Main Street Iowa has named five finalists for its annual Open 4 Business pitch contest, set for Aug. 4 in conjunction with the 2025 Iowa Downtown Conference. The competition will take place at the National Pearl Button Museum in Muscatine, where each finalist will present their business idea live to a panel of judges. The winner will receive a $25,000 grant.
The Open 4 Business program supports business development in designated Main Street Iowa districts across the state. Applicants completed an online application and submitted a video pitch outlining how they would use the grant to expand and grow their business.
Ames: Torrent Brewing Company
Torrent Brewing Company has been downtown Ames’ only brewery for more than a decade, celebrating its 10-year anniversary in February. Owned by Andy and Angie McCormick, Torrent combines a production facility with a spacious taproom serving handcrafted beers, house-made sodas and flatbread pizzas. They distribute within a 30-minute radius but are currently “tapped out” on wholesale capacity with existing equipment.
If awarded an Open 4 Business grant, the McCormicks plan to replace worn barstools, upgrade pizza ovens for faster service, and install a permanently mounted projection system for presentations and game days. On the production side, new brewing and transfer pumps — plus expanded keg and can inventories — will improve efficiency and help grow their market presence. As Andy puts it, the current pumps “sometimes pull double and triple duty,” handling brewing, cleaning and moving product between tanks. The time saved with better equipment will allow them to focus on marketing, regional festivals and events.
Elkader: DroneXperts
DroneXperts is a drone training, equipment sales and service provider founded by Mark Collins, who returned to Elkader after a career in aviation and education, including as an associate professor of unmanned systems at Indiana State University. He and his family have converted a warehouse into Airbnb units and a drone education facility, serving a 250-mile radius across Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois
DroneXperts offers training certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, bundled with equipment sales to help rural professionals avoid costly mistakes. Clients include farmers optimizing crops with aerial imaging, emergency responders using drones for search and rescue, real estate professionals and entrepreneurs. Summer courses teach high school students drone safety, building and programming, with adult classes planned this fall.
With an Open 4 Business grant, Mark would purchase a thermal imaging drone, sensors, batteries, parts and classroom technology — expanding hands-on instruction, hybrid courses and the ability to serve more rural clients.
Mount Pleasant: Preppin Mama
Founded by mother-daughter duo Dani Murphy and Tatum Kane, Preppin Mama began as a small booth selling freeze-dried local foods and gourmet cookies. Now they’re transforming the business into a full-scale homesteading hub — a place where people can access the tools, ingredients and skills needed for self-sufficient, sustainable living.
Their downtown storefront, now under renovation, will feature a dry goods market with heritage grains, spices and pantry staples; a fresh-pressed juice bar; a classroom for hands-on workshops; and a dedicated wall showcasing local makers and artisans. An Open 4 Business grant will help complete the dry goods section and purchase a commercial stone mill to provide fresh-milled flour. This expansion furthers their mission to reconnect people with nutritious, local foods and practical skills like sewing, canning and gardening
Waverly: Z’s Pizza & Diner
Z’s Pizza & Diner — which opened in its current Waverly location in 2022 — carries forward a family tradition that began more than 50 years ago. Formerly located in Waterloo, the restaurant is known for its signature, made-from-scratch pizzas using dough and sauce recipes passed down through generations. The menu also features hearty burgers, wings and fresh salads — plus catering services for family gatherings, corporate events and community celebrations.
If awarded an Open 4 Business grant, owners Christopher and Joy Carney plan to upgrade their point-of-sale system to support online ordering and faster, more accurate in-person checkout, while introducing pizza by the slice for quick downtown lunches. Additional improvements include new catering equipment, an enclosed trailer for event service, refreshed dining furniture and enhanced marketing to help Z’s grow its reach, strengthen community ties and serve more customers across the region.
West Branch: The Honey Den
The Honey Den is a boutique candy and gift shop founded by Tiffany Frederick in 2023. Inspired by childhood trips to the local candy store with her grandparents, Tiffany opened The Honey Den to give her daughter — and the community — that same memorable experience. The shop features a custom gummy bar, a 12-foot Jelly Belly wall, small-batch sweets, premium chocolates, retro favorites, personality-driven gifts and seasonal decor.
The Honey Den specializes in custom candy assortments — paired with personalized labels — and is expanding its growing wholesale and fundraising programs, which help boutiques, nonprofits and schools nationwide. “This grant is going to be life-changing and put my business in fast forward,” Tiffany says. If awarded an Open 4 Business grant, Tiffany will invest in professionally designed packaging, a commercial-grade label printer, expanded inventory and storage, upgraded fundraising tools and targeted marketing.
