Local directory
Businesses of North Of Grand
Support local. Explore shops, restaurants, and services right here in our neighborhood.
35th Street Pottery
1421 35th St, Des Moines, IA
35th Street Pottery began in a basement kiln that shook the floorboards every firing. Founder Leah Okonkwo, a ceramics MFA who returned to Des Moines to be closer to family, opened a street-level studio so neighbors could watch pots take shape and try a wheel without a formal class commitment. The shop sells functional ware — mugs, bowls, planters — alongside experimental glaze work. Drop-in nights fill quickly; kids’ clay camps sell out each summer. Leah’s origin story is simple: she wanted making to feel ordinary again, not gated behind expensive workshops. Walk in and you’ll smell wet clay and hear the wheel hum. Leah still throws most mornings before the gallery opens.
Alliance for Aging Neighbors
3750 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA
Alliance for Aging Neighbors is a mutual-aid nonprofit founded by social worker Patrice Coleman and retired nurse Bill Nguyen. They coordinate rides, grocery help, tech tutoring, and friendly check-ins for older residents who want to age in place. The origin story is a winter ice storm and a phone tree that worked too well to shut down. Patrice still runs volunteer training; Bill still does blood-pressure clinics in the front room on Thursdays.
Anchor Home Services
3910 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA
Anchor Home Services is a handypeople collective founded by retired teacher Marlene Scott and electrician Ray Okada. They handle small jobs — grab bars, leaky faucets, porch lights — with transparent quotes and a senior discount that isn’t buried in fine print. The origin story: Marlene kept getting calls from neighbors who didn’t know who to trust. Ray joined after fixing her porch for free. They still schedule carefully, still show up when they say they will, and still leave the workspace cleaner than they found it.
Bloom Pediatrics Group
3702 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA
Bloom Pediatrics Group was founded by Dr. Amira Hassan and Dr. Luke Brennan to bring unhurried well-child visits back to the neighborhood. Exam rooms have books and floor space; the waiting area feels more like a living room than a clinic. They partner with local schools on asthma and vision screenings. The origin story includes a soft opening delayed by a blizzard — and families who showed up anyway with homemade muffins. Amira still does newborn rounds; Luke still leads the teen mental-health evenings.
Blue Porch Ice Cream
3222 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA
Blue Porch Ice Cream started as a backyard churn that became a line down the sidewalk. Founders Tess and Miles Harper turned a vacant bay into a scoop shop with rotating flavors named after local streets. Dairy comes from regional farms; vegan options rotate weekly. The founding story is summer: sticky hands, porch swings, and a refusal to open year-round until they could do it right. Tess still invents flavors; Miles still runs the evening scoop rush.
Brick Oven Pie Co.
2980 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA
Brick Oven Pie Co. is chef Gina Torretti’s love letter to Neapolitan crust and Iowa tomatoes. She built a wood oven with friends over a long summer, then opened with a short menu that refuses to chase trends. Tuesday is community pie night — buy one, donate one to a shelter partner. Gina’s origin story includes a failed food truck and a stubborn belief that dough needs time. She still opens the oven door herself and still argues that less cheese is more.
Brightside Tutoring Hub
3666 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA
Brightside Tutoring Hub is an education nonprofit founded by teachers Malik Johnson and Sara Okonkwo. They offer sliding-scale tutoring, homework clubs, and SAT/ACT prep without predatory pricing. The origin story: pandemic learning gaps that didn’t close on their own. Malik still tutors algebra; Sara still trains volunteer tutors who often become mentors for years.
Candlewick Home Goods
2944 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA
Candlewick Home Goods is a carefully edited home shop founded by interior stylist Zoe Martin. Think linens, ceramics, and gifts that don’t scream “seasonal aisle.” Zoe sources from Midwest makers whenever she can. Workshops cover table styling and simple mending. Zoe’s origin story: styling houses that felt impersonal until neighbors brought their own stories in. She still unwraps shipments herself and still writes the gift notes that make returns rare.
Cedar Frame Optometry
3290 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA
Cedar Frame Optometry was founded by Dr. Noah Kim after noticing how many neighbors delayed eye exams for lack of nearby appointments. The clinic pairs thorough exams with a curated frame wall that includes budget and boutique options. Noah hosts annual “kids see free screening” days with school partners. The founding ethos: clear vision shouldn’t require a long drive. Noah still does most fittings himself and still remembers who needs the extra-patient explanation.
Copper Nail Hardware
2888 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA
Copper Nail Hardware is what happens when a third-generation hardware clerk, Rita Kowalski, inherits a building and refuses to let it become another empty storefront. She restocked fasteners, paint, and garden tools, then added a loaner tool library for neighbors who only need a tile saw once. Rita’s origin story is practical: she knows which screws fail in Iowa humidity. Saturday clinics teach basic repairs. Rita still cuts keys herself and still walks customers to the exact bin instead of pointing vaguely down an aisle.