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

A Dubuque consignment store has more than doubled its local footprint after a recent expansion.

Primrose Dubuque recently expanded at 1000 Cedar Cross Road. The store previously shared the building with Tri-State Kitchens, the owner of which recently retired after approaching Primrose owner Samantha Wright about taking over the space.

“I’d always had plans to grow in the future, but I didn’t know when or where until he told me he was retiring,” Wright said. “I was on the side of the building with the warehouse section, but now I have the whole building and the main entrance.”

Primrose offers a variety of clothing and accessories for men and women. It first opened in 2022 in a small boutique space at a Dubuque salon before later moving to the building on Cedar Cross.

The store operates on a consignment basis, Wright explained, 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.

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

“I try to be pretty picky about what I take. Most of this stuff either still has the tags on it or has only been worn a couple times,” Wright said. “My goal is that everything brought in by a consignor goes out in someone else’s hands.”

The recent expansion has allowed Wright to grow her offerings and take on more consignors, she said. The space is set up like a modern boutique, she explained, to prevent customers from getting confused or overwhelmed.

“Sometimes you go to a thrift store and it’s like, ‘Oh, I don’t know where to start,’” she said. “I really didn’t want that, so I set it up in a very simple way. There’s something for everyone, really.”

Primrose is open from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The store already is operating in its expanded space, although an official grand opening is set for May 11.

Dubuque landscaping business grows

A Dubuque landscaping business has expanded its service area with a goal of tackling jobs “large and small.”

Property Rescue has operated in the Dubuque area since 2018 but this spring has expanded to cover much of the tri-state area, said owner Eric Avenarius. Newly covered areas include Galena, Ill., Platteville, Wis., Dyersville, Iowa, and more.

“We decided to expand out about a 50-mile radius,” Avenarius said. “We just wanted to expand our base to keep busy and get our name out there.”

Property Rescue specializes in landscaping work such as yard cleanups, tree removals, mulching and more. The recent expansion was prompted by a desire to grow the business’s clientele, Avenarius explained, with the particular goal of ensuring demand during slower seasons.

Avenarius said the majority of current clients are older residents who need assistance keeping their yard in shape, although the business works with public and private clients of all ages and landscaping needs.

“Once we get one call somewhere new, it seems like people see us out there and want to give us a call, too, so we’re hoping to keep up with that momentum,” Avenarius said. “We’re really in this to help people.”

Property Rescue offers services seven days a week. With spring in full bloom, business is picking up but new clients can still contact Avenarius for work at 563-552-9850.

Manchester wellness facility opens this week

A new wellness facility is set to open in Delaware County with a focus on “self care as health care.”

Riverview Wellness will open Wednesday, May 1, at 102 Legion St. in Manchester. The 7,000-square-foot facility will offer a wide variety of spa services such as massage sessions, facials, halotherapy and more. The facility also staffs a mental health counselor and a dietician.

“The idea behind it all is self care as health care,” said owner and aesthetician Anna Drees. “When somebody walks in the door, we want to be treating the whole person, not just one part of them.”

Riverview Wellness brings multiple independent providers under one roof, Drees explained. That allows providers across the different modalities to collaborate and help clients approach wellness in a holistic manner.

The spa will offer one-on-one services and group classes, and the space also will include a menu of food and drink items from Blended, a Dyersville-based health cafe.

“The team that has come together here really is an absolute A team,” said operations manager Amy Whitman. “In such a busy world, we’re all here to make this a place where people can find some peace and tranquility.”

Drees said she hopes to curate an atmosphere of “comfort” and “care” at the spa, adding that the space has a strict “no judgment policy” that allows people to come in and center their own wellbeing.

She added that she is especially excited to offer that atmosphere and those services in a rural area like Manchester.

Currently, she said, people need to drive an hour or more for many of the services Riverview soon will offer right in town.

“In rural areas, we don’t always get the same experiences as people living in bigger cities without having to travel,” Drees said. “I’m really excited to offer this here locally so people can get that experience closer to home.”

Riverview Wellness will be open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday with select weekend hours. Additional information about the business can be found online at riverview-wellness.com/.