Biz Buzz shares business tidbits from around the tri-states each Tuesday. This week, we highlight developments in Dubuque and Dyersville, Iowa.

A Dubuque consulting company is helping local businesses and nonprofits see the benefits of sustainable transportation.

Candace Eudaley-Loebach launched Lovely City Consulting out of her home in late 2019 after realizing that her experience and skill set could help clients tap into unseen opportunities.

“The things I think about (concerning transportation) are the types of things a businessperson wouldn’t have time to think about,” she said. “They’re focused on running their business, not how to get people to and from work.”

Eudaley-Loebach formerly served as City of Dubuque transportation director and has more than 10 years of experience in the fields of community development and transportation.

She channels this experience to provide an assessment of clients’ current transportation options and seek more sustainable and equitable solutions.

One of Eudaley-Loebach’s earliest clients was Dupaco Community Credit Union, which recently opened a new operations center in the Millwork District in part because the location would allow employees to get to work in a variety of ways, including walking, using public transit and biking.

“Cars are really expensive, and they make life expensive for employees who have to use them to get to work,” Eudaley-Loebach said. “It is great when they can have another option.”

Lovely City also helps coordinate local, transportation-focused events, including the recently concluded Community Bike Week. The event featured a community bike ride, as well as a series of informational sessions.

Eudaley-Loebach noted that her business isn’t solely focused on downtown areas, emphasizing that she also is interested in promoting sustainable transportation and connectivity within neighborhoods.

Customers can learn more about Lovely City Consulting by visiting www.thelovelycity.com.

WINERY TAKES LEAP

A couple of months after celebrating its fifth anniversary, a local winery has unveiled a new location.

O So Good Winery opened this month at 2093 U.S. 20, just southeast of Dyersville, according to co-owner Karie Ostwinkle.

Karie and her husband, Lee, previously operated the business out of their home but realized they had outgrown that arrangement.

The new facility offers additional space and a more prominent location. Karie said the business will conduct its winemaking, host tastings and sell retail items at the new site.

“It is a big leap for us,” she said. “It’s definitely been a big change, but it is something we’ve known we needed to do for a while.”

O So Good Winery creates 40 kinds of wine and has expanded its customer reach during its half-decade in business.

Karie said products now are available through 25 retail partners. They also can be found at farmers markets in Dubuque, Davenport and, beginning this summer, Des Moines.

During peak season in 2020, O So Good Winery employed 25 workers. The winery will grow that staff by “at least five and likely 10 employees” this year, Karie said.

She believes these staff members will be part of a special experience.

“We are trying to create a family atmosphere (at the winery), where our customers can sit and relax and interact with our staff,” she said.

O So Good Winery is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. It can be reached at 563-599-1262.

EMPHASIS ON ORGANIZATION

It has only been a matter of weeks since Nicole Powers launched her new organizing and decluttering business.

However, the Dubuque resident can trace the origins of the company all the way back to her childhood.

“When I would babysit, I would organize the (parents’) houses after the kids went to bed,” she recalled. “It’s always been an interest of mine.”

With the launch of her business, Simply Organized Dubuque, Powers is turning her longtime passion into a profession.

The business provides hands-on organizing for kitchens, closets, playrooms, storage rooms, offices and any other part of one’s home.

It also assists with moves and relocations, aiding clients who are planning to downsize or put their home on the market.

Powers is starting her business at a time when home organization is gaining increased attention.

A pair of reality television series — “Get Organized with the Home Edit” and “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” — have brought home organization and decluttering into the mainstream.

The industry is growing locally, too, with at least three similar businesses in operation.

Local resident Heather Davis launched The Tidiness Project early this year. She said the company offers coaching, decluttering and organization services with an emphasis on creating “habits and solutions” that will stick with her clients.

Another Dubuque-based organizing business, Organizer Jessi, was launched last month. Owner Jessi Bushman said the business specializes in “room-to-room” transformations to enhance clients’ “day-to-day” spaces.

Alive Design by Sheri has provided professional organizing in the Dubuque area for several years, according to the company’s website.

Powers is excited to be part of the growing phenomenon.

She previously worked as a nurse practitioner. A mother of three young children, she took a break from that career to stay home with her kids.

Powers is certified by the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals. She ultimately aims to earn the title of Professional Organizer, a distinction that requires 1,500 hours of work in the field.

Customers can contact Simply Organized Dubuque by visiting simplyorganizeddubuque.com or by calling 563-580-1998.