Fred and Amy Moreau say it was a detour, both on the road and in life, that brought them to the southwest Iowa town of Malvern and the perfect location for their small-town bakery.

Back in 2011, Fred was driving through south­west Iowa to visit his mom in Louisiana. However, his normal route on Interstate 29 was closed because of the Missouri River flood that summer. Fred ended up passing through downtown Malvern.

“It was the first time I had ever heard of Malvern,” Fred says. “I remember driving down the hill (north of town) and seeing the Main Street for the first time, and I thought: This is what I want.”

Today, Mills County Farm Bureau members Fred and Amy Moreau serve up fresh cinnamon rolls, sandwiches, pizzas and more at their German-style bakery, Moreau’s Backerei & Pizzeria in...