The Crystal Theater began in 1912 under the management of George Dethlefs, Sr. and his son, Fred. In the same year they purchased the Lyric Theater, which was located across the street and where Bob Kuhl eventually had a restaurant and later was part of the site for the Manning Plaza. After one year the Dethlefs closed the Lyric, which was smaller than the Crystal.

The other theater at that time was the Colonial. Henry Thompson, who played in a pit orchestra before coming to Manning, and his son, operated the Colonial until about 1919. It was located at 304 Main, where First Federal Savings and Loan is presently. This theater used sidewalk sandwich boards and mannequins of movie characters provided by movie companies as part of their gaudy promotional schemes.

The Crystal survived the early years and was remodeled several times. A sloping floor was installed so all patrons could see. After years of using a ladder to climb to a loft over the ticket booth to operate the projectors, the owners added stairways, enclosed projector area and a balcony. Also, the rear of the building was extended about 50 feet.

The theater provided other entertainment beside movies, and was considered a social and educational contribution to the young and old of the community. In an excerpt from a 1912 newspaper article, a "good sized crowd enjoys wrestling at Crystal Theater". Vaudeville type shows and educational matinees for school children as well as spring and fall fashion shows staged by Herman Pahde helped fill the bill.

Before talking pictures, patrons had to read the words appearing on the screen. A player piano and sometimes an attached trap-drum set provided music. On weekends, however, Bonita Hagedorn might provide live piano music. For the first show on Sunday evenings, Pete Kuhl and his orchestra would play. This was considered a rehearsal for Pete and his gang.

About 1923, Joe Esycheck began working at the Crystal. One of his jobs was sweeping up and how he hated the "bushels of peanut shells on the floor".

During the first years, Emil and George Dethlefs, along with a few other operators, cranked the projectors by hand.

The first "talking" movies came to Manning about 1930. Emil was in, charge of synchronizing the large platter (record) with the film. At this time the American Legion moved from the upstairs rooms of the Crystal so the patrons wouldn't be disturbed by their noise. The screen was no longer movable, so the use of the stage was discontinued. It took only a few years before the sound was on the film. Joe Esycheck operated the projecter for years, along with many others.

The Crystal remained active under the management of Fred until his death.

Mr. DeBaggio of Chicago attempted to continue providing movies to the people of Manning, but after several years during the 1960's the theater closed and the building is now the south part of the First National Bank.

The Manning Liquor Store, which is under the administration of the Iowa Liquor Control Commission, was established in 1935. It was originally located in the Joe Rehker building on South Main Street, which had once housed a Council Oak Store.

In 1938, the store was moved to 409 Main Street. It remained there until October 21, 1976, when it moved into its present location at 319 Main Street; this building had also once served as a Council Oak Store, the Uptown Market. With the latest move, the store became self-service.

The Manning store does a yearly business of about $130,000. In the fiscal year 1979, the city of Manning received $9,539.05 from the Liquor Commission, which is placed in the general tax fund.

Amos Misselhorn, manager since 1962, reports that Manning has followed a national trend, an increased sale of wine. He estimates that wine sales have jumped a hundredfold during his 20 years in the business.

The store also has one employee, Nancy Walters. Other managers have been Jay Duff (1944 to 1959), Leo Kerwin (1959 to 1962), Fred Hassler and Mark Enenbach.

The L & M Bowling Alley on Fifth Street.

In the middle 50's, with the advent of professional bowling matches being shown on television, a revival of interest in the sport took place. In earlier years there had been a small one at the Great Western Park and after that Joe Rehker installed lanes in the basement now used as the lower level of Cliff's Place. But interest lagged and after some years they were closed. Several local men still remember in their youthful days working at Rehker's Alleys as "pin setters" for spending money. Perhaps that's where the expression "pin money" came from.

In 1958 Lyle Arp and Max Detlefsen purchased some old houses on the corner of Elm and Fifth streets and erected a modern, eight-lane bowling alley with the latest automatic pin-setting equipment and a snack bar at the front of the lanes. The first season was in 1960 and Jim Mork was hired as manager. Men's and women's and mixed doubles leagues were formed, along with open bowling during the week. After Jim Mork left the firm, Eldis Weems assumed the management. Ralph and Martha Hagedorn operated the snack bar for some time. Later on, houses on the west of the alley were torn down to provide a large parking lot for patrons.

