Why Council Bluffs, IA, Is Perfect for Entrepreneurs

Traci True

Kris Richey and her aunt opened The Olive Branch boutique in Council Bluffs, IA, in 1999. Though she left for a few years for a different opportunity, she returned in 2022 and bought the store from her aunt, relocating to be closer to family and to expand the shop.

The Olive Branch sells home decor, handmade items, gourmet food, Polish pottery, housewares, jewelry and handbags. Richey is about to open a second location that will carry gift items for women, men, children and babies. Read on to hear about her experience as a small business owner in the Council Bluffs area.

What resources did you use to get started?

Every bit of financing that went into starting the store came from savings and from family, but once we were open, we did a lot of marketing on our own. There was no social media at the time, so we passed out flyers, took out newspaper ads and did a lot of networking with family and friends.

We jumped on any opportunity to visit and talk about the store that we could. I remember going to ladies’ luncheons with different church groups and doing presentations for them, reaching out to schools and helping with fundraisers, decorating homes for home tours, and decorating one of our local museums, the Dodge House, for the holidays.

We are members of the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce, and one of my goals is to be more active in the community. I’m attending chamber events when I can and am networking. I’m joining a networking group to put us out there a little more and am utilizing available local resources. Being here for 25 years, I feel like we’re the best-kept secret in Council Bluffs, but I don’t think we will be for much longer.

How have you grown since you first started?

It’s been a challenge for me, and I’ve hired a marketing team. They’ve helped me grow a lot this year, even with my knowledge of how to utilize Facebook and Instagram – our presence there has really grown over the past 10 months.

We’ve gotten a lot of new followers, but it’s been a huge lesson for me. We’re developing a website, and that has also been a huge learning curve. We’re moving over to a point-of-sale system that tracks all my inventory – that’s been a huge lesson. I’ve also grown our staff.

What is something you’ve learned about owning a business since you started?

One of the coolest things I’ve noticed is that we have a phenomenal customer base. We have seen generations of families come through our door. People I remember meeting when we first opened are now bringing in their grown children who have children of their own.

So, I’ve learned that being consistent with some things – because people rely on us to have them – while always having something new and fun is a great way to keep people coming in. We also greet everyone when they come in and when they leave. Their items are placed in a gift bag with tissue, and it’s such an important little touch. It’s the little things that we can offer as a small, independent store that you don’t get in big box stores.

Why would you recommend that someone start a business in the Council Bluffs area?

The way that Council Bluffs is growing, it’s the perfect size city to raise your family. You have all the conveniences, a nice selection of restaurants and shopping options, and our schools are amazing. We have phenomenal parks and trails and activities for families. We’re across the river from Omaha, so you can take advantage of the zoo and aquarium or the ballparks. People are so incredibly friendly, and the community works really well together. I love it here. I always have.