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

BELLEVUE, Iowa — A new sports bar has opened along U.S. 52 in Bellevue with a focus on offering homestyle dishes in a laid-back atmosphere.

Parker’s Pit Stop recently opened at 29418 U.S. 52. The sports bar and grill is open seven days a week and sells a variety of pub classics such as burgers, pulled pork sandwiches and more.

“We cook everything homemade,” said owner Ty Parker. “We have our starting menu out now, and the plan is to add one new item every week until we reach our full menu.”

The building previously housed Simply Parker’s, a retail gift shop run by the Parker family that offered an assortment of items that included custom cheese spreads and the family’s award-winning barbecue sauces.

Ty Parker recently took control of the space and decided to reimagine it as a sports bar. He spent the last several months renovating the building to construct the bar and kitchen areas while also adding amenities such as pool tables and dart boards.

The space also is outfitted with a large projector screen, as well as two 65-inch flat screen TVs to display live sporting events.

“I’ve always wanted to open up my own bar,” Parker explained. “Every time I’d go into another bar, I’d kind of find myself envying the owners for getting to just welcome everyone in and have conversations with people from all over the community.”

Parker now hopes to establish his own community hub at his bar.

Given its proximity to the highway, Parker said the space is a prime stop for groups involved in car cruises or bike rides to stop for a bite to eat. The bar also is set up for smaller groups or individuals looking for a new mealtime favorite.

“We’ve got a very homey and very warm feeling here,” Parker said. “We’re going for a great atmosphere that keeps people comfortable the entire time, … and that makes people want to come back again.”

Parker’s Pit Stop is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. More information about menu offerings and regular specials can be found online at tinyurl.com/ParkersBellevue.

New Dyersville store specializes in countertops, more

A new store has opened in Dyersville focusing on helping customers create their dream home through custom countertops and other solid surfaces.

Elite Stone Fabrication recently opened its Dyersville location at 819 Ninth St. SE, Suite A. The store offers one-on-one consultations, as well as ordering and installation services for residents within 100 miles of the store.

“Traditionally, people think of us as a countertop store because the majority of our sales go toward solid surfaces in kitchen and bathroom projects,” said operations manager Chris Henely. “But we do a lot more than that. We can do showers, outdoor bars (and) fire pits; there’s a lot of possibilities here.”

Elite Stone Fabrication is based in Lisbon, Iowa. When the company looked to expand, Henley said Dyersville stuck out as a “strategic” choice. Due to its proximity to new markets along U.S. 20., Henley explained, staff can travel west to Cedar Falls or east into Dubuque and the surrounding areas.

Customers at the Dyersville office can meet with staff to review their options and seek design advice, said sales executive Casey Schenke. Customers are urged to bring in paint swatches or tile samples from their home to find the best complement from the store’s stock.

“The thing I always ask customers is ‘Do you like it or do you love it?’” Schenke said. “We really want people to be happy at the end of the day and walk away with something they’re really going to love.”

Elite Stone Fabrication is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or by appointment. To arrange a consultation, call 319-640-3710 or visit the company’s website at elitestonefabrication.com.

Platteville florist opens brick-and-mortar shop

During one of the most difficult times in Ellen Pinnola’s life, flowers gave her hope.

Pinnola, of Platteville, Wis., lost her son in 2019. The loss was devastating, she said, and it left her feeling dejected and unmoored. Looking for a place to focus her energy, she began to help out at her mother’s floral shop in northern Illinois.

There, she found a passion.

“I just fell in love with it,” Pinnola said. “It’s just an instant hit of dopamine to see those bright, beautiful flowers, and I could really get creative with the different designs and arrangements.”

Pinnola went on to open Sweet Violet Floral Boutique in 2020 in hopes of sharing that joy with others.

She initially ran the business as a mobile operation, specializing in arrangements for weddings and other special occasions. This month, however, Pinnola took the plunge and opened a brick-and-mortar location at 140 S. Water St. in Platteville.

She will continue to do custom arrangements for weddings and other events, she said, but the physical location will allow her to expand her services to include everyday arrangements, sympathy gestures and more.

“When we lost my son, we received bouquets and flowers, and it really just helped brighten our day and gave us a little bit of hope in a really difficult time,” Pinnola said. “With this (location), I can hopefully do the same for other people.”

The store’s floral offerings will rotate regularly to stock what is most fresh and in season, Pinnola said. In addition to floral arrangements, the store also will sell a variety of small gifts such as candles, clothing and cards with a focus on locally sourced products.

“If you’re looking for a friend’s birthday, the idea is that you could stop in and find everything you need here for a really nice present,” Pinnola said. “I just felt like there was a real void in Platteville for something like this.”

Sweet Violet Floral Boutique is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The store can be contacted by email at contact@sweetvioletco.com or by phone at 608-218-4430. More information is available online at sweetvioletco.com.