WCDI awards grants to four Winneshiek entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs leading four different entities have been awarded grants as part of the Winneshiek County Development, Inc. Biz Booster Challenge business-plan competition.

Recipients of the Biz Booster grants, which ranged from $2,000 to $5,000, were the following Decorah businesses: Art Haus, Driftless Design, Rien do Nouveau and Welcome in Decorah.

The seven-member judging panel's main criteria for selecting funding recipients include the overall economic impact on the county from the project, and the amount of impact the grant itself has on accelerating the project to a higher level.

"Each year we have a new adventure in listening to the many wonderful, passionate business opportunities. I wish we could fund them all," said Judging Team Leader Nina Taylor. "Our contestants all have a great opportunity to make an impact on the community, and it will be interesting to watch these businesses grow."

Winners in the 2010 contest were:

•    ArtHaus -- a nonprofit education center that provides a home to Upstart Crow Theatreworks (Kristen Underwood, director) and Little Masters Art Studio (Lea Donhowe Lovelace, director.) ArtHaus is currently at capacity at its 508 W. Water Street, Decorah location and is expanding into the former Dayton House site, two doors to the west. The new site offers access to an outdoor courtyard and attractive features for concerts, art fairs and other activities.
•    Driftless Design -- a small web design firm owned by Nathan Breitenbach-Dirks. Driftless Design provides unique, customized web sites that are easy to view, easy to maintain and that incorporate customer input. Driftless assures that money spent on web-design work stays local and it has a ripple economic effect of boosting other local business income by improving their websites.
•    Rien de nouveau –  a high-end consignment clothing business that is operated in the back part of the Fancy Pants building at 411 W. Water St. Owners Deb Paulson and Sharon Huber say that Rien de nouveau's addition has seen a dramatic increase in Luther College student shoppers since opening March 4 of this year. High-end consignment items at the store include men's and women's clothing, shoes and accessories. The new business is also a popular place for high school students buying and selling prom dresses.
•    Welcome in Decorah – Welcome in Decorah is a web-based business that promotes Decorah and Winneshiek County as a wedding destination for all couples. Launched by Amalia Vagts, with backers such as Hotel Winneshiek, Rubaiyat, the Oneota Food Coop, T-Bocks Sports Bar & Grill, Dug Road Inn, La Rana Bistro, Agora Arts, Ace Kitchen place and others, the site is already responsible for bringing numerous additional wedding parties to Decorah and Winneshiek County.

The 2010 Biz Booster Challenge competition was judged by Ken Vande Berg of Northeast Iowa Community College; Rich Leake of Luther College; Nina Taylor, business consultant; Carolyn Corbin, business consultant; Ben Grimstad, Decorah Bank & Trust; Kerri Johanningmeier, business owner; and Benji Nichols, business owner and 2008 grant recipient.

"WCDI's business plan competition adds to the entrepreneurial atmosphere in Decorah and Winneshiek County," said Corbin. "I want to applaud WCDI for hosting this competition and supporting business innovation.  The business proposals keep getting stronger every year."

Taylor added, "The quality of the business plans has increased each year and this year was no exception. It year was a real challenge for the judges."

And judging team member Nichols said, "The Biz Booster Contest is a fantastic way to encourage local entrepreneurs to broaden their horizons and also show a long view of their business."

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(Picture from above)

Repairs are completed, the scaffolding is down, and ArtHaus, Decorah's center for the arts, is now back in its regular building on Water Street.  ArtHaus had been using space in the former Dayton House building during repairs to the building housing its regular offices.  ArtHaus officials say the Dayton House made such a nice adjunct space during the construction that they will continue to use it and the adjacent courtyard as an art studio for summer programs.  That will allow the main office to be used for dance classes, for musical performances and for any event that needs a larger space.