The Learning Post, Long-time Educational Products Store and Favorite of Teachers and Parents, Sold to New Owner

URBANDALE – The Learning Post, an educational products retailer that has been described as a “candy store for teachers,” has been sold to a former Kum & Go executive, owner Monti Miller said today.

The sale to Kym Howe of West Des Moines was completed Friday.

“The Learning Post was the dream and creation of my parents, Bernard and Darlene Miller. He was an elementary school principal and she was a teacher,” Miller said. “They opened the store in April 1977 in West Des Moines with the goal to bring the best quality and newest variety of educational products to central Iowa teachers and parents. It’s been a big hit with teachers and parents from the beginning and has a very loyal following of customers from across Iowa and even from other states. As we thought about selling, a top consideration was to find someone with the same passion and dedication as my parents. We’ve found that in Kym.”

The Learning Post, which moved to 2761 100th St., has nearly 12,000 square feet full of books, toys, games, classroom decoratives and other educational products. Monti Miller and his mother operated the business together after his father died in 1985 until her death in 2009. Miller and his wife, Carol, who has been with The Learning Post since it opened, are its current owners.

Howe’s professional career includes 17 years at Kum & Go, the West Des Moines-based convenience store chain that has more than 425 stores, where she held the position of senior vice president of information technology. She said she is looking forward to maintaining the Urbandale store and expanding The Learning Post’s internet presence to reach a broader audience of teachers and parents.

“No one had to convince me how much people love The Learning Post because I absolutely love it myself. I want to continue all those great things — the friendly atmosphere, innovative products and exceptional customer care that have resulted in such a devoted following — and build on those assets bring introducing some of my strengths as a businessperson,” Howe said. “One focus certainly will be to expand the reach of our online store as we move forward.”

She added, “Owning my own business has been a long-time dream and goal, and I can’t imagine a better fit than here at The Learning Post.”

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