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

For owner Cristian Hernandez, the grand opening of the Las Margarritas restaurant was something of a homecoming.

The eatery recently opened at

1091 Main St. to serve a variety of Central American cuisine in the space formerly filled by Salsa’s, a Mexican restaurant where Hernandez worked for nearly two decades before assuming ownership.

“I’m excited to be able to open the doors again and bring the customers back,” Hernandez said. “It took about six months to get things ready, but it’s a good feeling — sort of like coming home and welcoming people in.”

Hernandez was a familiar face to Salsa’s regulars, having worked at the restaurant for more than 17 years before acquiring the space as his own.

He started out as a dishwasher before moving up the ranks to become a server and, later, a manager. The restaurant was his first — and only — employer after moving to Dubuque from his home country of Guatemala.

“What I always told the previous owner was that I saw myself owning this place one day. That was my dream,” he said. “I had several job offers elsewhere, but I always stayed right here because I’d really fallen in love with this place.”

Hernandez acquired the Salsa’s space earlier this year, and the restaurant closed for several months for renovations. The kitchen underwent a series of updates and improvements, he said, and the dining area got a facelift.

During that time, he also updated the menu, which now includes brisket tacos and tortas in addition to other Mexican street food staples and made-from-scratch dishes — several made with recipes that come directly from Hernandez’s mother’s kitchen.

And of course, the restaurant carries its namesake drink: fresh, handcrafted margaritas.

“We want to do more authentic and fresh margaritas,” Hernandez said. “We’ll have the handmade margaritas along with the frozen margaritas … because we want to have something for everyone.”

Las Margarrita’s is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Additional information and a full menu can be found online at the Las Margarritas Facebook page.

Retro diner opens in Guttenberg

A retro, ’50s-style diner has opened in Clayton County.

Pearl’s Diner recently opened at 310 Pearl St. in Guttenberg. The old-fashioned diner is open seven days a week and serves a variety of traditional diner fare, including burgers, hot dogs, ice cream and more.

“We just want people to come in and enjoy themselves,” said co-owner Tracy Dreesen. “We have a nice family atmosphere, and we’re here to serve up some good food to the Guttenberg community.”

Dreesen and her husband, Mike, recently relocated to Guttenberg after years of vacationing on Esmann Island. The pair previously ran a restaurant in Newton, Iowa, and they have more than a combined 20 years of experience in the hospitality business.

Dreesen had been looking for a place to open a retro diner for years, and she said the Pearl Street location was too good to pass up. The couple now co-own the restaurant alongside Randy and Tammy Dillabou.

“Fifteen years ago, I was working as a nurse and I told my coworkers that one day, I was going to open up a ’50s diner where there’d be a big menu, and I’d have big hair and wear a string of pearls around my neck,” she said. “… We saw this (space) was on Pearl Street, and we took it as a sign.”

Pearl’s Diner is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. Additional information about the restaurant and its offerings can be found online at facebook.com/PearlsDinerGuttenberg.

Lancaster flower farm puts down roots in new location

An area flower farm is coming into full bloom in its new location.

Rech Family Gardens this summer is cultivating its first flower crop at the new family homestead, 4499 Coon Hollow Road in rural Lancaster. The operation previously ran at a smaller space in Lancaster before relocating just outside city limits.

The farm is a riot of color in the rural landscape, where fields of various blooms and blossoms take up roughly three acres adjacent to the family’s new home.

“We’ve got dahlias and sunflowers and all kinds of different celosia varieties. The list really just keeps going,” said owner Sally Rech. “We’re working through some things and getting to know how best to work with the different kinds of soil (in the new location) … but it’s been beautiful.”

Rech uses the flowers grown at the farm to deliver weekly or biweekly bouquets to customers around the Lancaster area. Each week, she also prepares roughly 200 bouquets to sell at the Dane County Farmers Market.

In addition to flowers, Rech also sells weekly vegetable boxes, and she uses her parents’ farm near Mount Hope to grow gourds and pumpkins.

She started Rech Family Gardens in 2020 after her youngest child started school. Demand for the bouquets grew each year, and it became clear additional space was needed if the business was going to keep up.

“We grew out of our space, but I knew I wanted to keep going,” Rech said.

The farm now is in the midst of its growing season, which Rech said runs through October. She has dedicated roughly one-fourth of an acre to flowers to harvest and dry to sell as decoration during the colder months.

The homestead allows for extra on-site programming, Rech added, and she already has collaborated with other local businesses to hold yoga classes and other interactive events in the fields.

“Flowers have a way of connecting people,” Rech said. “You can farm and farm and farm, but for me, the part that means the most are the connections you make with other small businesses and the community.”

On Aug. 24 and 25, Rech Family Gardens will host its inaugural Sunflower Festival, complete with field walkthroughs, craft vendors and dishes from area food trucks. Additional information about the event and about the farm’s offerings can be found online at facebook.com/rechfamilygardens.