As the best ice cream shop in Iowa, discover the incredible story behind Monarca Paletas. Why do they have a butterfly wall mural in their ice cream shop?
Monarca Gourmet Paletas Our Story & Brand
You may have noticed our signature butterfly wing wall art in our Iowa ice cream shop. Well, there is a wonderful story behind this elaborate piece of art and why we choose a butterfly as our logo. So the next time you pop in for a chocolate and pistachio paleta, you can pose for a picture in front of the butterfly wings knowing why this wall mural reflects our brand and business so well.
The Monarch Butterfly Inspired This Iowa Ice Cream Shop
Paletas are a traditional Mexican treat and so our brand has strong ties with Mexico and Mexican culture. When we decided to first open the doors to our Iowa ice cream shop, we chose to name it Monarca Gourmet Paletas. Monarca is Spanish for Monarch and ties back to the Monarch butterfly. With its striking orange wings and black lines and white dots, the Monarch butterfly migrates from the United States to Mexico during the winter.
You could say paletas are a lot like the Monarch butterfly. Both have a home in Mexico and have spread their wings to the US. In Iowa, you can often spot Monarch butterflies when they migrate to Mexico as the weather gets colder here in the US. This beautiful insect represents the idea that our Iowa ice cream shop is bringing back tradition and flavors from Mexico and Latin America to the heart of Iowa by serving delicious paletas.
Did you know that these incredibly beautiful butterflies are protected in The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage Site in Michoacan, the state in Mexico where paletas originally came from?! It is believed that the people of Michoacan created the very first paletas using fresh fruit and ice to refresh themselves from the high temperatures in the region.
So it just seemed so fitting to call our first Iowa ice cream shop, Monarca Paletas and use the Monarch butterfly as our brand logo too. Plus, you can also snap your yummy paleta creation in our shop and in front of the butterfly wings for the perfect Instagram pic. Make sure to tag us @monarcapaletas on Instagram.
Day of The Dead & Mexican Roots
If you look closely at our butterfly mural, you may notice that there are some interesting images on the wings of the Monarch butterfly. In Mexico, the Monarch butterflies play a significant role in the Day of the Dead Festival or Dia de los Muertos. According to Mexican folklore, the butterflies are believed to hold the spirits of the departed. This belief stems from the fact that the first monarch butterflies arrive in Mexico in winter, on the 1st of November, which is when the Day of the Day Festival is held. This wonderful link is why you can spot references to Dia de los Muertos on the wings of our butterfly mural.
So, the next time you pop into your favorite Iowa ice cream shop, be sure to take a picture in front of our Day of the Dead inspired Monarch butterfly mural and tag our team on Instagram @monarcapaletas.