"Biz Booster Challenge" winners announced

Five businesses have won grants from Winneshiek County Development, Inc. in the "Biz Booster Challenge" business-plan competition.

The judges awarded $2,500 to "Open Decorah."  Owner Ross Hadley is establishing a co-working environment on the second and third floors of The Good Foot building at 128 W. Water Street in downtown Decorah. Open Decorah will offer a shared work environment for businesses such as sales, marketing, social media, advertising, graphic design and other business support roles.

Another $2,500 was awarded to River Root Farm.  Owners Mike Bollinger and Katie Prochaska will use the grant to help buy a mobile refrigeration unit for their family-owned organic vegetable farm and seed operation.

$2,400 was awarded to Al's County Meat Locker in Calmar.  Owners Al and Cathy Boeckenheuer will use the money to help buy packaging and labeling equipment for their business, which provides custom pork and venison processing and plans to add a retail sales area to offer pork and beef products, smoked meat, sausages, cheese, spices and rubs.

$1,000 was awarded to Corbin Group Modern Marketing.  Owner Carolyn Corbin will use the money to help cover start-up costs for the business, which helps other businesses and communities with communication, growing market share, saving energy and sustainability.

The final award of $1,000 was given to The Dirt Farm.  Owner Trevor Madsen raises and sells gourmet and medicinal mushrooms, mushroom growing kits, mushroom spawn, finished vermicompost and 100 percent recycled potting soil mixture. The monetary award was to assist in purchasing basic supplies to increase his mushroom-growing capacity.