Growing up with a father who made a living for his family as a birthday clown, San Antonio brothers Jose and Fernando Tapia learned early on that they wanted balloons to always be part of their lives.

Like many people, Ryan Schmitt often goes to a bar on a weekend night and orders a drink. With a twist. When it comes time to pay, Schmitt grabs a balloon and twists it into an animal or other figure.

IOWA CITY — On any given day, IC Balloons CEO Chad Johnson has roughly 100,000 balloons on hand in his garage, and it's about so much more than mere child's play. IC Balloons designs and builds one-of ...