Small business week starts off big

MT. PLEASANT — Two finalists for the Small Business of the Year Award kicked off the week in Mt. Pleasant.

During the lunch hour Children’s Dental Center of South East Iowa hosted chamber and community members for a ribbon cutting celebrating their position as finalists.

Angie and Dr. Mike Mathews have run the Children’s Dental Center since 2015 from West Burlington, but recently made the move to run a clinic in Mt. Pleasant on Mondays.

“We brought the clinic to Mt. Pleasant to be around the community, family, and friends,” Angie Mathews said.

The pair said that they felt the nomination was a huge honor and it was affirming to know that people like what they’re doing.

Dr. Mike Mathews has worked in children’s dentistry for the last 20 years and both of his children are entering the same field.

Later in the afternoon chamber and community members were again invited to join the Chamber to celebrate another Small Business of the Year candidate.

The Coffee Depot’s Bev Schumcher and Sheyenne Phillips were excited to share the experience with their regular customers saying that the Coffee Depot is not just run by their family, but feels like family with their customers.

The theme of family continued with a table of sweet treats made by Phillips decorated with photos of her grandmother.

“[My grandma] always made the deserts,” said Phillips.

Schumcher said that everything they make at the depot is from scratch, and the specials are like things your mom would make.

Service at The Coffee Depot is speedy, not because it is fast food, but because they serve one hot meal each day for lunch.

“It’s more like a lunch line,” Schumcher said of the way The Coffee Depot serves hot lunch Monday through Friday.

Every Tuesday they host Taco Tuesday and every Friday the establishment grills for their lunch meal.

To see their whole month menu visit www.mpcoffeedepot.com or check their Facebook page where they post the meal of the day.

For those committed to always knowing what is being served at The Coffee Depot they offer the opportunity to automatically receive a text message with the meal of the day simply by giving their number to Schumcher their next time in.

More businesses are set to celebrate throughout the week with the winner for Small Business of the Year announced Friday at a luncheon for Chamber members.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com