It all started with some coffee. We moved into our new family home in 2012, just up the street from the historic Fenelon Place Elevator. Before long, we were venturing down the elevator to explore our new neighborhood and downtown Dubuque. One day, we wandered into a cute little shop called A Ripple Effect and met Patty. After some friendly conversation about our mutual love for fair trade, we bought our first bag of coffee.

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Over the next twelve years, we would swing by “Patty’s” every few weeks to restock our new favorite morning staple. Sometimes we walked, sometimes we drove, and sometimes we sent our sons down the elevator on their first independent shopping trips. Off they would go, cash in hand, to chat with Patty and restock our coffee supply or buy a little gift for someone special.

 

At the end of those twelve years, Patty spoke of retirement more and more. We would spend a little more time every trip to the shop, brainstorming names of good people who might be interested in taking over so none of us would lose our favorite shopping spot.

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Then, one Sunday morning, as we sat sipping coffee and pondering the future, epiphany struck. We would embark on our next family adventure as the new proprietors of A Ripple Effect. Since May of 2024, we have enjoyed providing unique fair trade and local gifts at our little shop right here in Dubuque.