Contemplating starting a business in Davenport, Iowa? We walk you through the process of opening a business in Davenport.
Most new businesses do not succeed, in part because the business owner did not have the perseverance and abilities that are necessary to succeed. So, before you open a business, consider all of the implications of being an entrepreneur.
With so much at stake when you start a business, we strongly recommend you do the following before you proceed:
Davenport has an active business community that includes small businesses,
mid-sized businesses and large businesses.
To give you a better feel for Davenport demographics for small businesses, we have tabulated the small business sizes, based on number of employees, for business in Davenport.
As a new Davenport entrepreneur, you may also be interested in the table below. It shows how many businesses there are in Davenport for each business category. By looking at this chart, you can get
a general sense for how much competition there is in the business niche that
you are pursuing.
| Business Type |
# of
Businesses |
| Advertising Agencies |
11 |
| Aluminum Foundries (except Die-Casting) |
2 |
| Ambulance Services |
1 |
| Amusement and Theme Parks |
1 |
| Amusement Arcades |
2 |
| Architectural Services |
3 |
| Armored Car Services |
4 |
| Art Dealers |
1 |
| Audio and Video Equipment Manufacturing |
1 |
| Automotive Exhaust System Repair |
4 |
| Automotive Glass Replacement Shops |
5 |
| Automotive Parts and Accessories Stores |
24 |
| Automotive Transmission Repair |
7 |
| Baked Goods Stores |
3 |
| Barber Shops |
5 |
| Beauty Salons |
46 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Stores |
5 |
| Blind and Shade Manufacturing |
1 |
| Blood and Organ Banks |
2 |
| Boat Dealers |
1 |
| Book Publishers |
1 |
| Book Stores |
5 |
| Bowling Centers |
4 |
| Building Inspection Services |
1 |
| Business Associations |
7 |
| Cafeterias |
3 |
| Camera and Photographic Supplies Stores |
1 |
| Car Washes |
12 |
| Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning Services |
4 |
| Casinos (except Casino Hotels) |
1 |
| Caterers |
1 |
| Cemeteries and Crematories |
6 |
| Child and Youth Services |
2 |
| Child Day Care Services |
18 |
| Children's and Infants' Clothing Stores |
4 |
| Civic and Social Organizations |
20 |
| Claims Adjusting |
3 |
| Clothing Accessories Stores |
5 |
| Coin-Operated Laundries and Drycleaners |
3 |
| Collection Agencies |
1 |
| Commercial Bakeries |
2 |
| Commercial Lithographic Printing |
4 |
| Commercial Photography |
2 |
| Commodity Contracts Brokerage |
3 |
| Community Food Services |
11 |
| Computer and Software Stores |
4 |
| Computer Facilities Management Services |
3 |
| Computer Systems Design Services |
11 |
| Computer Training |
1 |
| Confectionery and Nut Stores |
2 |
| Construction Machinery Manufacturing |
2 |
| Consumer Lending |
4 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities |
2 |
| Convenience Stores |
8 |
| Convention and Trade Show Organizers |
2 |
| Cosmetology and Barber Schools |
3 |
| Couriers |
4 |
| Court Reporting and Stenotype Services |
3 |
| Credit Unions |
14 |
| Curtain and Drapery Mills |
1 |
| Custom Computer Programming Services |
6 |
| Dental Laboratories |
7 |
| Diagnostic Imaging Centers |
4 |
| Diet and Weight Reducing Centers |
3 |
| Digital Printing |
2 |
| Direct Life Insurance Carriers |
7 |
| Directory and Mailing List Publishers |
2 |
| Discount Department Stores |
5 |
| Display Advertising |
1 |
| Document Preparation Services |
1 |
| Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Drafting Services |
2 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) |
44 |
| Drive-In Motion Picture Theaters |
1 |
| Drywall and Insulation Contractors |
12 |
| Electric Power Distribution |
5 |
| Electrical Contractors |
22 |
| Electronic Shopping |
4 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools |
6 |
| Employment Placement Agencies |
2 |
| Engineering Services |
13 |
| Environmental Consulting Services |
3 |
| Exterminating and Pest Control Services |
8 |
| Facilities Support Services |
2 |
| Family Clothing Stores |
15 |
| Family Planning Centers |
1 |
| Farm Product Warehousing and Storage |
1 |
| Farm Supplies Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Fine Arts Schools |
