Biz Buzz shares business tidbits from across the tri-state area. In addition to this update from Earlville, Iowa, we will share other developments in Wednesday’s edition.
EARLVILLE, Iowa — A mobile coffee business has opened a new brick-and-mortar location in Delaware County.
The South Side Sip opened earlier this winter as a brick-and-mortar coffee shop at 1 E. Margaret St. in Earlville. The family-run business sells a variety of coffee drinks, tea and other custom refreshments.
“I feel like a coffee shop is something that can bring a little community like this together,” said owner and Earlville resident Heather Vonderhaar. “People can stop in and grab their drink to chat, and they might run into people they haven’t seen for a while and catch up.”
The South Side Sip began in early 2024 as a mobile coffee trailer that Vonderhaar took to various events and locations around northeast Iowa. In addition to its beverage menu, the trailer was also stocked with a selection of Vonderhaar’s custom jewelry and other handmade wares.
Over time, Vonderhaar said, the coffee trailer made a name for itself and accrued a dedicated batch of regulars. When she heard that a building was for sale in Earlville, she said it seemed like a good opportunity to take the next step in her entrepreneurial journey.
The Margaret Street building had a prime corner-lot spot in Earlville, Vonderhaar said, and was the right size and layout for a coffee shop. It also has a sizable parking lot, so customers can easily stop in and stay a while.
In short, it seemed like the perfect South Side Sip fit.
“I heard that the building was coming up for sale, and it just seemed like the perfect spot for a coffee shop,” she said. “I really didn’t have to do that much to get it ready, and it’s been great.”
Vonderhaar officially opened The South Side Sip’s physical location late last year and has been working since to build up her clientele in the Earlville area. The shop offers a similar menu to the coffee trailer, she said, as well as a selection of snacks and frozen meals.
She intends to continue taking the trailer to area events when the weather warms up, however, so customers will still have options when it comes to enjoying The South Side Sip’s menu.
“The trailer will still be out and about, but it’s nice having (the brick-and-mortar) too where you can just come in and get straight to work without having to get everything set up again,” she said.
The South Side Sip is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/TheSouthSideSipIA.