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Biz Buzz shares business tidbits from the tri-states. In addition to this development from New Vienna, Iowa, we will share other developments in Tuesday’s edition.
A New Vienna restaurant and bar is operating under a new name and owner.
TJ Shooters opened six weeks ago at 1992 Main St., near the New Vienna Fire Department and Community Hall, and is owned by Tyler Demmer. The space previously was named Downtown Lounge and operated by Demmer’s uncle, Dan Pasker.
“I was looking for a house, and my uncle was selling the restaurant,” Demmer said. “I thought, ‘Why buy a house and spend money when I can buy a restaurant and make money?’”
Demmer said the restaurant’s menu was kept largely the same as it was when it was the Downtown Lounge and still includes sandwiches and burgers.
However, Demmer — who previously worked at Chad’s Pizza in Dyersville — added pizza to the menu. Demmer makes his own homemade pizza dough, which can be topped with typical pizza toppings such as pepperoni, Italian sausage and bacon.
“Most people love the pizza,” Demmer said, adding that having pizzas means he can feed more people with a single item instead of cooking each person an individual item.
Demmer also had the front of the business remodeled prior to opening, updated the dining room and bar area and purchased new restaurant equipment.
“I wanted to run a restaurant, but maybe not this soon,” he said. “I’m only 21. I wanted to do it when I was 26, when I’m older. But this came up. My uncle was retiring and shutting the place down one way or another, and I like (running the business).”
TJ Shooters is open 11 a.m. to close Tuesday through Saturday. The kitchen closes at 9 p.m. The eatery can be reached at 563-921-3463 and found on Facebook.