The longtime owner of a pub in the area was named the Iowa Restaurant Association’s 2024 Rural Operator of the Year.

Marty Duffy has built The Cellar Peanut Pub in a gathering place for craft beer enthusiasts. After moving to Iowa from New Jersey and graduating in a class of only 25, Marty took a chance on opening a pub.

Today, the Cellar Peanut Pub features 70 craft beers on tap in their downtown Pella location, including those from Marty’s wife Betsy’s award-winning Gezellig Brewing Company. He also hosts regular “Beer School” sessions, inviting breweries to educate patrons and encouraging support for local brewers.

The pub’s famous Bloody Marys have twice netted him invitations to the New York Food & Wine Festival, where they impressed celebrity judges.

For his passion, commitment to local breweries, and impact on Iowa’s craft beer scene, Marty Duffy is the Iowa Restaurant Association’s 2024 Rural Operator of the Year.