One of the things I like about traveling is getting to try new things. One of the joys of revisiting familiar places is gauging how much has changed. Dubuque is one of the places that has changed quite a bit.

I first visited Dubuque in 2007. In the decade since, the Hotel Julien has been transformed from a homely maiden to a prom queen. The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, already impressive 10 years ago, has grown from a regional delight into a national attraction. Main Street has filled up with new restaurants and housing. The warehouse district is coming back to life.

Convivium in Dubuque

Still, many of the best changes happen below the radar. They’re easy to miss if you aren’t paying attention, like when a small business opens in an old neighborhood. Owners Leslie Shalabi and Mike Muench have transformed a North End lot with two 1920s-era greenhouses into an open, attractive event space and restaurant called Convivium. One greenhouse has been turned into a spacious indoor dining area, while the other is being renovated and will soon be growing plants again.

It’s a neighborhood where many of its working-class residents have known struggle in recent years, but one with a solid foundation that is primed to bounce back. The folks at Convivium know they aren’t an island and have been working to connect with their neighbors. They planted and maintain four yellow box gardens around the neighborhood, but anyone is welcome to help themselves to whatever is ripe.

This isn’t just an act of generosity; it’s part of their core mission: to build community around food. That’s why Convivium was set up as a non-profit, and it’s also why Farm Manager A.J. Shultz hands out samples of what they’re growing to folks in the neighborhood as they walk by.

Last year, Convivium opened a coffee shop (Tu-F 6a-2p, Sa,Su 7a-2p). Aside from assorted caffeinated and caffeine-free beverages, you can enjoy quiche, muffins, salads, wraps, or granola. Most of the raw materials for the food comes from their own gardens or other local suppliers. If the weather is nice, the beautiful outdoor patio is a great space to enjoy coffee and quiche. If the weather isn’t doing you any favors, that spacious interior offers plenty of room to spread out.

I love everything about Convivium. What I especially love is that it reminds me—and all of us—that this is the future for cities and towns: individuals willing to take risks to start their own businesses. It’s actually the way that our cities and towns used to develop, before we started handing out tax breaks and other incentives to big out-of-town corporations who make big promises that never pan out. The cities and towns that understand this lesson today are the ones who will be thriving in a generation, while the rest will be left wondering what went wrong.

I may have limited power to sway the priorities of mayors and other government officials, but I can make life easier for entrepreneurs like Shalabi and Muench who take chances. So when I’m in Dubuque, I’ll be enjoying my coffee at Convivium, supporting a local business and local economies. I hope to see you there.

Convivium: 2811 Jackson Street; Dubuque, IA; 563.557.2900.

Note: Travelers coming to Dubuque can rent a 2-bedroom apartment at Convivium; it will soon be listed on AirBNB, but you can also contact them directly for details.

©2017, Dean Klinkenberg