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An eye for gathering unique wares and a background filled with travel have led Nikki Kettelkamp to pursue her dream of owning a retail store. This week she will open Scout of Marion, located at 725 11th St in Uptown. “I’ve always wanted to own a store and bring some of the cool things I see when I travel, items that are not readily available here,” said Kettelkamp. “Last year, a friend encouraged me to go for it.” The store is located in what was the foyer of the old Park Place Hotel in Marion. Kettelkamp said she saw the floor and everything fell into place. “The original tile is what drew me to this space. We were able to expose as much as we could to help create the atmosphere of the store.” Scout of Marion features homegoods, personal care, pantry and cheese. It’s perfect for gift-giving and self-gifting. Kettelkamp adds, a friend described it by saying if Dean & Deluca and Anthropologie had a baby it would be named Scout. Kettelkamp most recently worked as a Key Account Manager for CHANEL traveling world-wide and embodying CHANEL’S brand of luxury and service. “Coco said, treat someone as a woman first and a customer second,” added Kettelkamp. “I want people to have a great experience in my store and know that I’m truly interested in helping them find the perfect gift for someone special or for themselves,” adding she’s a big self-gifter. Customers will leave with feeling a bit spoiled by the treasures they find inside and the luxury packaging it’s wrapped in.