Biz Buzz shares business tidbits from the tri-states. In this edition, we highlight developments in Dubuque, Elkader and Maquoketa, Iowa.

A Dubuque native has returned to her hometown to fulfill a lifelong dream of owning her own veterinary practice.

Mackenzie Hellert, along with her husband, Brett Friedman, assumed ownership of PetMed Animal Health Center in August, following the retirement of Alison Johnson, who had owned the clinic since 1999.

Hellert, a Hempstead High School graduate, said she always hoped to one day own a veterinary clinic and that she has enjoyed her first few months at the helm.

“It is a learning curve, but it’s been going wonderfully,” she said. “The clients are great, and the staff is wonderful.”

Hellert is no stranger to learning on the go. For the past two years, she traveled the country as a relief veterinarian, working in states from Florida to Arizona and North Dakota to Mississippi. Her mobile lifestyle brought many unique experiences, including receiving a bite from a beaver and a kick from a moose in Alaska.

“At every place, my goal was to hopefully learn something new and maybe leave something good in my wake,” she said.

Hellert said most of PetMed’s cases involve cats and dogs, but the clinic’s seven staff members also work with rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters and reptiles such as iguanas and bearded dragons.

PetMed offers veterinary services such as preventive care, vaccines and surgeries, as well as grooming and hospice care options, including in-home euthanasia.

As the owner of a small veterinary practice in an increasingly corporate industry, Hellert said she hopes to maintain a personal touch for her clients.

“I always want to still be very connected to my community and be able to change how we do business and make decisions on the fly,” she said.

PetMed Animal Health Center is located at 2400 Gateway Drive. The business is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturdays. It can be reached at 563-583-8387.

ELKADER COFFEE SHOP TO OPEN

A coffee shop in Elkader soon will reopen with a new owner, a new name and a mix of new menu items and popular favorites.

Jody Schroeder will open The Brim at 110 W. Bridge St. on Monday, Jan. 24. The shop was formerly known as Treats on Bridge Street Bistro and had been operated by Mary Collins and her husband, Ron Kuehl, for 12 years.

Schroeder, of rural Garnavillo, said she always loved the business and is honored to take charge of the restaurant that many area customers have taken to heart.

“(The restaurant) has a really good strong base, and I’m just adding my own style, my own twist to what is currently here,” she said.

She will continue to offer many of the restaurant’s menu items, including homemade soups, sandwiches and breakfast items, while adding new options such as salads to the mix.

Schroeder also is partnering with other local businesses to obtain some of its products, including Euphoria Coffee in West Union, Iowa, and Country View Dairy in Hawkeye, Iowa.

“It is about the quality of the coffee and the food, and I also want a nice inviting environment,” she said. “I like coffee, but I love people, and … I want them to leave feeling better than they did when they walked in.”

Upon opening, The Brim’s hours of operation will be 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The business can be reached at 563-245-2242.

MAQUOKETA COPY SHOP EXPANDS

A Maquoketa print and copy shop that recently changed ownership now is expanding and working closely with a neighboring nonprofit.

Makin’ Copies & More opened in October at 108 N. Main St. in the space formerly occupied by local newspaper The Shopper and an associated print shop.

The building also houses Make It Yours Upcycle Center, a nonprofit creative reuse center.

When The Shopper’s former owner announced her retirement, Make It Yours Director Ann Lenth purchased the building and the print shop. She now operates both entities and is seeking ways for the two to collaborate.

“We really enjoy serving the community, and we love some of the creative things that people come in for,” Lenth said.

She noted that The Shopper newspaper was purchased by a separate owner and is now Timber City Shopper, located at 113 N. Main St.

In addition to copying, faxing and laminating services, Makin’ Copies & More offers business cards, envelopes, brochures, wedding invitations and other print products. Office Manager and Creative Director Isabella Wall, who handles the business’ day-to-day operations, works with customers to design custom items that have included invitations, family trees and recipe collections.

What puts the “more” in the shop’s name, Lenth said, is a collection of retail craft supplies including paints, adhesives, cardstock and scrapbooking items. Also available for purchase are handmade craft items created by the volunteers at Make It Yours.

Since assuming ownership, Lenth has renovated the building by removing part of a wall that once divided the two businesses and adding a door to connect them. She hopes to use some of her new space to host crafting classes through Make It Yours and also plans to create a drop-in room where customers can use specialized equipment such as a sewing machine or Cricut machine.

“We’re ready to try some new things, and me having the building is giving us the opportunity to have a little extra space,” she said.

Makin’ Copies & More is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. It can be reached at 563-652-6804.