CASCADE, Iowa — Brittany McCullough has long looked forward to window-shopping each weekend with her mom, Annette Green. They visit vintage stores, flea markets and other shops looking for unique pieces.
It’s not just time they spend together — it’s also a family tradition.
“It’s really kind of deep rooted,” Green said. “My mom and my sister and I did crafts years ago, and that love carried through with my daughter and I.”
After years of shopping together on weekends, the mother-daughter duo decided to turn their hobby into a side business and recently opened The Found Collection in downtown Cascade.
They moved into their new storefront at 105 1st Ave. W. on Jan. 1.
The Found Collection features items that can be rented for weddings or other special occasions, such as chairs, couches, buffet tables, candles and table arrangements.
“We have a range from vintage decor to rustic to boho,” McCullough said. “We really just want it to be eclectic and offer to every type of bride.”
When McCullough got married, she and her mom spent countless hours making arrangements for the wedding reception and loved doing it together. Now, they hope to lend their skills to other eager brides, as well as people planning special occasions such as bridal showers or anniversary parties.
“We can help put things together, or if they know exactly what they want, they can come in and we can get that put together for them,” McCullough said.
The store is currently open by appointment only, but Green and McCullough eventually hope to expand their offerings and space, Green said.
“It makes sense to start out small,” she said. “In the future, we would like to be in a bigger place and look at styling venues.”
In the past, many brides would leave the area to find special occasion rental stores such as Green and McCullough’s, but now they said they look forward to having a niche business that can draw people from outside of town to Cascade.
“We are just excited to bring out-of-towners into town so they can see the charm of our downtown area,” McCullough said.
Green and McCullough’s new venture is among several recent business developments in Cascade. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, about five new businesses in the past year have either opened or started renovating buildings so they can open soon, said Katelyn Wolfe, executive director of the Cascade Area Chamber of Commerce.
“We are absolutely thrilled to see the continued growth,” she said. “It’s remarkable, especially given such a difficult year. I think that says a lot about the community of Cascade and how supportive they are of local businesses owners and also the persistence and determination of local business owners.”