6 |
| Finish Carpentry Contractors |
13 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers |
11 |
| Floor Covering Stores |
6 |
| Flooring Contractors |
10 |
| Florists |
7 |
| Folding Paperboard Box Manufacturing |
1 |
| Food (Health) Supplement Stores |
3 |
| Food Product Machinery Manufacturing |
2 |
| Food Service Contractors |
5 |
| Footwear and Leather Goods Repair |
1 |
| Footwear Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Formal Wear and Costume Rental |
3 |
| Framing Contractors |
8 |
| Freight Transportation Arrangement |
5 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Markets |
1 |
| Full-Service Restaurants |
95 |
| Funeral Homes and Funeral Services |
5 |
| Furniture Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Furniture Stores |
19 |
| General Automotive Repair |
30 |
| General Freight Trucking, Local |
12 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals |
2 |
| General Rental Centers |
1 |
| General Warehousing and Storage |
5 |
| Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Stores |
19 |
| Glass and Glazing Contractors |
1 |
| Golf Courses and Country Clubs |
1 |
| Grantmaking Foundations |
6 |
| Graphic Design Services |
8 |
| Hardware Merchant Wholesalers |
5 |
| Hardware Stores |
3 |
| Hobby, Toy, and Game Stores |
6 |
| Home Centers |
3 |
| Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers |
9 |
| Home Health Care Services |
9 |
| Home Health Equipment Rental |
2 |
| Homes for the Elderly |
5 |
| Household Appliance Stores |
2 |
| Human Rights Organizations |
1 |
| Industrial Building Construction |
2 |
| Industrial Gas Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Launderers |
2 |
| Industrial Pattern Manufacturing |
1 |
| Industrial Valve Manufacturing |
1 |
| Insurance Agencies and Brokerages |
71 |
| Interior Design Services |
4 |
| Internet Publishing and Broadcasting |
2 |
| Investigation Services |
2 |
| Investment Advice |
13 |
| Iron and Steel Forging |
1 |
| Iron Foundries |
1 |
| Janitorial Services |
24 |
| Jewelry Stores |
15 |
| Junior Colleges |
2 |
| Kidney Dialysis Centers |
2 |
| Land Subdivision |
2 |
| Landscape Architectural Services |
3 |
| Landscaping Services |
21 |
| Lessors of Other Real Estate Property |
5 |
| Limited-Service Restaurants |
82 |
| Limousine Service |
3 |
| Local Messengers and Local Delivery |
4 |
| Locksmiths |
4 |
| Luggage and Leather Goods Stores |
1 |
| Machine Shops |
10 |
| Mail-Order Houses |
5 |
| Marinas |
1 |
| Marketing Consulting Services |
6 |
| Marking Device Manufacturing |
1 |
| Masonry Contractors |
6 |
| Materials Recovery Facilities |
1 |
| Mattress Manufacturing |
1 |
| Meat Markets |
3 |
| Meat Processed from Carcasses |
1 |
| Media Buying Agencies |
1 |
| Media Representatives |
1 |
| Medical Laboratories |
6 |
| Men's Clothing Stores |
7 |
| Metal Tank (Heavy Gauge) Manufacturing |
1 |
| Mobile Food Services |
1 |
| Monetary Authorities-Central Bank |
1 |
| Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers |
4 |
| Motion Picture and Video Production |
5 |
| Motor Vehicle Towing |
4 |
| Motorcycle Dealers |
3 |
| Museums |
5 |
| Musical Groups and Artists |
1 |
| Musical Instrument and Supplies Stores |
4 |
| Nail Salons |
4 |
| New Car Dealers |
11 |
| New Housing Operative Builders |
2 |
| Newspaper Publishers |
3 |
| Nonresidential Property Managers |
5 |
| Nursing Care Facilities |
8 |
| Office Administrative Services |
6 |
| Office Equipment Merchant Wholesalers |
7 |
| Office Supplies and Stationery Stores |
4 |
| Offices of Bank Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Certified Public Accountants |
18 |
| Offices of Chiropractors |
33 |
| Offices of Dentists |
48 |
| Offices of Lawyers |
81 |
| Offices of Optometrists |
12 |
| Offices of Other Holding Companies |
1 |
| Offices of Podiatrists |
4 |
| Offices of Real Estate Appraisers |
5 |
| One-Hour Photofinishing |
1 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing |
1 |
| Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers |
2 |
| Optical Goods Stores |
8 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment Stores |
1 |
| Packaging Machinery Manufacturing |
1 |
| Paging |
1 |
| Paint and Wallpaper Stores |
4 |
| Painting and Wall Covering Contractors |
10 |
| Passenger Car Rental |
3 |
