About Des Moines' Merle Hay Area

I'm not a big fan of chain restaurants in general. So several years back when Cici's Pizza came to town it was no big deal for me. There were lots of ads announcing the opening and many mailers with coupons which I ignored. They were in town for about a year and a half before we tried it for the first time. We were out shopping one day in Haymarket Square on Merle Hay Rd and our three kids were ravenous. Our oldest chirped "let's go the Cici's Pizza!" as we drove by and our two others immediately joined in chorus. It just so happened that I had two coupons in the car for a free kids buffet with the purchase of an adult buffet, and our youngest being under three would be free. The buffet you should know is only $4.99 so our whole family would be eating for around $10. That tipped the balance for me so we parked and went in. The buffet was simple but complete, with salad, pasta, bread sticks, pizza and dessert plus there is a game room to boot for after. I have since been back several times, though not with all three kids. I usually make it a special event and only take one at a time which they enjoy. Every time I've been the restaurant has been clean and well lit, the staff has been accomodating, and the food has been excellent.

The staff at the Haymarket Square location really could not be friendlier. They smile and ask you if you need anything constantly. There are twenty kinds of pizza on the menu but they will also make special orders. Anytime you approach the buffet they invite you to order something if you don't see what you want up there. I'm partial to pepperoni with Jalapenos and not seeing it I decided to take them up on their offer to make a fresh pie on demand and ordered one. They seemed overjoyed I asked and went to work like lightning. About seven minutes later they brought the steaming hot pizza to our table and invited me to take what I wanted. They then put the rest on the buffet.

To top it all off they have great desserts as well consisting of really gooey, hot cinnamon rolls, apple and blueberry dessert pizza and scrumptious brownies. If they are ever out of what you like they will cheerily make it in a flash and bring it right out to your table. I really have to limit my visits there because the food is so tasty I end up eating way more than a middle aged guy should. The fact that the food is so good that it inspires you to indulge is perhaps the only drawback to Cici's. I've taken a few friends there as well as they have a $9.99 special for two adult buffets with two drinks. All have been similarly impressed.

On my last visit I took my son Esden who can be seen ladling plain pasta into a bowl (right) and forcing the last few bites of his pizza into his mouth (below) so he can take his two quarters he's been saving to go have fun in the game room behind him.

We go the Haymarket Square Cici's because it is convenient to our home, but there is another location on Des Moines' South side. So if you enjoy pizza and are looking for an affordable and fun place to take your family in the Des Moines area head on over to Cici's. They do not dissapoint by any measure and offer delights for both young and old. Please see below for locations in the Des Moines area:

Deals are fun, but closings are the beat all end all, bittersweet though they may sometimes be. There's the thrill of the chase, looking for the needle in the hay stack, the diamond in the rough. Then there's the adrenaline pumping tussle of the negotiations, the sweetness of a deal and the logistics of the escrow process all leading up to the crescendo of the close.

In between meeting a client and the ownership of a home being transferred, relationships are forged, challenges are overcome and bonds are often cemented.

I am thankful for a past client referral of Chad Rankin who today was able to close on a home he very much liked in just the area he wanted to be in. I was also very pleased that I was able to acquaint. him him with the Neighborhood Finance Organization's, or NFC's $10,000 grant program and $2,000 closing cost subsidy program that he was able to take full advantage of. Judging by the smile he was sporting this evening Chad is going to be very happy in his new home in the Merle Hay neighborhood.

It was great getting to know Chad and working with him these past six weeks to get this deal closed. NFC's program is a bit complicated as there is a contractor bidding process and an NFC review process that is somehwat invloved. I'm glad he was able to take advantage of it though because it's a great program, and the people at the NFC are really devoted to their clients and the revitalization of the Des Moines area.

Chad was also kind enough after closing to provide me this testimonial as well:

"Matt helped me purchase the home I wanted in my area of interest at a price that was fair. Matt also alerted me to a program that allowed me to get a $10,000 grant for repairs and a $2,000 closing cost credit. I never had a problem contacting Matt and he was always easy to work with."

Chad Rankin 08/6/10

Special thanks today to both Chad and the NFC! Cheers!