Five small businesses from Main Street Iowa districts were awarded a combined $80,000 in state grants Monday evening after successfully pitching their expansion ideas in the final round of the 2025 Open 4 Business contest.

The live pitch event was held at the National Pearl Button Museum in downtown Muscatine. Each entrepreneur had 5 minutes to present their growth strategy to a panel of judges. Awards were presented by Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority and Iowa Finance Authority.

“These incredible business plans remind us why our Main Street programs matter so much,” Durham stated in a press release. “They’re the engine that helps small businesses grow and stick around — and they play a big role in making our communities the kind of places where people want to visit, live and truly belong.”

Grant recipients include:  

• West Branch: The Honey Den, $25,000
• Waverly: Z’s Pizza & Diner, $20,000
• Elkader: DroneXperts, $15,000
• Ames: Torrent Brewing Co., $10,000
• Mount Pleasant: Preppin Mama, $10,000

Top honors went to The Honey Den, a boutique candy and gift shop opened in 2023 by Tiffany Frederick, pictured at right. Known for custom candy assortments with personalized labels, Frederick is expanding her wholesale and fundraising programs that support boutiques, nonprofits and schools nationwide. The grant will support professionally designed packaging, a commercial-grade label printer, expanded inventory, upgraded fundraising tools and targeted marketing.

“This grant is going to be life-changing — it will put my business in fast forward and allow us to shine on a national level while meeting growing demand,” Frederick stated in a press release. “Retail isn’t easy. But by diversifying and thinking boldly — by moving product out the back door and the front — we can create something that lasts.”

This year’s contest drew 22 applicants.

Open 4 Business supports the growth of existing small businesses in Iowa’s more than 50 Main Street communities. Now in its 11th year, the program has awarded dollars to more than 45 businesses. The grants are administered through IEDA’s Iowa Downtown Resource Center and Main Street Iowa programs.

Fairfield named latest Main Street Iowa community
IEDA also announced this week that Fairfield has been designated as the state’s newest Main Street Iowa community.  

“Fairfield has long stood out for its cultural depth and entrepreneurial energy,” Durham stated in a press release. “Now they’re building on those strengths to create a more welcoming downtown — one that brings people together, supports local growth and makes residents proud to call it home.”

Located in southeast Iowa, Fairfield is home to more than 60 nationalities. Its downtown currently has a mix of historic architecture, international cuisine and public art. Fairfield first applied for Main Street designation in 2024 but was not selected.

Over the past year, the Jefferson County seat of about 10,000 residents has strengthened its steering committee, expanded local partnerships, increased investment and acted on key recommendations from an Iowa Downtown Resource Center downtown assessment, the release said.

“We believe this is the beginning of a new resurgence for our downtown, which is the hub of activity for Fairfield,” stated Mayor Connie Boyer. “Currently, we have volunteers doing a weed cleanup — and even this little activity has spawned some other cleanup activity. We look forward to being in full speed in creating our new vision for downtown Fairfield.”

Fairfield is the 54th community to join the Main Street Iowa network. The group is dedicated to revitalizing historic commercial districts using the Main Street Approach, a nationally recognized model that focuses on economic vitality, design, promotion and organization.

As a Main Street Iowa community, Fairfield plans to prioritize walkability and facade improvements; fill underused commercial spaces; mobilize volunteers; promote arts and culture; and reinforce downtown’s role as a destination for dining, shopping and connection.

Since its inception in 1985, Main Street Iowa communities have generated nearly $2.9 billion in private investment, supported the opening of more than 5,600 new businesses and created more than 17,000 new jobs.