Dustin and Jessalyn Crawford stand in their newly remodeled business.
Russell Shaffer |
February 8, 2024
It’s a good problem to have when your business outgrows your retail space. But it’s still a problem. Jessalyn and Dustin Crawford, owners of Hey Honey Boutique in Ord, Nebraska, recently overcame this challenge.
In their previous location, the boutique, which sells women’s clothing, jewelry and accessories, started to feel cramped, so the Crawfords looked for a larger space. Like many rural entrepreneurs, they faced a second problem: build new or renovate — a big expense either way. They turned to Caleb Pollard, a business “eCoach” with Rural Prosperity Nebraska’s eCommunities program, and soon set a benchmark for how collaboration among businesses benefits Nebraska’s communities.
“We talked about a couple different options,” Jessalyn said of working with Pollard. “One of them would have been basically a tear-down lot and then rebuilding, and honestly, that would have cost too much for us, so [buying this building] was more reasonable.” Working with Pollard on different funding options and opportunities, the Crawfords secured the loans they needed to purchase a dilapidated building in downtown Ord.
Pollard walked them through the paperwork for city, county and statewide loans and grants, which included creating and revising business proposal plans and budget proposals for the applications. One funding route was a rural development grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, helping make the building itself more energy-efficient. Another was a micro-enterprise tax credit, which, if owners are growing their businesses, qualifies them for up to $20,000 back on business investments.
“By commingling local, state and federal resources, you really create these very affordable platforms and programs to solve what I think are fundamental issues within rural Nebraska communities,” Pollard said.
“By commingling local, state and federal resources, you really create these very affordable platforms and programs to solve what I think are fundamental issues within rural Nebraska communities,” Pollard said.
The couple is still deciding on what to do with the second floor. When they do, they’ll be able to use the restored and functional open-air freight elevator from 1840 that they decided to keep.
“We’re not just talking about one or two businesses,” Pollard said. “We’re talking about entire relationships between businesses that are bringing commingled foot traffic, as well as online traffic, to the community. Ultimately, economic development isn’t about just jobs. The more important element is the betterment of the human condition, and the best way to do that is to invest in your neighbors and your community members.”
Jessalyn said: “There’s excitement from the community. I have the older generation coming in and remembering what [the building] looked like. I feel like we kind of saved a little piece of history of Ord.”
Saving that history is not only about preserving a community’s past; it’s also about propelling the community into the future. Pollard said the renovation project is an example of what could become Nebraska’s rural renaissance.
“I think there’s something uniquely special about doing business out here,” said Pollard, referring to rural Nebraska. “There’s something in the water. There’s community support. And it really makes a difference. When you talk about opportunities in rural communities, one of the things you’ll find out here that you just don’t find elsewhere is the level of commitment to supporting our own home-grown entrepreneurs.”