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Biz Buzz shares business tidbits from across the tri-states. This edition highlights developments in Peosta, Iowa, and Dubuque.
A new multi-service health spa has opened in Peosta with a focus on holistic healing.
The Health Spa by Vive recently opened at 7407 Thunder Valley Drive across from Jumble Coffee. The spa offers a variety of IV treatments, as well as infrared sauna therapy, intramuscular injections and more.
The business is a culmination of several wellness ventures by couple Stephanie Grutz and Alex Goerdt, of Peosta. The pair previously operated the business out of a smaller location at 4855 Asbury Road in Dubuque.
“It’s always been my dream to grow our space and add more modalities,” said Grutz, a certified nurse practitioner. “We’re all about helping people heal, and there just wasn’t enough space at our old clinic to provide everything we wanted.”
The focus of the business still revolves around IV treatments, Grutz said, which she described as a way to deliver nutrients directly into the body so it better absorbs them. The spa offers a variety of infusions including those aimed at bolstering gut health, easing headaches or improving post-workout recovery.
With the additional space at the Peosta location, the couple also has been able to broaden their services with recent additions such as a foot detox spa, microneedling facials and other spa services.
Treatment spaces are spread throughout the 6,000-square-foot building, where Grutz said shoes are left at the door to keep things clean and air is filtered to eliminate toxins.
“It’s set up like a little town hall where people can go between all the different areas to get what they need in a clean, natural environment,” Grutz said.
Goerdt said the pair selected Peosta for the new clinic because of its proximity to U.S. 20 and convenience for clients from the Dubuque area and beyond, as a number of their customers come from Cedar Rapids or the Quad Cities.
Peosta also has seen a boom in business growth in the area around the spa, Goerdt said, which also made the Thunder Valley site an attractive pick.
“We just sort of stumbled on this location, but it’s been perfect,” he said. “It’s a great space, but it really comes to life because of all the great people and great patients we have coming in every day to give and get treatment.”
The spa is open 8 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. For scheduling or more information, clients can contact the spa at 563-284-2422 or find the spa online at viveivtherapy.com.
New owners of auto accessory store look to establish area foothold
The new owners of a Dubuque auto accessory store look to establish an area foothold after acquiring a longtime local automotive shop.
Toys for Trucks at 1055 Century Circle — formerly known as Mike’s Auto Center — is one of over a dozen acquisitions its Appleton, Wis.-based parent company has made in the upper Midwest in the past year.
Ryan Spear, the store’s new manager, said with the transition in ownership completed, the store seeks to make a name for itself in the Dubuque market.
“A lot of people think we’re still Mike’s Auto,” he said. “(Former owner Mike Remakel) did a lot of great work here, but we’re really hoping to get the Toys for Trucks name out there now.”
Toys for Trucks offers automotive customization and aftermarket installation services such as spray-on bed liners and lift kits. Staff also can complete basic automotive maintenance, as required.
Spear said such specialized services previously were missing from the Dubuque market, adding that aftermarket additions can go a long way in helping customers feel like their vehicle is truly their own.
“This is a way for people to get their dream vehicle that isn’t like anyone else’s out there,” he said.
More about the store’s services can be found online at toysfortrucks.com or by calling 563-588-1858. Shop staff also are available during business hours — 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday — to explain available services and products.
Customizable home decor store opens in downtown Dubuque
A new home decor and custom gift shop has opened along Dubuque’s Central Avenue.
Butler Homestead opened last week at 1500 Central Ave. The family-run business offers a variety of pre-made and customizable signs, quilts, jewelry and carpentry projects, among other items.
The store is co-owned by couple Elizabeth and Ron Butler, of Dubuque, who have been selling their goods online and at area vendor shows for over a year.
“It got to the point where we couldn’t hold all this cool stuff in our house anymore,” Ron Butler said. “It’s been really awesome to have this spot where we can just put things and really show them off.”
Elizabeth Butler was the first to get into customizable orders several years ago, offering custom quilting projects such as T-shirt quilts or memory bears made from the clothing of customers’ loved ones.
During the pandemic, she further honed her sewing skills by making and donating over 1,500 cloth masks for front-line workers.
Ron Butler joined in later when a post about a neon sign he had made as a birthday present garnered popularity online and a subsequent slew of custom requests. He now makes the signs for both individuals and businesses, as well as a variety of woodworking projects.
The pair eventually combined their wares and started an online business.
“We just kind of mashed everything together, and here we are,” Elizabeth Butler said. “Whatever is requested, we’re generally ready to jump in and give it a try.”
As demand grew, the couple started looking for a brick-and-mortar location to accommodate all their orders and have a space to show off their pre-made items. The store also doubles as a consultation space for custom orders.
They selected the Central Avenue site for its corner-store location and proximity to Key City Creative, a community makerspace Ron Butler uses to make some of his projects.
The pair also noted the growing business community in the area, which has seen several recent additions in retail, service and restaurant offerings.
“The downtown area in general is just kind of booming right now with different stores popping up all over, and we wanted to be a part of it,” Ron Butler said.
The store currently is open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and noon to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, though hours could shift moving forward depending on customer demand.
Updates on store hours and additional information about custom orders can be found on the store’s website, thebutlerhomestead.com, or on the store’s Facebook and Instagram pages.