Ernst Names Small Business of the Week, Kaleidoscope Factory

RED OAK, Iowa - U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee, today announced her Small Business of the Week: Kaleidoscope Factory of Pocahontas County. Throughout this Congress, Ranking Member Ernst plans to recognize a small business in every one of Iowa's 99 counties.

"Woodworking, like a kaleidoscope, is an art that celebrates transformation - with each cut and carve, new beauty emerges," said Ranking Member Ernst. "The Kaleidoscope Factory reveals fresh perspectives with every twist, uncovering the hidden potential in every piece of wood."

In 1997, Leonard Olson received his first kaleidoscope as a gift, sparking a lifelong passion for woodworking. He began making them on his own and opened Kaleidoscope Factory in Pomeroy, Iowa in 2004. In 2014, Leonard moved Kaleidoscope Factory to downtown Pocahontas.

After Leonard passed away in 2019, his sisters, Lois Hessenius and Margaret Egli, kept the business running while other family and friends stepped up to help craft a variety of products like kaleidoscopes, toy trains, and puzzles. Kaleidoscope Factory partnered with the Pocahontas County Economic Development Commission to install life-sized kaleidoscopes throughout the community. This past April, Kaleidoscope Factory celebrated its 20^th anniversary.

Stay tuned as Ranking Member Ernst recognizes more Iowa small businesses across the state with her Small Business of the Week award.

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