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

CASCADE, Iowa — A Cascade cornerstone is now under new ownership.

Zach Nothdorf recently acquired The Corner Taproom at 201 First Ave. W., a former subsidiary of Dyersville-based Textile Brewing Co. The bar serves nearly two dozen beers on tap as well as a selection of mixed drinks, hard ciders and cocktails.

“I’m looking forward to the continued interactions with customers and staff,” Nothdorf said. “I want this to continue to be a place for the community to come and just have a good time.”

While the title of owner is new, Nothdorf is a familiar face to many. In addition to being a Cascade native, he also has served as The Corner Taproom’s general manager since it opened under the Textile Brewing umbrella in 2021.

As such, Nothdorf said it was a natural transition to assume ownership of the bar when it became available. He officially became owner of the establishment on Jan. 1 and has since been working to adjust to his new role.

The Cascade bar will now act independently of Textile Brewing Co., Nothdorf said, though a variety of Textile beers still will be available for purchase.

“It felt like it was time for me to take that next step (to ownership),” he said. “I’ve really been dreaming about owning my own business since college, so when the opportunity came, it was just too good to pass up.”

Nothdorf said he doesn’t have many cosmetic or menu changes planned for The Corner Taproom, though he does intend to increase the number and variety of events hosted at the bar.

The tavern will continue its partnership with the Happy Joe’s restaurant next door, he added, meaning people can bring in fresh-baked pizza or other food to enjoy with their beverages from The Corner Taproom.

“For the most part, we’re just going to keep doing what we’re doing,” Nothdorf said. “Our staff and customers are really all the best, so we want to keep that (momentum) going.”

Operating hours for The Corner Taproom also remain unchanged, so the bar will be open 3 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Additional information can be found at facebook.com/CornerTaproom.

Dubuquer opens shear-sharpening business

A Dubuque entrepreneur has opened a new business to assist area barbers and hair stylists.

Brad Noonan recently opened Bevel Co., a mobile shear-sharpening business serving the tri-state area. Noonan is trained to sharpen a variety of implements, though he intends to focus on shears used by area stylists and barbers.

“I offer sharpening for all kinds of (sharp tools), but I’m really focused on stylists,” Noonan said. “For the stylist, having a sharper (tool) is going to create a cleaner cut and it really reduces damage to the client’s hair.”

Noonan’s interest in sharpening began when he had to learn how to sharpen his own knives while working at an area restaurant. As he honed those skills, he heard feedback from area stylists that a local sharpening service would be met with high demand.

He went on to receive formal training for shear sharpening and opened Bevel Co. late last year. He now travels around the area to provide on-site sharpening services for hair salons and barber shops.

Because he does most of his sharpening on site, Noonan said he can provide clients with same-day turnaround. This ensures they get their tools back as soon as possible, rather than having to mail them to a sharpener farther afield.

“A client can book a service for a certain day and time, and I come in and sharpen those tools for them right there,” Noonan said. “I’m there to answer any questions, and they get (their tools) back the same day.”

Some mail-in services are available, however, on request. For more information or to book a service, visit thebevel.co.

New gym opens in Platteville

Area fitness fans have a new place to work up a sweat after the recent opening of a Platteville gym.

Impact Fitness Platteville recently opened at 475 N. Water St. in the basement of the old Platteville Armory. The gym offers a variety of classes for all ages and skill levels with a focus on fitness basics.

“Our goal is fitness for everyone,” said owner Christina Sonsalla. “You can’t get good at something that you never start, but gyms can be super intimidating. We want to be that welcoming, judgment-free zone for people to start that fitness journey.”

Sonsalla said she was driven to open Impact Fitness after the closure of another local gym, High Vibe Fitness. That facility closed late last year, and as a longtime member, Sonsalla worried about the gap that would be left behind in the local fitness scene.

To fill it, she decided to open her own gym, and the idea for Impact Fitness was born. She worked quickly to acquire the location in the old Armory building, and the gym officially opened on Jan. 6.

The gym already offers kickboxing classes and weight training, and Sonsalla said the plan is to soon add a dance class that will pair music with healthy movement.

The classes tend to focus on the basics, Sonsalla said, though modifications are available for more seasoned exercise enthusiasts.

“We want to be able to break it down for people who have never done it before and really remove that barrier,” she said. “We have everyone (ages) 10 to 70 in some of our classes, … so the idea is to have something for everyone.”

Class sizes are fairly small, Sonsalla added, meaning participants can get more direct and personalized support from gym staff. Participants often are put in pairs to offer additional support and motivation.

Impact Fitness also has partnered with Driftless Fitness and Yoga, another Platteville fitness facility, to offer dual memberships.

The dual memberships allow people to enjoy the services of both facilities, Sonsalla explained, effectively getting the best of both worlds.

“They have some classes that we don’t, and we have some that they don’t, so a dual membership made sense,” she said. “I thought it would be a nice collaboration to give people the full spectrum (of offerings).”

Impact Fitness is open Monday through Friday. Class schedules are posted each week on the gym’s Facebook page at facebook.com/impact.fitness.platteville and on the Impact Fitness Platteville mobile app, which can be accessed on Apple and Android devices.