Article Photos

LAURENS - In the midst of Wall Street worries, Main Street in Laurens is seeing a resurgence, said long time business owner Julie Wurr.

Located in northwestern Pocahontas County off Iowa Highway 10, the town of about 1,400 bills itself as "The Busiest Little Town in Iowa."

A trip through downtown Laurens shows few empty store fronts.

Wurr, who has operated Heart'n Home, a bridal and gift store, in downtown Laurens for 10 years, said she has been joined by several new businesses in recent months.

And as far as she's concerned, the more, the merrier.

"When you hear about the economic woes over and over, I think it's phenomenal that people are showing such faith in the community," she said.

For Susie Mayou, owner of Streeter's Specialties, the shop, which sells antiques along with pastries and coffee, is something she's wanted to do for a long time.

Much of Mayou's stock came from her own collection, passed down from her family or obtained at auctions.

That includes the name of the shop, she said.

"'Streeter' was my paternal grandfather's name," Mayou said. "I never met him."

Mayou said she enjoys the emotional attachment she sees when a customer finds an item they want.

"Most of the things you sell are not because they're great-looking, but because they have some sort of attachment and remembrance for people," Mayou said. "People like to get back to simpler days."

In addition to antiques, Mayou sells dozens of items handcrafted by her fellow Laurens residents, she said.

"I work with people from a high school girl to an 83-year-old woodworker," she said. "I like selling things that were made in the United States."

For Nathan Brazel, an upswing in interested customers prompted his decision to find a commercial location for his home-based landscaping business.

"My garage is getting too small," he said.

In April, Brazel closed the deal on purchasing a former machine shop which he is currently transforming into a nursery and showroom for landscaping products.

Brazel said he's been self-employed for three years.

"I've always had an interest in gardening," he said. "I had enough people ask me to do stuff for them, so it got to the point where I decided to take the plunge."

Eventually, Brazel said he hopes the shop provides indoor space for the town's farmers market.

"I'd like to start a kids' garden club," he said. "I want to help get people downtown again."

Contact Jesse Helling at (515) 573-2141 or jhelling@messengernews.net