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Biz Buzz shares business tidbits from the tri-states. In addition to this update from Earlville, Iowa, we will share additional developments in Tuesday’s edition.
EARLVILLE, Iowa — A new mobile business has launched in Delaware County.
Heather Vonderhaar, of Earlville, recently opened The South Side Sip, a mobile coffee trailer offering coffee and other refreshments. She plans to take the trailer to events throughout northeast Iowa, as well as organize pop-up sales at area parks or businesses.
“I’m just excited to meet new people and bring something a little different to Earlville and the other areas around here,” Vonderhaar said. “I’m hoping it’s something that can bring people together.”
Last year, Vonderhaar started participating in area vendor shows to showcase her handmade jewelry. Doing so helped her uncover an affinity for meeting new people while staying on the move.
The trailer seemed like an opportunity to expand her skills while also offering “something new” for the Earlville area, so she decided to purchase a trailer in Davenport to open a coffee shop on wheels.
“It already had a little kitchen area, so it just took a little bit of work to get everything else set up,” she said. “… I had a mural painted on both (exterior) sides of it, and that really just brought everything together.”
The South Side Sip menu includes a variety of coffee beverages, teas, hot chocolates and Lotus energy drinks. A small assortment of snacks also are available for sale, as well as some of Vonderhaar’s custom jewelry products.
Vonderhaar said she plans to take the trailer to area farmers markets and vendor fairs, among other events. Earlier this month, the trailer made its debut by participating in the Dyersville St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
“We went and just threw beads and candy out, really just to get our name out there,” Vonderhaar said. “It was actually really fun and really heartwarming because you could hear people getting excited when we drove by.”
Weekly updates on the trailer’s schedule and more can be found online at facebook.com/TheSouthSideSipIA. Event organizers also can contact Vonderhaar at thesouthsidesip@gmail.com about attending their event.