When you walk through the door, you’re greeted by the smell of coffee and Bundt cakes. Then you see the shops that sell your latest outfit or home accessory.
Four different businesses have joined forces to open Shops on 3rd, 301 Southwest Walnut St. in Ankeny to combat high rent prices in the emerging Uptown neighborhood. It’s also a way to create a place where customers can shop under one roof.
“I hope that when people come in, they say, ‘Wow! That’s so cute!'” Cheryl Hayes, owner of Funky Zebras, told the Register. “When customers come in, I hope they stay here for a couple of hours.”
Joining Hayes are Marla Earp of XoXo Gift & Home, sisters Barb Wiedenman and Cindy Gordon of Gladdies Bake Shop, and Joel Cox of Porchlight Coffeehouse, all of whom call the corner building home.
“Here it’s a three-pack. You have gifts and home decor, you have baked goods, you have clothing. It feels good,” Earp said. “We work so well together. I just know it’s going to be a success.”
Shops on 3rd has been in the works for almost two years
Hayes had her “crazy idea” for Shops on 3rd since 2022, when Walnut and Willow, a boutique formerly located in the same building, began to shut down.
She knew the owner of the boutique and had even helped out during the last few months before the official closure in January 2023. Hayes had hoped to move her own boutique into the store, but some obstacles pushed her idea into the future.
Then, in December, Hayes was able to lease the building and set to work making the space available for his use.
“We’ve been doing this for about eight months now,” she said. “It’s been a long journey because we had to get it inspected and brought up to code. And now I feel like I own this building with everything we’ve put into it.”
But given the enormous space (almost 300 square meters) and the high rent, she didn’t want to do it alone.
“I went to some friends and said, ‘What if we go in there and share the building?’ And that’s what we did,” she said.
So now The Funky Zebras boutique, XoXo Gift & Home, Gladdies Bakery and Porchlight Coffeehouse are all under one roof. Hayes said she is not aware of any similar business structure in the Des Moines metropolitan area.
“There was a similar building in McKinney, Texas, and that’s where I got the idea to do something like that,” she said. “I don’t think anyone here does anything like that… But that’s how I got the idea, because I knew I didn’t want the whole space.”
Here’s what you should know about the stores at Shops on 3rd:
What is the Funky Zebras Boutique?
As you enter through the west entrance of the Shops on 3rd, you will be greeted by Jessica Marcantel, Hayes’ daughter, who will be happy to help you find the latest additions to your wardrobe.
“We promote family businesses and we promote the fact that we like to help others,” Marcantel said. “That’s why we are in our current position – because we all work together, and that has always been our motto: to help others as much as you can.”
Hayes opened Funky Zebras in 2011 with the hope of helping women feel comfortable in their own skin. They carry a wide range of clothing for women of all shapes and sizes.
Marcantel not only helps her mother run the boutique, but also acts as a model for the clothes.
“I think people can relate to me because I’m on their phone screen. So they know that if I wear this size and that size, they know what size they can order,” she said. “When they’re in the store … they know it’s me.”
There are now 14 Funky Zebras boutiques across the state, including their new location in Ankeny. They also have a store in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.
“It’s been a rollercoaster ride. It’s been a lot of fun,” Hayes said. “I’m not a franchisee. I’m self-taught. Nobody taught us how to run this business.”
What is XoXo Gift & Home?
Need the latest eye-catcher for your home, candles, maybe wine or seasonal treats? Gifts, home decor and more can be found at Marla Earp’s XoXo Gift & Home Shop after entering through a set of Funky Zebras French doors.
“One of the biggest compliments I get is that I have unique gifts for those special people in your life that you won’t find anywhere else,” Earp said. “I work really hard on those specialty items that you won’t find anywhere else.”
Earp had taken a course through the Greater Des Moines Partnership to learn how to get her business up and running, so she took a leap of faith, hoping a new location would bring more visibility, traffic and activity.
“It feels good, and I know I did the right thing,” Earp said. “Just listening to the people who come in is the greatest joy when they give you the compliments you want to hear.”
What to eat at Gladdies:
Meet sister duo Wiedenman and Gordon, who thought they could experience a new kind of sweetness by introducing Bundt cakes to Ankeny.
Their slogan, “Sweeten your life, eat cake,” comes to life at their unique bakery in Shops on 3rd. As you turn off of XoXo Gift & Home, you’ll see bright pink awnings that are sure to lure you in if the smell of their cakes doesn’t immediately hit your nose.
“We just started experimenting with recipes … and then people kept coming back,” Wiedenman said. “And so we thought, maybe we really have something here.”
The bakery, named after the sisters’ grandmother Gladys, who has an exceptional baking talent, offers more than a dozen flavors and is constantly working to offer customers new flavors.
“We try to make something for everyone,” Wiedenman said. “Our newest creation is the Orange Creamsicle… we’re constantly coming up with new flavors.”
If you can’t make it to the Shops on 3rd, you can order Gladdies online for delivery. They also offer catering for birthday parties, graduation parties, and more.
What’s available at Porch Light Coffeehouse:
When you enter through the entrance on the north side of Shops on 3rd, you’ll feel right at home in Cox’s cozy cafe, Porch Light Coffeehouse.
A typical local honey latte pairs perfectly with any baked goods from the cafe or any bundt cake from Gladdies. You might also want to grab lunch after a morning of shopping.
A door connecting the cafe to Shops on 3rd gives you a little taste of the other shops.
“The fact that we can all work together and bring in our individual, unique customer groups is the recipe for something really good,” Cox said.
Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Register. Reach him at [email protected].
