The ninth annual Des Moines Holiday Boutique kicked off the holiday season this weekend, filling the EMC Expo Center with festive merchandise and a bustling crowd of shoppers. According to KCCI, the three‑day event featured more than 200 small businesses from across the region, offering everything from clothing and coffee to handmade gifts and soaps.
Vendors highlighted the boutique as a prime opportunity to reach local customers and build relationships. “It’s just a really good feeling pre‑holiday event. I love it,” said Jennifer Freking, owner of Pink Hummingbird. Jocelyn Gamez, owner of Piel Canela Coffee, added, “It’s amazing that they choose small vendors and that people are willing to come support small business rather than doing all their Christmas shopping elsewhere. They don’t only support the business; they support the person behind it and all that hard work. So that just means everything to us.”
Many participants view the boutique as an emerging tradition. Freking noted, “Five years later, here I am. Just followed my dream,” while Gamez expressed hopes for future involvement: “We would love to be here many more years.” The event also showcased youthful entrepreneurship, with a young vendor eager to share her business story and two brothers presenting beeswax candles, wallets and keychains, encouraging other young people to start their own ventures.
Beyond sales, vendors emphasized the community‑building aspect of the boutique. “It really is about local community,” Freking said. “There are so many of us I’ve met over the years just from coming here. We all want to communicate with other people and have these great relationships and sell our business and build our business.” The gathering provided a platform for both seasoned entrepreneurs and newcomers to network, exchange ideas and strengthen the local economy.
Organizers and participants alike consider the Holiday Boutique a vital showcase for Des Moines’ small‑business ecosystem, offering residents a convenient place to find unique holiday gifts while supporting the people behind the products. The event ran for three days at the EMC Expo Center, drawing shoppers eager to start their holiday shopping locally.
