Grain & Thread
Sumner, Iowa (pop. 2,021) is our featured rural community this week! We'll be sharing stories throughout the week from local leaders and business owners who are making an impact here.
Today's guest blog post is from Ashley Eckenrod, owner of Grain & Thread, a home décor, gift shop and boutique.
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I’m Ashley, owner of Grain & Thread – established 2017 – in downtown Sumner, Iowa. My husband Brian and I have three children who are learning the ropes of entrepreneurship at a young age. Our kids have helped set up and tear down at vendor shows, done some junkin’ on the weekends, and frequently work as the greeting crew at the store. Sometimes the extra “help” they offer is ultimately not so helpful! However, I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to show them the perks of being a business owner, the hard work that goes into it, and what it looks like to give back to our community.
Both of my parents are self-employed and business owners, and I always knew I wanted to do the same. Grain & Thread is a retail store that offers home décor, gift items, women’s boutique clothing, and team apparel. We have around 15 local artisans selling hand crafted, repurposed items at Grain & Thread. This helps to offer a wide selection of items and something for everyone. In 2020, I expanded my business and started screen printing, and we now offer a large selection of everyday t-shirts and school apparel.
I work very closely with other business owners in town to host fun events to draw visitors to our town. We attract large crowds from neighboring communities for these events. We use several social media channels to advertise and spread the word of the events we plan. We all work together to not only promote these events, but to highlight our town, businesses, and amenities.
I was born and raised in Sumner and, like most teenagers, I “couldn’t wait to get out of this small town.” I always said I’d never move back here, and I thought that meant I’d “make it” if I landed in a big city or anywhere but here. But now I can’t imagine living anywhere else. I feel passionate about our small town, keeping the businesses we have and creating a community where people love to work, live, and enjoy. I want to see us grow and prosper. Community over competition. The more businesses we have that work together, the greater we will be.
To help drive the future of Sumner, I am involved in several organizations and boards in our community whose missions all recognize the value of our small town and work to continue to see it thrive. Serving on an economic development group, community enhancement group, and daycare board are a few ways I choose to give back to our community. I also meet with a few local women on a regular basis to plan unique events, spark conversation on our community, and dream of the possibilities of our small town. These are usually spur of the moment meetings and very productive! We hosted the “What Could Be” tour to highlight available storefronts in our downtown, plan our annual Farm to Table event, and developed our Green Space downtown with a stage and landscaping, bringing a fresh look to our downtown district.
If you ever land in Sumner, stop by and say “Hello!” We’re working hard to keep our town moving forward and we hope you’ll notice when you visit!
Find out more about the rural revival happening in Sumner, Iowa here:
We’re challenging small towns to create opportunities and shift the mindset of our kids so they choose to stay in our rural communities instead of leave.