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

A Dubuque-based construction company soon will move to a new location.

Conlon Construction Co., currently located at 1100 Rockdale Road, is moving its Dubuque office to 501 Bell St. The business’s first day in the new space will be Monday, April 4, according to Poppy Conlon, vice president of marketing.

“We’ve been doing quite a bit of work in Dubuque,” she said. “We’ve really just been adding to the workforce. We’re excited about (the move). We’ve been at capacity in this building for a while now. It’s gotten to the point where we don’t have a place to put people.”

Conlon said a staff of 38 works at the current Dubuque location. She added that future plans for the Rockdale Road property still are being discussed.

The new location is located on a portion of the fourth floor of the Bell Street building, which also is the home of educational publisher McGraw Hill. Friedman Insurance AssuredPartners announced plans at the end of last year to occupy another portion of the building’s fourth floor.

“Because of shifts to hybrid work schedules brought on by COVID and as we continue to evaluate our global footprint, we felt comfortable sharing portions of our office with other businesses operating from Dubuque and have square footage available for lease,” McGraw Hill Senior Communications Director Tyler Reed said in an email.

Conlon said the new location was large enough to build out a lounge, kitchen and break room for employees. In the Rockdale Road property, there was no place for staff to gather for a meal or celebration, she said. She added that younger individuals coming into the workforce are interested in opportunities and amenities such as these new spaces.

“I think it’ll be a space that’s very exciting for somebody that’s up and coming in Conlon Construction,” she said.

Dyersville eye clinic to move into new building

A Dyersville eye clinic soon will be moving into a new building that also includes space for another business.

Woodland Eye Clinic, 1129 11th St. SE, will move into a newly constructed building at 819 Ninth St. SE later this year.

Woodland Eye Clinic President Josh Woodland said the move was prompted by the need for a bigger space. The clinic has been at its 11th Street location since opening in 2014.

“We’ve just grown out of the current space that we had,” Woodland said. “We are bottlenecked with what we can do, and we’re booked out over two months in advance.”

Woodland said construction of the new 6,500-square-foot building began in August. The eye clinic will occupy only 4,500 square feet, which Woodland said is double the size of the current clinic.

“With more space, we’re increasing our capacity,” he said. “With our current space, we have room for one full-time doctor, and my partner and I split time at the office. At the new place, we’ll both work at the same time.”

He said he hopes the new clinic will be ready by June.

The other 2,000 square feet in the building is available for another business to occupy, Woodland said. Those interested in the space can email Woodland at dr.woodland@woodlandeyeclinic.com.

Revamped Dyersville restaurant reopens

A Dyersville restaurant has opened back up with new hours following an extensive remodel.

Dyersville Family Restaurant, 226 First Ave. E., recently reopened following a four-week closure. During that time, everything from the flooring to the kitchen equipment was replaced.

“My favorite part is just getting people’s reaction,” owner Abby Sejdini said. “They’re amazed when they see it. They say it doesn’t even look like the same place.”

Sejdini said she and her husband, Lumi, started the restaurant six years ago. She said they initially began by renting the space. But after buying the building last year, she decided to remodel.

“It was in need of a little update,” she said. “And when you start, you don’t know when to stop.”

The restaurant still includes both booth and table seating for families. But the carpeted flooring was taken out, and the brick wallpaper was replaced with white walls adorned with plants.

Sejdini said she wanted to focus on neutral colors to make the eatery feel more modern and warm.

Also added was a neon sign featuring a famous quote from the “Field of Dreams” movie: “Is this heaven? No, it’s Iowa!”

Sejdini said the kitchen also has new equipment. The façade of the building is not yet finished, but she said work should be complete by the end of the month.

Plans are also in the works for a more easily accessible entryway.

Dyersville Family Restaurant also has a new logo featuring an egg frying in a pan.

The logo ties in with the eatery’s increased emphasis on breakfast, as Sejdini said it no longer will be open during dinner hours.

“We’re the only family restaurant where you can bring in your family and have breakfast,” she said. “The support we get is amazing. We’re thankful to be here.”

Dyersville Family Restaurant is open from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays. The restaurant can be reached at 563-875-0033 or at dyersvillefamilyrestaurant.com.