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

A new dessert cafe is now open in Galena.

The Corner Churro Cafe, 315 Commerce St., is a marriage of Kaladi’s Coffee Bar’s handcrafted brews and authentic Spanish-Mexican desserts made fresh.

“I’ve had (Kaladi’s Coffee Bar) for 25 years,” owner Antonio Morel said. “But I’ve always wanted to bring a churro concept to this community.”

Morel’s churros are not the carnival variety or your typically flash frozen fast food add-on.

“I’m not saying that (those churros) aren’t good, but when the product has been sitting there for a few hours, it’s not as good tasting. So a lot of people haven’t really tried a churro that’s fresh-made. … A churro is a Spanish donut — a lot of people don’t realize that (given its American presentation today),” said Morel, who is Spanish.

At the Churro Cafe, dough is made on site and churros are fried to order in an open kitchen with specialty equipment ordered from Spain.

“You’re getting a product that’s made on site. You order it. You get the ticket. How you want it — we make it,” he said. “This is the freshest churro in an 80-mile radius.”

Alongside the gourmet quality of a churro are all its other trappings: Five to six churros a meal with a thick signature chocolate dip on offer — just the way they make it in Spain.

“Now, in Spain, they don’t actually coat churros with cinnamon and sugar, unless you ask,” Morel said. “You just dip it in the chocolate. So we brought the same options. We also have our filled churros, starting with the vanilla, strawberry (and) dulce de leche (caramel) flavors.”

Filling is imported for maximum authenticity, and Morel is working on getting several more flavors supplied.

The cafe also offers “loopas,” a looped variant of the churro. Filling options include chocolate with Biscoff, white chocolate with Oreo cookie crumbles, strawberry jam with sugar candies and more coming soon.

Morel intends to experiment with salted and savory churros, comparable to pretzels and dip, but Latin-influenced.

“With churros, your imagination is your limitation,” Morel said.

Alongside its flagship pastry, Corner Churro Café will serve thematic coffee, shakes, affogatos and sundaes.

The cafe is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sunday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

The business’s website still is being completed but will be available at cornerchurrocafe.com.

Thrift store opens in Dubuque

A new thrift store has opened in Dubuque, serving all ages.

Thrifty Finds, 3337 Hillcrest Road, Suite B, accepts used clothing from “everybody, all ages, all genders,” according to owner Heidi Kieffer.

“We kind of operate like a Plato’s Closet,” she said. “You bring us your items, (and) we go through them and make you an offer.”

Kieffer pays up front for a wide range of items including small furniture, interior decor pieces, infant and toddler clothing items, books, movies, lamps, plants, shoes and jewelry.

“(There is) pretty much everything you like to see in a thrift store,” Kieffer said. “It’s a hard business because you want to keep a lot of stuff but you know you can’t.”

Kieffer’s family has a long history with thrift. Her mother was a manager at Goodwill for 27 years, and she has more or less dealt used items her whole life.

“We’re a simple family; we just love to thrift,” she said. “We just thought we’d give this a chance. … (It) has always been my dream.”

If the store does well, Kieffer hopes to expand to a downtown Dubuque location.

Residents can drop off their items from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays.

For updates on Thrifty Finds, follow the Facebook page at tinyurl.com/thriftyfinds.

Galena food truck brings savory pastries to Dubuque

A new Galena food truck is in the neighborhood this summer, putting a delicate twist on traditionally savory fare.

Sour Joe’s mobile kitchen serves dishes with bacon and eggs, Italian beef, cheeseburger and pickles and breakfast sausage — each wrapped in pastry dough.

Complete with savory cheeses and sauces, it’s not a bun — it’s a kolache.

Kolaches are yeasted dough pastries popularized in the southwestern United States by Czech immigrants.

Owner-operator Joe Loeffelholz has been working on his unique American-style recipes for over seven years.

“My background’s in commercial (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) so it’s a little bit of a different ballfield,” he said. “When I worked in Colorado years ago, I’d get a 12-pack of them to a crane site or a (big job). You know, instead of getting a dozen donuts, I’d get something that sticks to your ribs a little bit more. And in my experience everyone just loved them. … (When I) saw that nobody was really doing this in town, all of this just kind of came together.”

The truck also offers sweets to complement the savory, including creamy strawberry and blueberry cheesecake kolaches.

Loeffelholz is something of a serial entrepreneur as the co-owner of several other businesses with his siblings, including the 231 Bar & Grill and RiverBluff Collective in East Dubuque, Ill.

However, given his recent move to Galena, Sour Joe’s is a special project, where Joe has full control over sourcing of ingredients and partnerships.

“This is a standalone business that I’m kind of (personally) spearheading,” he said. “I’m right at the point where I’m going from parking lots to partnerships with businesses.”

That personal touch includes locally sourced ingredients. Meats are from Mulgrew Meats, a farm owned by a high school friend.

Those who want to join Joe on his journey can find his current location at facebook.com/sourjoesfoodtruck.

He will travel to events within 45 minutes of Galena and recently has made frequent stops in the Dubuque area.

For online preorders or a look at the menu, visit sourjoesfoodtruck.square.site.