By Anelia K. Dimitrova
A passion for creating women-centered stylish outfits, that bonded two area business-minded women several years ago, blossomed in its full glory on Saturday at 116 Main Street in Cedar Falls.
There, Grizzly Rose Co., a women’s clothing and accessories store downtown, marked its expansion to the new location, a big step forward for co-owners Anne Bachman and Lisa Gonzales.
The store’s name comes from a nature reserve near Anne’s residence, as its beauty fit the duo’s aesthetic for their clothing store.
It is also an affirmation of their brand, grounded in their grassroots vision for what a locally-owned clothing store celebrating women’s individuality can do for the community with crafted and curated pieces of clothing.
A bouquet of red, pink and white balloons by the entrance beckoned at everyone who strolled downtown on Feb. 7, the day designated for two community events — Downtown Delights, and the annual Galentine’s celebration.
The store’s logo, freshly placed above the door, set the tone for the experience inside with three key words in the tagline – “Confident, Comfortable, You.”
The store had opened in 2024 at 401 Main Street, but its owners soon realized they would need to expand as they had quickly outgrown their initial space. What they really wanted to do was more than sell unique clothing and accessories.
They needed more space to help other women entrepreneurs showcase their businesses inside the Grizzly Rose with theme-based or pop-up events.
Saturday’s in-store celebration was a good illustration of how that concept would work in practice.
By the entrance, Kara Smith, of Now and Forever Link’d with Kara, displayed her jewelry.
I watched as Kara, with great precision and patience, worked her art, placing a permanent bracelet on the wrist of Emilee Nedoba, picked by her 4-year-old son.
“I intend to keep it on permanently,” Emilee told me later.
As the afternoon unfolded, a small line of friends gathered around Kara’s table, all waiting to be fitted for a bracelet.
“I like pop-up events,” Kara told me. “It works for my business.”
Further inside the store, Yeya Alvarez, of Mama Yeya’s Home Bakery, a licensed home baker from Waterloo, and her helper, Alejandra Carpenter, were making mini pancakes to order.
Several bouquets of flowers, celebrating the new location of the store, sat on the counter toward the back, signaling the shared good will of the community.
Business partners tell how the Grizzly Rose Co. bloomed downtown
One can imagine the waves of mostly women friend groups and families, who came in on Saturday to browse, buy and celebrate the new location, marveling at the unique offerings in the store.
In the midst of such vertiginous energy, I found one of the co-owners, Anne. She is an even-keeled mom who knows how to parse her attention when it is needed simultaneously in multiple directions without seeming to be hurried or stressed. With a smile, she carved a few moments out of her hosting duties to tell me the story of the store beyond what customers can see.
A 2009 graduate of the textile and apparel program at UNI, Anne said she always preferred to work for smaller, family-owned companies, as that aligned with her values. But she didn’t think she may become the co-owner of one.
“I did not have this on my radar,” she laughed.
Anne’s path eventually crossed with Lisa’s and the two found they were kindred spirits.
Lisa enjoyed making her own designs and pressing the graphics and messaging on the clothing, which she does at a spot in the back of the store or from home. But partnering with Anne offered opportunities to create their own brand.
“We knew this was something we could do,” Anne said. “We knew we could do something we could be proud of and wanted, that we were excited to do, so we went for it.”
So they did and that’s how Grizzly Rose Co. arrived on Main Street.
“We both push each other to be who we really want to be,” Lisa told me. “We are very much a partnership. And we have truly grown into a family over the last few years. It makes us a little bit different than other businesses because we have always been a partnership from the very jump.”
They first tried the concept out in 2022, by going to vendor shows around the state. Then in 2024, they added the storefront, next to Hint & Hue, the hair salon at 408 Main Street.
In due time, as their confidence evolved, Anne and Lisa decided it was time to create a space for their mission – to empower other women. And for that, they needed a bigger space. When the store front of the former Basket of Daisies became available, they were ready for their next step.
So they made the leap, but not without what Anne calls “some business owner jitters.”
Family members, too, gave it their best effort to support the dream.
“Both of our families have completely bought in,” Lisa said.
What the two businesswomen have learned so far in their journey is that in a successful partnership, the most important ingredient is trust.
“I trust her implicitly,” Lisa said. “It’s a two-way street. We spend more time with each other than we do with our husbands. It’s not for everyone, but I think we really did it right. We didn’t jump into this space all at once, we started small and we built an audience. We want anyone who walks in this store to be able to find something they love. We have many facets to our brand, but the biggest thing is we are always gonna have something for everyone and it is going to be comfortable.”
It is that welcoming comfort, along with color, that customers can count on when they visit Grizzly Rose Co.’s downtown store.
“Honestly, it’s something that we love, and what we’re passionate about, so, the only way to know if you’re gonna succeed is to jump in,” said Anne.
