the most notable moments came when The Senders, among the last bands to perform before the 1986 closure, returned to the stage for the venue’s open house.
Inside, the owners have blended restoration with preservation: murals uncovered in the Mermaid Room, charred wood intentionally left in the ballroom ceiling and repurposed original fixtures all serve as reminders of the building’s long history while creating space for new memories.
Ernst told the crowd gathered Thursday that this combination of revival and community pride is exactly why she created the Small Business of the Week program and why the Cobblestone was selected for the honor.
