Editor’s Take note: This is the 1st in a series of tales on corporations across the Courier-Tribune readership place that have opened due to the fact the COVID-19 pandemic began. Long term tales will include things like particulars on Kearney and Smithville enterprises.
LIBERTY — Opening a tiny company in the course of a worldwide health and fitness crisis that necessary individuals, for a time, to be locked at dwelling may perhaps seem to be odd. However, a number of space entrepreneurs observed additional time to brainstorm, create a organization program and bounce into a new business enterprise with vigor.
Liberty has viewed additions to its company local community in the course of 2021 and in early 2022.
Blush Farms Cork + Board
In August 2020, Angie Sidden and Marty Wynn have been brainstorming new techniques to keep fast paced and engaged. They gifted a few charcuterie bins to buddies. The passion took off and the two finished up leasing professional kitchen room in the West Bottoms.
“With much of the workforce at residence, we found a specialized niche performing gift deliveries for enterprises and businesses all around the Metro,” Sidden mentioned.
In early 2021, hunting for a far more lasting residence, the two uncovered Corbin Mill in Liberty had new proprietors and was being renovated.
“It was a excellent spot with retail area, a business kitchen and celebration location,” reported Sidden.
Now the business enterprise makes use of a courier service for deliveries and proceeds to grow below the title Blush Farms Cork + Board at 131 S. H2o St., Suite 100, Liberty.
“Neither of us experienced a history in the meals marketplace,” Sidden reported. “We grew up on a spouse and children farm in northern Missouri and have often experienced an appreciation for hospitality, difficult perform and entrepreneurship.”
The small business functions a range of charcuterie boards with meats, cheeses, crackers and additional. There are also sweet treats and developing retail and catering expert services.
“Custom requests usually lead to new menu merchandise,” she reported. “And, we adore getting the storefront so customers can pop in and seize items for entertaining at house, get a reward for a pal or neighbor or to just arrive by and stay awhile. We have uncovered so substantially. Our intention was to have enjoyable and occupy our times for the duration of the pandemic. Who understood we would land on a business enterprise notion. We’re enthusiastic to be a element of the Liberty neighborhood.”
Work out Mentor
Sabrina Denny opened the Exercise Mentor Jan. 5 at 6 Westowne Drive, Suite No. 602.
Just before that, she started out operating out at the Overland Park location of the facility for a couple months. She considered she could bring individuals workout suggestions to the Liberty region. All-around the drop of 2021, Denny commenced the course of action to open up a Northland locale.
“The Exercising Coach is a franchise, but I am the operator of the Liberty site. Franchises perform for the reason that you get the playbook and enhance it,” she said. “Health and fitness is component of my particular lifestyle and I wished to merge my two passions – wellbeing and assisting some others. I truly liked the culture and the beneficial working experience I experienced.”
The facility’s playbook includes functioning out with a trainer. Denny mentioned there are ordinarily two to three clients functioning out, so if occupation limits arrive again thanks to a spike in communitywide COVID instances, the facility really should be fantastic.
“It is a product that we can maintain,” she stated. “There is house among shoppers. The local community has seriously specified us a solid customer foundation.”
Denny figures she will keep rising the recent location and might look at more areas for long run progress.
“The network of customers is developing and we are serving people from Gladstone, Kearney, Excelsior, Smithville and Liberty,” she explained.
The Parlor on H2o Street
Jen McGuire, operator of The Parlor on H2o Avenue at 15 N. H2o St. opened her store Oct. 15, 2021. The store specializes in women clothing and equipment as well as small gifts. In the course of the pandemic, McGuire was managing a PetSmart, which was open up as it was regarded a required organization.
“I was dealing with the pandemic and receiving my kid by kindergarten by way of Zoom,” she stated. “I have 17 decades in company retail administration. This is my store, however. I have had this aspiration considering the fact that I was 15 several years old.”
In the course of the very first 6 months of the retail outlet, McGuire was by herself, but now has 5 employees.
McGuire was “square hopping” close to the downtown Liberty Square for a brick and mortar place and noticed the signal on the retail store.
“My father was the 1 who named the store as he uncovered the spot was a (prior) funeral parlor,” she claimed. “I picked it that working day and I received in two days afterwards. The space remodel became a family members affair. It was really a pleasure to be about family members right after we had been instructed not to be all through COVID. It’s seriously particular to construct all this with each other.”
With the store’s first seven months under her belt, McGuire now has a pop-up boutique truck/tiny house. Her very first was at Nickel & Suede, also positioned in Liberty. She has 9 much more pop-ups scheduled about the following few months.
“I’m also one of the 10 boutiques that will be component of the Pinners’ Convention in early February (2023),” she said.