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

The Dubuque location of a juice bar chain will open this week.

Nekter Juice Bar will open Wednesday, May 31, in the Stoneman Commons property at 3415 Stoneman Road, near Kennedy Mall. The Dubuque location will be one of more than 180 Nekter Juice Bar locations across 22 states, though owner Nikki Mulligan said the local spot will be the first Nekter Juice Bar in Iowa.

“We wanted a healthy, quick option for people,” she said. “We came across Nekter, and we thought it would be a great thing to bring to Dubuque. … We hope to open more in the tri-state area in the future. The next-closest location is probably 100 miles from here.”

The location will serve juices, smoothies and acai bowls, all of which are handmade fresh to order. Mulligan said there will also be juice cleanses, and Nekter Juice Bar has partnered with Nintendo to offer scoops of vegan ice cream.

While Nekter Juice Bar’s items are grab-and-go, the space has both indoor and outdoor seating. Mulligan said the bar has free Wi-Fi and outlets available for people looking to do work or study, and she hopes to have small games for kids to enjoy in the space.

“We had a lot of people looking in once we got the signs up,” Mulligan said. “They are excited to have a place to get breakfast. They want something healthy first thing in the morning.”

The 11,400-square-foot Stoneman Commons property was developed by Switch Development, which is owned by Nikki’s husband, Matt Mulligan, president and chief operating officer of Conlon Construction Co.

In an email to the Telegraph Herald, Matt Mulligan confirmed that the office for Switch Homes also will open in the Stoneman Commons space on Thursday, June 1.

Later this year, he said, the property will welcome Milan Laser Hair Removal in one unit and Burn Boot Camp in two units. The western-most unit is the last space available for a tenant.

Nikki Mulligan said she is excited to have Nekter Juice Bar be part of Dubuque and plans to be engaged in the community.

“We hope to spur growth in the area,” she said. “By seeing something new in Dubuque, we hope that encourages others to start a new business, as well.”

Nekter Juice Bar will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. More information can be found at nekterjuicebar.com, as well as the Nekter Juice Bar (Stoneman Commons) Facebook page or on Instagram @nekterdubuque.

Dubuque massage therapist celebrates 30 years

A Dubuque massage therapist is celebrating 30 years of business in the community.

This June, DeeAnn’s Massage Therapy, run by DeeAnn Ballard, will mark the milestone. The business is located at 1342 Forest Lane, near the American Legion Post 6.

“I’m so glad I did it,” Ballard said of pursuing a massage therapy career. “The clients seem to love it.”

Ballard said the business started as a “spur of the moment thing” after she decided to attend Capri College.

“I was working at a meatpacking place years ago, and I was aching so bad and everything else at the end of the day,” she said. “I said, ‘I can’t do this until I retire.’ I was looking to do something different.”

With some encouragement from her family, Ballard said she began taking classes at Capri.

“That first week of school was a little scary at first,” Ballard recalled. “I was a quiet type of person, and I was almost ready to drop out. But I kept with it, since I took out student loans, and I’m so glad I did.”

Ballard said she then started her business while working out of an office at Lockhart Noonan Chiropractic for nearly 22 years, until 2015. She was building a new house at the time, and she built her current office on the same property.

“I’ve liked getting to know my clients,” she said. “Over 30 years, I’ve seen a lot of them.”

DeeAnn’s Massage Therapy can be reached at 563-543-7128 to make an appointment.

Dyersville coffee shop renovated

A Dyersville coffee shop recently reopened with new menu items following a renovation.

Brew & Brew, 213 First Ave. E., was closed for about a week this month as work on the space was completed. The coffee shop reopened May 9.

“Everybody’s happy,” said owner Becca Miller. “You could tell (customers) were dying for me to open, even though we were only closed for a week. They were dying to get back in here.”

Miller took over ownership of Brew & Brew in 2017 and quickly reopened the business after the ownership transition.

“I never really got to take my time and go through it and make it what I want,” she said. “Over the last six years, we’ve changed the menu a little, added things, replaced equipment, but there was always a big project in mind that one day I was going to do a bigger renovation.”

Miller said work on the coffee shop started in the spring and included all new flooring and tearing down a wall for more space. She also transformed a storeroom into a second kitchen.

“I don’t think this place was ever meant to put out as much food as I envisioned putting out,” she said. “It’s just a lot more space.”

Miller also made changes to the menu, adding avocado toast and hash bowls. She said she also brought back the grain bowls she used to have on the menu, which customers were excited about.

“One thing I wanted to bring was more breakfast items and a little more healthier options,” she added.

Brew & Brew is open from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday. More information can be found at brewandbrewdyersville.com and on the business’ Facebook page.