Biz Buzz shares business tidbits from across the tri-state area. This edition highlights developments in Galena, Ill., and Dubuque.

A staple downtown Galena store soon will be doubling in size.

Poopsie’s, 402 S. Main St., is expanding to take over the space next door at 400 S. Main St., which was formerly an Illinois Bank & Trust location. Co-owners Alana Turner and Traci Lyden plan to keep the current store open during construction, with a completion goal of late January or early February.

“We are literally breaking through the brick wall,” Turner said. “This particular construction plan has been in place for quite a while. With the way of the world currently, things were a little derailed. It’s been in the works for most of 2022, it’s just kind of been a game of patiently waiting.”

Poopsie’s opened at its current location in March 2011, when Turner and Lyden took over ownership, but the store has been in business in Galena since the 1990s.

Turner and Lyden opened a sister business, Spotsie’s, in August 2020 at 403 S. Main St. A portion of proceeds of Spotsie’s gives back to different causes.

However, with the expansion of Poopsie’s, Spotsie’s will close Monday, Jan. 2.

“When we started to come up with plans (for the expanded space), we originally thought about moving Spotsie’s,” Turner said. “But we thought it would be better just to expand Poopsie’s instead.”

Turner said products that give back will be incorporated into Poopsie’s once the new space opens. The business also will continue its annual tradition of picking a cause each year to donate to, as well.

The new space also will allow Poopsie’s to expand its baby toys and game products. Turner said hours of operation will remain the same in the new space.

“It’s been exciting,” she said of the project. “My business partner, Traci, and I have been continuing to move forward and focusing on doing things better for our customers and the community. That’s always been our core mission, to continue to improve and be the best we can be for the community. We’ve been doing this a little over 10 years, and to be able to expand and double in size is amazing.”

Poopsie’s is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday. The store can be reached at 815-777-1999, and more information can be found at poopsies.com.

Dubuque eatery to remain open

A Dubuque eatery will remain open, even though the building in which it is located recently was listed as “for sale.”

The building that houses Jack’s Chicken Palace, 1107 University Ave., recently went up for sale. The building also houses University Cut ‘N Style, 1105 University Ave.

However, an official with Jack’s Chicken Palace confirmed in a Facebook message that just the building, not the business, was up for sale. Subsequent Facebook messages, as well as phone calls, were not returned.

The eatery has been serving the Dubuque community since 1962.

Ken Kress, who is listed as the real estate agent for the building, also confirmed the sale of the space was for the building only.

Jack’s Chicken Palace is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Dubuque bar gets new name, owners

A Dubuque bar has a new pair of owners and a new name.

First Reserve, 210 W. First St., is the new name of the bar formerly known as Third Corner. Tom Frith and Leslie Haan took over ownership of the business and have been updating social media accounts in the last month with the bar’s new name.

“We’ve been slowly transitioning into it,” Frith said. “It’s been going good. It’s been very organic, word of mouth. We’re looking forward to doing some formal marketing.”

Frith — who also is one of the owners of Wicked Dame, located next to First Reserve — said he was approached by Blue Kunz, who owned Third Corner, about buying the bar in August after her husband got a job in a different city.

“She started bringing in high-end whiskey,” he said. “Wicked Dame has high-end wine. I thought the two would compliment each other.”

Firth and Haan redid the space in phases, including putting in a new bar, while remaining open. They also decided to change the name to highlight their whiskey and bourbon offerings, and bottles also can be purchased from a retail case.

“We’ve gotten a lot of compliments on how nice our selection is,” Frith said.

The owners also have plans to start offering food items in the first quarter of the new year, and they are working on a menu.

“We want to keep it simple, with one simple, fun item a day,” Haan said. “We will have a couple of soups, appetizers. The thought process is we will hopefully be open 11 (a.m.) to 8 (p.m.) for food to hit the lunch crowd.”

The kitchen will be located next door at 212 W. First St., which also was part of Third Corner. That space also will house a coffee shop Frith and Haan have planned, which will be called First Brewed.

“The coffee shop will be open in the second quarter (of 2023),” Frith said.

First Reserve opens at 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and is closed Sunday and Monday. More information on the bar can be found on Facebook at facebook.com/FirstReserve and on Instagram.