| Periodical Publishers |
1 |
| Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing |
1 |
| Pet and Pet Supplies Stores |
5 |
| Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services |
3 |
| Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals |
3 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Stores |
11 |
| Photography Studios, Portrait |
10 |
| Portfolio Management |
2 |
| Power-Driven Handtool Manufacturing |
1 |
| Precision Turned Product Manufacturing |
2 |
| Professional Employer Organizations |
1 |
| Professional Organizations |
1 |
| Quick Printing |
5 |
| Radio Stations |
7 |
| Ready-Mix Concrete Manufacturing |
2 |
| Real Estate Credit |
16 |
| Real Estate Investment Trusts |
1 |
| Recreational Vehicle Dealers |
2 |
| Remediation Services |
2 |
| Residential Property Managers |
12 |
| Residential Remodelers |
27 |
| Retail Bakeries |
2 |
| Reupholstery and Furniture Repair |
2 |
| Roofing Contractors |
4 |
| Sales Financing |
2 |
| Savings Institutions |
3 |
| School and Employee Bus Transportation |
2 |
| Securities Brokerage |
26 |
| Security Guards and Patrol Services |
3 |
| Sheet Metal Work Manufacturing |
1 |
| Shoe Stores |
18 |
| Siding Contractors |
3 |
| Sign Manufacturing |
3 |
| Site Preparation Contractors |
4 |
| Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars |
16 |
| Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing |
1 |
| Soft Drink Manufacturing |
1 |
| Software Publishers |
1 |
| Solid Waste Collection |
2 |
| Sound Recording Studios |
1 |
| Special Needs Transportation |
1 |
| Sporting Goods Stores |
16 |
| Sports and Recreation Instruction |
5 |
| Sports Teams and Clubs |
2 |
| Tax Preparation Services |
12 |
| Taxi Service |
1 |
| Telecommunications Resellers |
1 |
| Telemarketing Bureaus |
3 |
| Telephone Answering Services |
1 |
| Television Broadcasting |
2 |
| Temporary Help Services |
18 |
| Temporary Shelters |
3 |
| Testing Laboratories |
4 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters |
1 |
| Tire and Tube Merchant Wholesalers |
1 |
| Tire Dealers |
11 |
| Tire Retreading |
1 |
| Title Abstract and Settlement Offices |
1 |
| Tobacco Stores |
3 |
| Tour Operators |
1 |
| Translation and Interpretation Services |
1 |
| Travel Agencies |
6 |
| Used Car Dealers |
15 |
| Used Household and Office Goods Moving |
9 |
| Used Merchandise Stores |
12 |
| Vending Machine Operators |
9 |
| Veterinary Services |
10 |
| Video Tape and Disc Rental |
9 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Services |
3 |
| Voluntary Health Organizations |
3 |
| Warehouse Clubs and Supercenters |
3 |
| Water Supply and Irrigation Systems |
2 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers |
17 |
| Window Treatment Stores |
1 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
12 |
| Women's Clothing Stores |
22 |
Examine a list of Davenport businesses and you may be surprised to see how many franchises there are in the area. But is franchising the right option for you?
We advise the entrepreneurs we work with to consider franchising as an option. We have many articles on franchises, such as Franchise Tradeshows. Get a thorough education on franchising by browsing all of our Articles on Franchising.
If you are headed down the path of buying a business, you may want to read this article: Buying a Business.
Getting your Davenport business the capital it needs to succeed requires strong organization skills and perseverance. The reality is that there is very little funding available for new small businesses, and you have to explore every possible alternative.
The good news is this site contains dozens of articles on raising money, including one we recommend entitled Business Incubators.
To rise above the crowd in Davenport and build your business, you need a excellent marketing plan.
Most new Davenport businesses underestimate the number of challenges they will face.
From this point on, you control your own destiny.
We are here to help Davenport businesses to be successful. We want to be there for you to answer your business questions, whether you are a new Davenport entrepreneur who is just getting started or you are already up and running with your new venture.
Here are more links that we believe will help you be successful in starting a business in Davenport.
