Local Businesses in the Holidays

The holidays are a busy time in Waukee, and local businesses are doing their part to uphold the festive spirit. Shopping, seasonal drinks, desserts and foods make the holiday season special. Mainstream Boutique, Old Station Craft Meats and Barn Town Brewing are a few of the many businesses in Waukee that add to the community’s festivity.

Old Station Craft Meats

Old Station Craft Meats is a traditional butcher shop in downtown Waukee that opened last year. It sells an assortment of meat cuts, from lamb and goat meat to poultry. The shop also offers a collection of meat-oriented products, including seasonings, sauces, cooking utensils and grills. It works with local farmers and tries to source most of its meat from Iowan farms. The meat is then provided to restaurants in Iowa or sold to people in the community, so it remains community-oriented.

Business increases substantially for the butcher shop when the holiday season comes around. The owner of Old Station Craft Meats, Nick Lenters, stated, “We get really busy during Christmas and Thanksgiving. We get a lot of special orders, so it’s our busiest time of the year.”

The influx of customers starts in November when a surplus of turkey orders comes in for Thanksgiving. They carry on the momentum they gained in November throughout the rest of the holiday season. Throughout December, Old Station Craft Meats continues to get special orders for meat cuts traditionally served during the holidays, such as prime rib. 

Old Station Craft Meats is a community-driven business that connected with Waukee locals at this year’s WinterFest. WinterFest is an annual festival held in downtown Waukee, where people can get together, connect and kick off the holiday season. Old Station Craft Meats provided soups, hot beverages and a welcoming atmosphere where people could warm up.

Barn Town Brewing- 

Barn Town Brewing is a locally owned restaurant and brewery. They sell a wide variety of beers and traditional American foods. Barn Town Brewing (BTB) has a very family-friendly atmosphere and provides board games and card games for customers to play while waiting for their food. Their homey atmosphere and comfort food make BTB a popular spot for people to visit during the holiday season. General Manager Molly Mietert stated, “It’s really great to see people come back every year over the holidays to celebrate.” Barn Town Brewing also does a 12-day Christmas event, where they have a special deal each day preceding Christmas morning.

Barn Town Brewing makes special seasonal foods during the holidays to add festivity to its menu. BTB takes pride in its unique assortment of homemade beers and is constantly changing its menu and trying new flavors. Inspired by the Grinch, BTB has a holiday beverage named Stink, Stank, Stunk that they serve over the holidays. However, seasonal drinks extend beyond just beers, and Barn Town Brewing offers two additional seasonal beverages in the winter. The Winter Fizz and the Cranberry Mule are both alcoholic drinks BTB serves when it gets cold. The holidays are not reserved just for people 21+, as Barn Town Brewing also serves Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cakes, a holiday-themed breakfast option.

Starting in November and lasting until March, Barn Town Brewing offers a unique service called “Igloos.” Customers can rent a heated glass Igloo that can seat up to eight people. Igloos can be reserved for two hours, and guests can order food and drinks within that time frame. Hot Chocolate is also complimentary with the Igloo.

Mainstream Boutique

Mainstream Boutique is a locally owned women’s fashion store in Waukee and Ankeny. As part of a franchise that began in Bloomington, Minnesota, it has expanded to approximately 90 locations nationwide. The boutique offers a diverse selection of women’s clothing and accessories, prioritizing products that cater to a broad audience.

The holidays are the most chaotic time of year, especially for retail stores like Mainstream Boutique. There is a lot of pressure, especially on small businesses, and it is challenging to withstand the demands of the holiday season. There is a lot to be done; retail work is fast-paced and unforgiving, and it is easy to get tired. The biggest obstacle that Mainstream Boutique faces while enduring the season is burnout. The owner of the Waukee and Ankeny Boutiques, Michelle Sheid, stated, “If we can’t find the joy in Christmas, we can’t really pass that on to our customers.”

There is a lot of competition in the fashion industry, especially around Christmas time, so the Boutique has to get creative to put itself ahead of the competition. Mainstream Boutique organized a Christmas raffle, where people came to browse the store, and 15 raffle prizes were awarded to the winning customers. The Countdown to Christmas was a special holiday event held by the Boutique in the 12 days preceding Christmas. Starting on December 12 and continuing until Christmas Eve, there were new promotions and deals every day to help spread the holiday spirit and direct customer traffic to the Boutique. 

As holiday shopping kicks off, Mainstream Boutique sees a rise in business. The first wave of holiday shoppers arrives in October, and sales continue strong through December. Throughout winter, the store offers seasonal items, including coats, hats, and festive decorations.