BY LUCIE KRISMAN
When she first opened her boutique, Elizabeth Knispel said she received a lot of advice.
"I was told that your success is not permanent and that no matter how educated or experienced you are in small business, success can come and go," Knispel said. "I realized I was going to need to change what my definition of success was."
Two years after opening Twill Trade's location in Eudora, Knispel said she was surprised to be notified that her boutique was awarded Business of the Year by the Eudora Chamber of Commerce.
"It was a huge surprise, but we're definitely excited about it," Knispel said.
Knispel was recognized Friday night along with Citizen of the Year winner Caleb Lewis, a school resource officer, during the Chamber’s annual event celebrating local businesses.
Originating in Colorado, Twill Trade Boutique opened in Eudora in 2017, a year after Knispel relocated to Eudora. Knispel said the last two years of running Twill Trade have been consistently eventful.
"We're always doing something. We're always working on an event or a project or just trying to get out there and do whatever we can in the community," Knispel said. "That's kind of how the year goes, week by week."
Although running a local business in a small town has presented the challenge of providing the wide variety of items customers are looking for, Knispel said her favorite part of it is the people and the community.
"You really do become part of the community and you really know the families and the people that shop with you," Knispel said. "It's much more intimate, which I definitely like."
To Knispel, Eudora is unique in how much the residents truly care about their community.
"I've never experienced that anywhere else that I've lived," Knispel said. "People really try to support businesses. They try to support activities. They support the schools. You can tell that the people who live here really care about the town."
Knispel said she is most thankful for the customers who have helped Twill Trade remain successful enough to help others with their success as well.
"It's not really necessarily about the amount of money that you have in your till at the end of the day, but more about who you can help and who you can impact," Knispel said. "I think that has continued to make us a more successful business, and I'm very grateful that we're in a position, because of our customers, to be able to do that and give back. I think that's probably what I'm most grateful for."
Lewis was also recognized during the event and did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In the past year, his work has included helping the Eudora Police Department implement a new Special Needs Awareness Program. He previously told The Eudora Times that the program will help officers be proactive in knowing what special needs or triggers a student may have to ensure interactions go smoothly.
Lewis also is involved with the Cardinal Clays, a Eudora High School trap shooting club, and started a program a few years ago that collects holiday gifts for students in need.
Eudora School District spokesman Mark Dodge said he is excited to see Lewis receive the recognition he has long deserved.
"Caleb is well-deserving of this award," Dodge said. "He is a passionate leader in our schools with our kids. He's a role model. He works very hard for the families, teachers and kids in our school district."
Reach reporter Lucie Krisman at eudoratimes@gmail.com.
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