Biz Buzz shares business tidbits from across the tri-states. This edition highlights developments in Dubuque; Platteville, Wis.; and Manchester, Iowa.

A well-known boutique for moms has opened in its new space, and the owner also has kickstarted two new stores nearby.

MOM•ERELLA, a store for new and expectant mothers, is now open at 197 Main St. Attached to that space is KINDER•ELLA, a new children’s boutique with toys, clothes and shoes at 240 W. Second St.

Just up the block, HEY GIRL — a women’s boutique — has also opened in the former MOM•ERELLA location at 241 Main St.

“We already sold a lot of this stuff when it was just MOM•ERELLA, but it was like having three flowers in one pot,” said owner Anna Meadows. “They’re all trying to grow but they need more space. So we separated them so they all could shine on their own.”

MOM•ERELLA opened in 2022 and experienced near-instant success thanks to its racks of comfortable, but stylish maternity clothing and accessories. Meadows said she saw frequent interest from nonpregnant shoppers, too, but that many shied away from the store if they weren’t expecting.

She came up with HEY GIRL as a way to fill that niche, setting up a store for all women regardless of pregnancy status. The new store carries a variety of styles in sizes small through 3XL, as well as a variety of shoes, gifts and accessories.

“It’s a mix between timeless and trendy,” she said. “Our biggest thing is that we want every woman to walk into the store and be able to find something that fits and that they can wear, whether that’s to a show, or a date or the grocery store.”

Keeping HEY GIRL at 241 Main St. also allowed MOM•ERELLA and KINDER•ELLA to be placed in attached storefronts just a short walk away in the building that formerly housed Candle Ready Cakes.

The two stores have separate entrances, but an internal archway between the two allows for easy browsing between both.

MOM•ERELLA still has favorites from the previous storefront, Meadows explained, such as comfortable maternity wear, nursing bras and more. KINDER•ELLA stocks a variety of kids clothing options, as well as toys and other items.

Many of the toys in the store come with a more natural feel, Meadows explained, with an emphasis on sturdy, classic construction and sustainably-sourced materials.

“It’s easy to find plastic toys and the toys that go ‘Boom!’” she said. “It can be harder to find toys that push kids to use their imagination and that are (eco-friendly). So that’s what we wanted to offer here.”

All three stores are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. Questions can be directed to the MOM•ERELLA Facebook page or by calling 563-584-9100.

Dialysis center opens in Platteville

A regional health care provider has opened a new dialysis center in Platteville, Wis.

Grand River Medical Group’s Tri-State Dialysis recently opened its new clinic at 5 Insight Drive, directly west of Honkamp, P.C. The clinic offers hemodialysis services to patients with medical concerns related to their kidneys.

The facility replaces the Tri-State Dialysis location at 1250 U.S. Business 151, where it had operated since 2000. Grand River Medical Group also has dialysis clinics in Dubuque and Manchester, Iowa, as well as in Richland Center, Wis.

“We’re excited to have a state-of-the-art facility available to offer this treatment for people in the Platteville area,” said Tri-State Dialysis Director of Dialysis Services Kate Kern. “We really are able to offer a much better patient experience here.”

Hemodialysis is a process that removes waste from patients’ blood by removing it from the body and sending it through a machine to remove impurities before returning the blood back to the body.

For people with regular kidney function, this process occurs naturally. But for individuals suffering from end-stage renal disease or acute kidney failure, medical intervention is often required.

Kern explained that dialysis treatments are typically lengthy, frequent excursions for patients, so the goal with the new clinic was to create a comfortable, spacious location in which to receive treatment.

“Something new this space has is an isolation room,” she added. “That’s something we could use for anybody that needs to be isolated during their treatment, whether that be for influenza or COVID or any other reason.”

The Platteville clinic is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and staff can be reached at 608-348-5064.

Manchester consignment store under new ownership

A longtime Delaware County consignment store now is operating under a new name and new ownership.

Repeats Consignment, 114 S. Franklin St., recently reopened in Manchester under its new owner, Gabrielle Soppe. The store — formerly known as Treasure Alley — offers a variety of clothing and home décor.

The shop has operated in the Manchester area for four decades, and Soppe said she looks forward to continuing its long run of success.

“The store is already a thriving business, and I don’t think it has anywhere to go but up,” she said. “I’m just looking forward to meeting all the customers and seeing the different merchandise that comes through.”

The Manchester store operates on a consignment basis, Soppe said, meaning she takes in items from a variety of clients for resale and then splits a portion of the revenue with them once the items sell.

Soppe reviews each item before it hits the store’s floor to ensure the shop only offers high-quality merchandise without any defects, stains or tears.

“I’m pretty picky about what I bring in,” she said. “I won’t accept anything that’s stained or overly worn. It’s all about trying to stay trendy while still having something for everyone.”

Soppe purchased the store in November, and she since has been working to modernize its computer and merchandise tracking systems. She doesn’t plan to make many changes to the store, she said, aside from bringing in some additional styles for younger customers.

Already, the store offers several well-recognized brand names such as Michael Kors, Coach, Nike and The North Face.

“There’s already a really good clientele, and it’s a profitable business,” Soppe said. “I’m just excited to see how the store can grow.”

Repeats Consignment is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The store can be contacted on its Facebook page or by phone at 563-927-4189.