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Biz Buzz shares business tidbits from across the tri-states. In this edition, we highlight developments in Dubuque and Guttenberg, Iowa.
A Dubuque financial planning firm recently relocated to the Millwork District.
Steele Capital Management moved to the second floor of the Dupaco Voices Building at 1000 Jackson St.
“The reason we wanted to be here is that I think this is really going to become a vibrant part of the city,” said President Michael Doyle. “It already is, but with what’s going on and with what Dupaco (Community Credit Union) has done to the building, we wanted to be a part of helping bring the Millwork District to life to a greater extent.”
The firm was founded in 1996 and had been located at 788 Main St. until the move two weeks ago to the Dupaco Voices Building.
Dupaco Community Credit Union officials announced in early 2019 that they would invest about $37 million into the redevelopment of what would become the Voices Building. The building now serves as Dupaco’s operations center.
Doyle said the new location gives Steele Capital Management about 10,000 square feet for its 12 employees.
“We have more space and have room for growth,” he said. “We were capped in terms of the amount of room we had at the previous location.”
Doyle added that the company is excited to be part of the development in the Millwork District.
“We hope it inspires other businesses to come down here,” he said.
Chief Financial Officer Katie Moran said Steele is the building’s only tenant besides Dupaco. She said the firm began discussing the move with Dupaco officials in early 2021, and a lease was signed in September.
“Having been around for 20 years, this business deal is taking a step forward for future business expansion and growth,” Moran said. “At the new location, everything about it is top of the line and very modern. All of our staff is super excited.”
Steele Capital Management can be reached at 563-588-2097.
Guttenberg dentistry practice to construct new building
A Guttenberg dentistry practice will construct a new building.
River Town Family Dentistry, 511 N. Bluff St., has broken ground on an empty parcel of land next to its current location. The practice has been in Guttenberg since 1979.
“Our building is fairly small and old, so we’re building another practice,” said Office Manager Rhonda Ungs. “…We’re hoping to be in (the new building) by the end of the year.”
Ungs noted that the office will remain open for appointments during the project. After the new building is completed, she said, the old one will be torn down due to structural damage.
Ungs said discussions about a new building began after Dr. Alicia Walke purchased the practice in January 2021. Walke was an associate at River Town Family Dentistry for a year and a half prior to purchasing the practice.
The new facility will allow the dentistry practice to go from three to six operatories, and it also will have newer equipment, Ungs said.
“We’re excited for the community, just for the fact that we can have this great facility in a small, rural area so people don’t have to travel to the bigger cities,” Ungs said. “I’ve been here for 38 years, and I’m very excited for the community and our patients.”
River Town Family Dentistry is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The office can be reached at 563-252-2150.
Truck dealer breaks ground on new Dubuque facility
A full-service truck dealership recently broke ground on a new, larger facility in Dubuque.
Thompson Truck & Trailer, currently located at 1190 Roosevelt St. Ext., is constructing a nearly $7 million new location at 6800 Boulder Brook Court, off of Stone Valley Drive. General Manager Joe Hoffman said crews are pouring forms for the side of the building this month, and the exterior of the new facility should be completed by September.
“(The new facility) will be completed early next year,” he said. “The end of January is what they’re shooting for.”
The 29,500-sqaure-foot facility will provide more room for technicians to work and stay organized, Hoffman said. The current building has 12 truck bays, while the new facility will have eight drive-through bays, which is the equivalent of 24 regular truck bays.
“Our current building is obviously starting to age a little bit,” Hoffman said. “There’s not a lot of room for our technicians doing larger repairs. There will also be room to move trucks forward, so technicians can move trucks forward to work on new ones if they’re waiting for parts.”
Hoffman said the Dubuque facility currently has a staff of 28, but he hopes to add five to 10 employees at the new facility. He added that the dealership is actively looking for diesel technicians already.
“Everybody keeps coming to Dubuque to grow their business,” he said. “It’s a fighting battle to get technicians, but we hired three in the last month.”
Hoffman also said the new facility’s location right off U.S. 20 hopefully will expand Thompson’s customer base.
“I think being out on the highway out there, we’ll get some customers from off the road that we don’t get currently,” he said. “There’s a benefit in staying busy.”
Thompson Truck & Trailer in Dubuque can be reached at 563-557-8170.