Celebrating Small Businesses in 2025
Small businesses are the heart of our communities. On our blog, we shared stories of Main Street business innovation, community, and growth. Here are four stories about small businesses from the past year.
Mindy Bergstrom, owner of Cooks Emporium, Nook & Nest, Z.W. Mercantile, and The Recipe. Ames, Iowa © McClanahan Studios
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sat down with Mindy Bergstrom, owner of Cooks Emporium, Nook & Nest, Z.W. Mercantile, and The Recipe, all located in downtown Ames, Iowa.
Mindy’s passion for entrepreneurship at an early age watching her parents run their own business. She started her first business while in college, designing websites for other small business owners. After graduating from college, she landed a project management job at a marketing firm. During this time, she continued to dream and plan to open her own business one day.
Her opportunity came when she visited her husband Patrick’s hometown and fell in love with The Cooks Emporium, a local kitchen and home goods store. What started as a dream turned into reality in 2018 when Mindy and Patrick took over the store. Since then, they’ve expanded with three more ventures: Nook & Nest (a home decor shop), Z.W. Mercantile (a zero-waste store), and The Recipe (an event space with cooking classes).
Tune in to hear Mindy’s insights on entrepreneurship, community engagement, the art of pivoting, and her unique approach to redefining failure.
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