Hooray for Ames: Raygun set to open doors of its newest location Friday morning

Teresa Kay Albertson, Ames Tribune
Updated ·2 min read

It's not an Olive Garden, but the newest downtown store will likely generate a similar buzz.

Raygun opens its doors to the general public at 9 a.m. Friday in Ames.

The new store is located at 301 Main St Suite 106 where Hair Professionals once occupied. The storefront is on the ground level of the Sheldon Munn Hotel.

The establishment often plasters creative and witty sayings on their T-shirts, even taking a jab at locals' pandering for an Olive Garden. Raygun's website sells a vinyl sticker that mirrors Olive Garden's logo but reads, "Ames, Iowa: We don't have an Olive Garden."

Raygun also has locations in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Cedar Falls, Davenport, Chicago, Kansas City and Omaha, Nebraska. Their most recent T-shirt honors a misspelled water tower in Stuart. The shirt reads "Start, Iowa: It's not Stuart without 'U.'"

Ames residents often tell Chamber of Commerce officials that the one thing they want more than anything is an Olive Garden restaurant. This popular vinyl sticker selling on the Raygun website highlights that desire. As of Friday, June 30, 2023, Ames may not have an Olive Garden, but it will have The Greatest Store in the Universe.
Ames residents often tell Chamber of Commerce officials that the one thing they want more than anything is an Olive Garden restaurant. This popular vinyl sticker selling on the Raygun website highlights that desire. As of Friday, June 30, 2023, Ames may not have an Olive Garden, but it will have The Greatest Store in the Universe.

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Alison Donaghy, an employee at Raygun's flagship location in Des Moines, said the Ames store is expected to mirror the metro store hours, which are: Monday-Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Raygun revealed its plans for an Ames store May 2 on Facebook: “Ames here we come! Surprise! We are opening on Main Street in late June! To kick things off, we're taking some Ames slogan ideas. Like always, just post your ideas below. #raygun

“Excited to join Dog-Eared Books Ames, The Great Plains Sauce & Dough Company, Morning Bell Coffee Roasters, Ames Public Library, Octagon Center for the Arts, Skunk River Cycles, and more!”

Raygun owner Mike Draper founded the company in 2004. The Van Meter native began selling witty T-shirts on the Penn State campus, which blossomed into a retail store in Des Moines in 2005, complete with in-store screen printing.

The 7.000 square-foot flagship location is situated on East Grand Avenue in Des Moines’ East Village and continued to expand over the years from its original 1,350 square-foot facility. Raygun's Iowa City store opened in 2010 while Raygun planted roots in Kansas City in 2014. The Cedar Rapids location – Raygun’s second-biggest store – opened in Cedar Rapids’ NewBo District in 2016.

A grand opening for the new location in Ames will be announced later.

Editor's note: This story was updated to correct the address of the Raygun location in Ames

Teresa Kay Albertson covers politics, crime, courts and local government in Ames and central Iowa for the Ames Tribune and Des Moines Register. Reach her on Twitter @TeresaAlberts11 and at talbertson@registermedia.com, 515-419-6098.

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Raygun's 9th location opens in Ames Friday