July 7, 1978 the alleys were sold to Glen Struve, who now manages the business. The local school uses the facilities for a part of their physical education program and there are also junior league teams established. An average of 200 freshmen and sophomores participate in this program.

In the middle of the bad winter of 1936, Bernice Vogt opened a new dress shop on February 28. It was located in the basement of the old Manning Trust & Savings Bank. She survived the rugged days of scarce shoppers and favored the town of Manning with a very fine store featuring a good selection of ladies' apparel.

The art of hairdressing flourished in Europe about the time of Manning's beginning. With the hardships of pioneer life, the average settlers were unable to enjoy the niceties of grooming and self-adornment such as those who lived in the cities. Many hairstyles were copied from imported "fashion dolls" which had wigs that were replicas of fashionable hairstyles from Paris, designed by personal hairdressers.

Shortly before 1881, a school for formal instruction of hairdressing was established in Chicago. This led the way for many other hairdressing schools.

Throughout this early period, various hairgoods were used: wigs, switches, combs, brushes, hand-operated electric blow dryers, and an implement to crimp, curl and wave the hair. Hair dying became popular at this time, as women seeking employment wanted to make themselves look younger.

The 1880's brought hairstyles drawn back off the ears, sometimes low in a chignon, into cascading curls, or dressed high in a bun. The front hair was often cut short and curled into a mass on the forehead.

As 1900 arrived, the pompadour was the style. It was drawn high over a pad or roll of false hair, called a ratz. Women used ornamental combs of amber or tortoise shell, decorated with gold filigree, often wearing the combs in pairs and having a third as a back comb.

Since the 1920's, Manning has had access to many well-trained beauticians. Nanny Miller was the first; her shop opened in 1926 in the second floor of the Martens Store at 309 Main (now the liquor store). The beauty shop was to the rear, with the Snow's Dressmaking School, taught by Nanny's sister Felicia, being in the front of the building. Nanny featured the water wave curling method.

"Madame Wilson" operated a shop in the south end of the Great Western Depot during the 1920's; her husband was the depot agent. Later, she moved the shop to the second floor of a dray store on Main Street, then to her home on Third Street.

Another operator during the 1920's was Toni Claussen, who was located in Chuck Owen's Restaurant, in the block where the Manning Plaza now stands.

Evelyn Ryberg Crammer first had her shop in the second floor of the Rober-Wehrmann Store, later moving it into her home at 316 Ann. Permanents had not yet come into being, so Evelyn gave many "marcels".

The marcel was invented at the turn of the century by Marcel Grateau. He was immortalized by American beauties with his Gibson Girl image, such as popularized by Lillian Russell. The marcel continued for a quarter of a century.

By December, 1917, the waterwave was beginning to be used. When bobbed hair looked unkept, a waterwave process was used. The hairdresser took a small brush, dripped it into a bowl of water, and wet the hair evenly. With a comb, the hair was drawn and shaped into large waves about the face; special combs and clamps held the curves in place. The waves were shaped like a marcel, but twice as large, and brought down over the forehead on each side of the part and over in front of the ears. The ends were placed in bob curls and held with hairpins.

The "shingle", an outgrowth of the bob, became popular in 1927. Makeup gained popularity as an added service to beauty parlors. More haircolorings were used, and the Zoto company perfected a chemical permanent wave. The hair was wound in the croquignole method, with a chemical pad placed over the rod and a preheated clamp holding the pad in place, processing the curl.

Mrs. Elsie Jackson opened the Manning Beauty Parlor in December, 1928. Her shop was located over the Rober-Wehrmann Store, and assistant operators were hired to give the best of service to patrons. Permanents, marcels, haircuts and fingerwaving were featured.

Mrs. Ella Reimers started in business in April, 1929. First located over Mueller's Furniture Store, she later moved to the second floor of the old liquor store building, then over the Grundmeier Hatchery, and finally had the shop in her home.

Maurine Schram (Mrs. Morris Heider) opened Maurine's Klip and Kurl in September, 1930, purchasing the shop from Evelyn Ryberg Crammer. It was located over the Martens Mercantile Store.

Vera Cooker (Mrs. Eddie Fischer) received her training in 1929, then worked three years for Ella Reimers. In 1933, she opened her own shop, and has served in four different locations. Her last shop was at her home at 214 Center; in 1979, Vera celebrated her golden anniversary of the beauty profession in Manning.

