Bolling’s recognized as emerging business

Bolling’s Meat Market and Deli, Iola, is the definition of a growing business. Since opening its Iola location in 2010, the business has expanded multiple times. The market’s desire to grow helped earn it a Kansas Small Business Development Center Emerging Business of the Year award.
Bolling’s manager, Cara Bolling Thomas, said the business is excited to have earned the award. Bolling’s became involved with the state’s small business development program when it opened in Iola. Thomas said they reached out to it when she wanted to update her cash register system.
“It was hard for us to keep track of our sales and we wanted to switch over to a point of sale system,” she said. “We wanted a better idea of where our money was going.”
Another area they needed assistance in was marketing. Thomas wanted to know how other meat markets were running.
“We wanted to know how to target our customers so we reached out to them (KSBDC) for recommendations,” Thomas said.
When she considered opening the deli portion of the business she used the marketing again.
“We wanted to know who is eating at home and who is eating out,” she said. “We also wanted to get our accounting in order to see if an extended project would be profitable.”
And it was. Thomas said the market and the new deli are doing very well. A steady flow of customers this winter has grown with warmer weather on the way.

KSBDC nominates an emerging businesses each year. Bolling’s stood out because of its background story, Thomas said. The Bollings family has been involved in the meat industry for four generations. The family owns a meat processing facility in Moran and had had its sights on an Iola location for a long time. Mitch and Sharon Bolling, Thomas’s parents, run the Moran Meat Locker.
Just like her father, Thomas grew up in the industry. As a child she would help vacuum pack deer sticks, take the lungs out of chickens and even dressed up as a butcher for Halloween one year. She graduated from Kansas State University with a degree in political science with the intention of attending law school.
“I wanted to take a break from school and go back, but it just wasn’t for me,” she said.
After she became more involved with the business, she never looked back.
“I’m happy with my job but it can sometimes be stressful,” Thomas said. “We may only work eight hours a day but it’s more like 16 for me. I always have it on my mind whether I’m physically here or not.”

ON TUESDAY, the Bollings family will be recognized in Topeka by members of the state legislature.
Thomas said they typically allow only four persons from a business to attend the ceremony, but her grandparents, Chub and Helen Bolling of Bronson, were invited as well.
Thomas said she always has goals for her business. This year is to expand into online sales. She is also working with Candace McRae on rebranding the logo and having it placed on items like cups in the deli. Bolling’s also has an Internet presence on Facebook.
“Facebook has worked really well,” she said. “It gives you the data on what people are seeing on our page and feedback from customers.”
Their menu is available on all major restaurant sites like UrbanSpoon and Yelp. She also uses text alerts for coupon specials.
One of the deli’s first purchases of the year was a bread machine.
“We will have scones, croissants and a variety of breads,” she said.
Bolling’s is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.