When Kelsey Hipnar’s local pumpkin patch closed due to the owner’s retirement, she felt a pull to keep one in the community. After much research and with a little help from family, she opened Kelsey’s Funny Farm. Kelsey’s Funny Farm provides a field trip opportunity for local schools and an outdoor recreational area to the …
Ashley Prince always had a love for art and design and so went to Iowa State University and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design. She is a painter, designer, creator, and teacher who wanted to share her passion for art with others. After some deliberation, Ashley started her own art business, Pickled Palette, …
After visiting an escape room in Prague, Carolyn Beyer had the idea to bring the excitement and mystery of an escape room back to Iowa City, Iowa. On Labor Day of 2015, Carolyn officially opened Outfox, which consisted of three themed rooms, Jurassic Iowa, Lost Will, and The Abducted Officer. An escape room is where …
Kelsey Hipnar dreamed of developing a creative outlet for her local community in Crawford, Iowa. In 2009, she took the first steps to make her dream a reality by starting Kelsey’s Art Space for Kids summer camps (KASK Camps). Over the next few years, Hipnar expanded the workshops to include individuals of all ages and …
Theo and Bonnie Ramsey purchased a historic local grocery store in Lenox, Iowa on April 1, 2015 and turned it into Ramsey’s Market, an “Iowa-based neighborhood grocery, incorporating the culture and style of rural America into our modern attitude”. Formerly, the store was Cheese’s Food Center, run by the Cheese Family since 1895. The previous …
John Chadima was determined to be a business owner and was searching for the right venture to invest in when a friend suggested Firehouse Subs, a fast casual restaurant chain with a passion for hearty and flavorful food, heartfelt service, and public safety. The franchise’s history and practices were enticing to John who really believed …
While walking through a lavender field at a lavender festival in Washington State, Mary Hamer realized she “had to do this back home.” At that moment, the idea of Loess Hills Lavender Farms was born. Tim and Mary Hamer have been in the lavender business since 2009 and have continued to work full-time on their …
With only two similar businesses in all of Iowa, David and Julie Betz knew they found a niche market with escape rooms. The couple opened Escape Cedar Valley in the heart of Cedar Falls in mid-November of 2015. The idea came from trips to similar business in 2013. They explored the idea of opening the …
In the tiny town of Jewell, Iowa, Dan and Meryl Scarrow discovered a business opportunity. Though Dan was still in dental school, the Scarrows knew they wanted to move to a small town and start their own practice one day. The moment arose when they spotted Jewell listed as “a community in need of a …
Kelley and Devlin Bertrand had thought about opening a family business for many years. Wanting to assist the South Sioux City community expand their faith, they believed there was a need for a retail store where Catholics could purchase religious materials. In 2013, they decided to act upon those dreams and look into opening The …
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