POCAHONTAS — The Kaleidoscope Factory in Pocahontas, which makes and sells handcrafted wood toys and keepsakes, has been named the Small Business of the Week by U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst

Ernst, a Republican who is the ranking member of the Senate Small Business Committee, recognizes an Iowa business every week.

The Kaleidoscope Factory was established by the late Leonard Olson in Pomeroy in 2004. He had received a kaleidoscope in 1997 as a gift and that inspired him to start making them on his own. In 2014, he moved the business to downtown Pocahontas.

After he died in 2019, his sisters, Lois Hessenius and Margaret Egli, took over. Family members and friends help craft kaleidoscopes, toy trains, puzzles and more.

The Kaleidoscope Factory partnered with the Pocahontas County Economic Development Commission to install large kaleidoscopes throughout the community.

The Kaleidoscope Factory marked its 20th anniversary in April.

“Woodworking, like a kaleidoscope, is an art that celebrates transformation – with each cut and curve new beauty emerges,” Ernst said in a written statement. “The Kaleidoscope Factory reveals fresh perspectives with every twist, uncovering the hidden potential in every piece of wood.”