Five business win Biz Booster Challenge grants

Five Winneshiek County businesses have won Biz Booster Challenge grants from Winneshiek County Development, Inc.

Bean Masters of Calmar, Euro-Team Physical Therapy of Decorah, Main Street Mini Mart of Spillville, RealBook Marketing of Decorah, and Family Care Clinic of Decorah have won grants totaling $12,000.

Bean Masters, Inc. is a start-up coffee bean roasting business in Calmar. Bean Masters received a $3,700 award, the highest amount of any business this year. Owner Fernando Vaquero and his wife, Barbara Pena, both natives of Honduras, plan to roast coffee beans at their Calmar facility and sell to local businesses, to area grocery stores and online.

Euro-Team Physical Therapy is owned by physical therapist Lisa Krieg of Decorah. She is the only physical therapist in Iowa practicing "intensive" physical therapy.  Euro-Team was awarded $2,300 to help pay for an electrical stimulation bike that has electrodes that are attached to a patient's arms and legs.

Main Street Mini Mart in Spillville serves a critical need as the town's only convenience store. Owner Renee Wagner was awarded $2,000 to help purchase equipment used in the preparation of more local foods.

RealBook Marketing is a business planned by Jason Trout and Peter Awad of Decorah.   RealBook was awarded $2,000 to assist in the start up of the business, which will enable real estate firms to connect with Facebook users who specifically are looking for the purchase of real estate. Their business can be expanded anywhere in the U.S., or even internationally.

Family Care Clinic is a family medical practice run by Dr. David and Kirsten Heine. The new facility is on South Mill Street in the former Iowa State Extension office building.  The Family Care Clinic received $2,000 to assist in their expansion at the new location, especially for their facilities to test patients for sleep disorders.

Biz Booster Challenge judges are Ben Grimstad, Nina Taylor, Cindy Simpson, Kerri Johanningmeier, Rick Leake, Ken Vande Berg and Benji Nichols.