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Thursday 9am - 2pm Friday 9am - 2pm Saturday 10am - 9pm Sunday 12pm - 5pm

The Back Yard

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Collins, IA
The Back Yard

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Small town Art Gallery & Hangout. Home of Steeped & Stirred☕️+🍸. Collins, IA. Rotating Iowa-only-artists art gallery 🖼️
Th- 9a-2p
F- 9a-2p
Sa- 10a-9p
Su- Noon-5p
(1)

11/09/2026

I was going to wait until tomorrow to share the windows I did this morning for Fabled Popcorn Co in Huxley, but these doors are TOO GOOD not to share. I am absolutely obsessed and would now like to paint big red bows on all glass doors (they would look fab on windows as well 😬🤷🏼‍♀️)

Need to add some Christmas cheer to your business?! I have openings to make it happen ✨

11/09/2026

Every small business has people like Kathy.

The ones who show up, encourage your ideas, tell their friends about you, and sometimes give you the little push you need to actually make something happen.

I don’t think Kathy had any idea that a conversation at a painting class in January would turn into an entirely new part of my business, but here we are, nine months and 25 subscribers later.

One of my favorite things about running a small business is getting to know the people who become part of its story. And sometimes, those people end up shaping the business itself.

So, thanks again, Kathy. I’m glad you didn’t give me much of a choice. 🤷🏼‍♀️🤣

To everyone who’s ever encouraged a small business owner, shared their work, or taken a chance on something new: you might be making a bigger difference than you realize. ✨

11/08/2026

One of the more interesting things about entrepreneurship is how rarely things turn out exactly as you planned.

When we started renovating 214 Main Street, The Back Yard wasn’t even an idea. I was still running my cricket business, and we were focused on turning a 140-year-old building into our home and workspace.

A few years later, we’re running an art gallery, coffee and cocktail patio, and creative gathering space out of the building that used to process edible insects. Not exactly a predictable career trajectory. 😬🤷🏼‍♀️

A recent comment about our business name got me thinking about how much history is wrapped up in those three little words.

And while I completely understand that “The Back Yard” doesn’t immediately tell someone what we sell, I also think there’s something valuable about building a brand that isn’t tied to one particular product or service.

Because if the last several years have taught me anything, it’s that things change. Opportunities appear that you never anticipated. Ideas evolve. And sometimes the things you’ve already built become the foundation for something you couldn’t have imagined at the time.

I’m not sure exactly what The Back Yard will look like five years from now, but I know what it’ll be called. ✨

11/08/2026

And just like that, another patio season comes to an end. ✨

This year gave us plenty to celebrate, plenty to learn from, and a whole lot to think about as we plan for the future of The Back Yard.

I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built here, but I’m also excited to see what happens when I put the same energy into growing the parts of this business that don’t depend on foot traffic, good weather, or a busy Saturday afternoon.

The patio will be back next spring. In the meantime, there’s a whole lot happening inside these walls, and I hope you’ll stick around to see where we go from here.

One last afternoon on the patio. Today, noon-5.

Thank you for being part of our 2026 season. ❤️

11/06/2026

I received a message earlier this week that made me realize I might have a bit of a marketing problem.

A woman who had been following The Back Yard thought we were primarily a bar. She had no idea about the art gallery, the workshops, the family-friendly atmosphere, or the fact that most of our beverage revenue actually comes from non-alcoholic drinks, and I don’t blame her for that assumption.

When you’re building a business that doesn’t fit neatly into an existing category, communicating what you do can be surprisingly difficult.

I’ve spent the last two seasons trying to explain all the different pieces of The Back Yard: the patio, the gallery, the coffee, the cocktails, the workshops, the community events. But I’m starting to realize that maybe the individual offerings aren’t the most important part of the story.

The common thread has always been creating opportunities for people to gather, connect, and experience something different in our little town. The challenge now is figuring out how to communicate that clearly while continuing to grow and evolve the business. It’s an interesting problem to have, and one I’m still learning how to solve.

For my fellow business owners: have you ever struggled to explain what your business actually does?

11/06/2026

We are just over a week away from our first Christmas Canvas Club of the season at Benola's Pub & Patio on Main Street in Baxter.

No artistic ability required, but pre-registration is required.

Come hang out and get a little creative ✨

11/05/2026

It was cold, rainy, and quiet at The Back Yard today.

While days like this aren’t particularly good for a business that relies on people showing up, they’re a pretty good reminder of why I’ve been working so hard to build something beyond our physical location.

One of those things is The Back Yard Mail Club.

For $8 a month, I send subscribers a 5×7 print of my original artwork, a coordinating sticker, and a letter from me. It’s a small way to share my art with people who might never make it to Collins, Iowa. And it’s one more piece of building a business that can grow regardless of the weather.

We recently welcomed our 21st subscriber (🥳🥳🥳), and I’m working toward 30.

November’s edition features a whimsical mushroom painting and coordinating sticker. Sign up by November 10 to receive it.

Gift subscriptions are available for 6 or 12 months, too.

11/05/2026

A little DIY project with a much bigger purpose. ✨

As I shift my focus toward creating more art tutorials, YouTube videos, and educational content, I’ve been trying to figure out how to make filming a more natural part of my everyday creative process. One of the biggest challenges has been getting good overhead footage while I’m painting. I needed something sturdy, mobile, and versatile enough to work with different projects. So, I built it.

Thanks to my dad’s highly organized pile of scrap wood, some supplies I already had, and less than $35 in new materials, I now have a setup that should make filming significantly easier.

It’s a small investment in something I’m hoping will become a much bigger part of my business.

Building a sustainable creative business doesn’t always mean making big, expensive changes. Sometimes it just means figuring out what you need and finding a way to make it happen. One little project at a time.

11/04/2026

I opened an art gallery in a town of less than 500 people, and after a full season, the numbers made me rethink just about everything.

Not because the gallery was a failure, but because I started to see a much clearer picture of what was working, what wasn’t, and where I should be putting my time and energy.

I’m sharing the numbers, the lessons, and the decisions behind the shift in my first long-form video on my newly rebranded YouTube channel, Building in a Small Town.

The full video is live now. You can find it on YouTube by searching Building in a Small Town.

This is just the beginning of a much bigger conversation about building a creative business in a tiny rural community.

11/03/2026

I opened an art gallery in a town of less than 500 people. After a full season, the numbers told me something I wasn’t expecting.

51 pieces of art sold. 33 of them were my own.

When I looked at the actual revenue from commissions versus selling my own artwork, I realized it was time to rethink the business model.

I just published my first long-form YouTube video on the topic under Building in a Small Town, where I’m sharing the real numbers, the lessons, and why I’m changing direction.

If you’ve ever wondered what it actually looks like to build a creative business in a tiny rural community, this one’s for you.

Search “Building in a Small Town” on YT & enjoy! ✨

Address

222 Main Street
Collins, IA
50055

Opening Hours

Thursday	9am - 2pm
Friday	9am - 2pm
Saturday	10am - 9pm
Sunday	12pm - 5pm

Telephone

+15156867505

Website

https://www.thebackyardia.com/

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