During the mid-1930's, the cold wave was invented. The hair was wound on rods from the ends to the scalp. Permanent machines began to disappear from the shops, and by the early 1940's, the cold wave had become firmly established. The fashion was an upward sweep of the hair, with clips used instead of bobby pins. Shops gradually became more modernized, such as we know them today.

Other shop owners during this time were Lorane Hargens (Mrs. Merlyn Hargens) and Leola Leuth (Mrs. Max Timmerman).

June 12, 1940, Evelyn Summerville bought a shop which had been run by Evelyn Hinkle. Miss Summerville continued the business in Alfred Paulsen's Dress Shop until November, 1945.

Norma Wiese (Mrs. Milford Wiese) opened her shop in 1947 in the Alfred Paulsen dress store. A year later the store moved from the east side of the street to the west side. In 1949, Norma located in the second floor of the old liquor store building, selling this shop to Rita Wanninger (Mrs. Amos Misselhorn) in 1951. Norma's Beauty Shop is presently at her home at 103 Ann.

The styling story of the 1950's moved from the "poodle" to the "pixie", to the "bubble" -popular designs made possible by the new use of rollers for hairstyling. The millinery industry was at its peak at this time. Popular were new color techniques, which gave natural looking results, and multi-color effects achieved by highlighting, frosting, streaking, and tipping.

During the 1950's, shops were run by Marlene Davis (Mrs. Virgil Davis), who is now in business in Scranton; Charlotte King (Mrs. Glenn Hopper) who was located in the Loucks Apartment building before her move to the Storm Lake area; Janice Vehrs Miskimmons, whose shop was at 711 Fourth (now the Merle Stoelk business office); and Viola Puck Boyer, also located in the front of the Louck's Apartments. Located upstairs in the old Gamble Store Building (where the Manning Plaza now stands) were Lucille Lamp (Mrs. Louis Boell), who opened the shop; Ruth Boell (Mrs. Robert Boell), who bought it from Lucille in September, 1955; and Sylvia Lohrman (Mrs. Dick Saunders).

Jacqueline Kennedy, the first lady of the early 1960's, set the pace for the styles of this time, causing the revival of wigs and postiche, or "false hair". Modern women, leading full lives, sported the smooth and short "Oliver" or "flip" coiffures. In the mid-60's, women turned to the swing cut and geometric fashions; to lengthen hair, they used falls. Hair straightening products came into use. Toward the end of the decade, uniperms and heat-activated permanents were invented, and the "bouffant" and "Afro" became popular.

Darlene Lamp opened her shop in Louck's Apartments after it was vacated by Charlotte King. Later, Darlene's Beauty Shop was moved to her home in South Manning.

Mrs. Larry Rowedder operated Nancy's Salon in two locations, 505 Eleventh Street and 619 Ninth Street, before leaving Manning in 1970.

Joyce Schroeder (Mrs. Gary Schroeder) owns and operates the Doll House Salon at 339 Madison Street. The shop was formerly owned by Sheryl Schwiesow.

Karen Rowedder has a one operator shop, Karen's Beauty Shop, at 112 Main Street. The business was opened in October, 1961.

The 1970's brought non-alkaline permanents, unisex salons, the "wedge", "shag", "gypsy", and "Farrah" styles. Toward 1977 the no-hairstyle hairstyle, which incorporated curl movement with a natural look, became the vogue. Curls returned, as young women looked for a style that was attractive, yet could be washed every day and wasn't time-consuming. Crimping hair also returned at the end of the decade.

Becky Stangl (Mrs. Mike Stangl) opened the Black Magic Salon in the late 70's at her home at 619 Ninth Street.

The Le Boutique Salon, first located on the second floor of the Manning Heating and Sheet Metal Building at 223 Main, was purchased by Betty Chase in 1970. The shop soon moved to the building formerly occupied by Harold's Jewelry at 307 Main. Eileen Prebeck bought the business in September, 1979; she is assisted by Joyce Justice.

As 1980 unfolded, Manning was being served by five shops: Karen's, Norma's, the Doll House, Le Boutique and the Black Magic. The return of the styles of the 1940s, with the small head, the braid and the ponytail fashions, opened the decade.