Meet Us on Main Street: Heather Kromer

West Branch's historic Main Street is a charming and quaint business district located just off I-80 at exit 254 (just 6 miles from Iowa City). It's home to unique small businesses and boasts an abundance of Iowa history. There's plenty to eat, shop & explore in West Branch but what makes it extra special is the people you'll meet here. Here's one of them:

West Branch Community Development Group is pleased to highlight our local businesses with the Meet Us on Main Street series featuring Q&A's with business owners that make our Main Street so special. Today, it's our pleasure to lift up Heather Kromer! Heather is the owner and creative mastermind behind Corridor Home Redesign, a gorgeous home decor and gift shop located in the heart of Main Street.

Tell us a little about your background. I am originally from West Branch and graduated from high school in 1998, Go Bears! I had been running a Home Staging and Organizing business until the pandemic struck and shut everything down. I had always wanted to transition into a small boutique decor store, so I used the down time created by the shut down to focus on making that dream come true! I found this little spot on Main Street in West Branch and thought returning to my roots would be the perfect spot for me. With the help of my wonderful mother, who fills in for me when I am hunting for pieces of furniture and fun things to bring into the shop, we have now been here for a year and a half!

Where can we find you? The store is at 102 E Main Street in West Branch. We can be found on our website at www.corridorhomeredesign.com, on Facebook and Instagram @corridorhomeredesign. We are open Tuesday through Friday 10-5 and Saturday 10-4!

What motivated you to start your own business? I had wanted to venture out and start my own business for many years before taking the leap a few years ago. I had worked at the University for many years and, while I enjoyed it very much, I knew I did not want to keep doing that forever. So, I started planning and preparing and when the time felt right, jumped in and haven't looked back since!

How long have you been operating? We opened in August of 2020.

What inspires your work and what sets your business apart? I have been decorating houses for as long as I can remember. If you were a friend or family member of mine, chances are you came home to a rearranged living room at some point starting at probably age 7. I am inspired by my love of decorating. Staging items and displays in the shop, or in peoples' homes, is one of my favorite parts of my job. I suppose that is what sets this little decor boutique shop apart from others as well. You can not only shop here, but I can also come to your home and help decorate!

Describe the products/services you offer. We have seasonal home decor and gifts for every season, home decor, restyled furniture, everything in the shop is for sale! We also offer home decorating and organizing services in your home.

What are a few of your top-selling items? We rarely order the same products twice, so much of what you will find when you come in once might not be there the next time! One of our favorite items and most popular that we DO reorder is our Magic Lights, they are fully rechargeable (no batteries) and really make it look like a candle burning, which really warms every room they go in. Our restyled furniture is also popular, with some of it not lasting the whole day when it debuts!

What brought you to Main Street West Branch? Being from West Branch originally, my first job was at Main Street Sweets at age 14, so really this has just been coming home. I couldn't imagine a better place to be when I was looking for where to set up shop!

What are your plans for the future of your business? My plan is to continue to grow our little shop by continuing to find great items to bring in and delight our guests, as well as focus more attention on the services we offer as we move forward!

Fun Fact: Being in the food and beverage industry for many years, I am somewhat obsessed with good food... eating it, cooking it, etc. So, if you follow the shop on social media for pictures of our beautiful product, you might also get an occasional recipe for some of my favorite dishes!

Meet Us on Main Street to visit with Heather and Eat, Shop, Explore at Exit 254!