WEST DESMOINES, Iowa (KCCI) – The Friday after Thanksgiving is always busier than usual for Valley Junction’s shops and restaurants, but for many on 5th Street in West Des Moines, Saturday is always a busy day. Most profitable day of the year KCCI’s Kayla James reports Moines.
“The crowd has doubled — usually at least double the crowd on a normal Saturday,” said Kelsey Mihalovich, owner of The Hinge on Fifth Street.
Mihalovich has owned home improvement and clothing store Hinge for 10 years.
It’s the historic aspect of Valley Junction that helps draw people to shop in the area, she said.
“I think the region really sets us apart,” Mihalovich said.
Businesses in Valley Junction saw crowds of customers coming and going on Friday. Candle Bar DSM is one such business that attracts a lot of clients.
The store lets customers make their own candles. Owner Chloe Bratvold is also opening a designer handbag store above Candle Bar DSM. The building is one of several areas of Valley Junction that are undergoing some renovations.
In November alone the building had a paint job and work on the windows.
“We have new design guidelines to keep the historic façade intact and not disappear,” Bratvold said.
Bratvold is also a member of Valley Junction’s Board of Directors. She said she looks forward to the owners’ efforts to keep the historic district alive.
“I feel like the community has come together with all the changes,” Bratvold said. “As always, people are really looking forward to the next big thing here.”
The consensus is that part of what makes Valley Junction so unique is the diverse shops along 5th Street and the family vibe among the business owners.
Business owners hope that people will continue to find themselves in Valley Junction and support local businesses, not just small businesses on a Saturday.
“We’re not just here one day of the year; we’re here 365 days, adding diversity and uniqueness to the area and your community,” Mihalovich said.
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