Jesus Juarez - February 2026 Entrepreneur of the Month
The NIACC John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center and North Iowa Area SBDC are proud to announce Jesus Juarez of Reserve 173 Bar & Grill in Clear Lake, IA as the February 2026 Entrepreneur of the Month.
When Jesus Juarez opened Reserve 173 Bar & Grill in December 2025, he knew this was his opportunity to bring something new to Clear Lake, IA. Reserve 173 is a restaurant operating inside the 173 Craft Distillery taproom. The restaurant is owned by Jesus Juarez, a longtime North Iowa restaurateur whose experience in family-owned businesses has shaped both the concept and operations of the space. Reserve 173 functions as a distinct business within the distillery while also working in close collaboration with it. All cocktails served at Reserve 173 Bar & Grill are made using spirits distilled on site by 173 Craft Distillery, founded in 2022 by John Summerfield, Doug Summerfield, and Gary Schmidt. This shared space allows guests to experience food, spirits, and local production within a single location, bringing together two businesses to create one unique experience.
While Reserve 173 Bar & Grill includes a full bar, Jesus has intentionally designed the business as a restaurant-first concept. “We have a collaboration with 173 Craft Distillery where all of our drinks are made with their bottles, but we want to focus on the food,” Jesus said. “We are here to make something greater for Clear Lake.” Jesus aims to provide a unique, high-end dining experience at reasonable prices for the entire community, not just the summer tourism crowds.
Jesus’s entrepreneurial journey is built on years of experience in the family business. While still a student at NIACC, he took over operations of the family restaurant, The Gyro Hut and, later, The Gyro Place. While balancing coursework with managing staff, finances, and daily service, Jesus was also learning business fundamentals through direct responsibility, including correcting financial issues, tracking expenses, and adjusting pricing strategies. Over time, this hands-on experience has reshaped his understanding of entrepreneurship. Rather than viewing business ownership as a means to an end, Jesus sees it as a responsibility to support employees, family members, and the broader operation. “The way I stay motivated on my business journey is that I know it’s not only myself on this journey. It’s everyone who we’ve involved into the business. You are a team and then you work for the team for the business to be successful,” he said.
When the owners of 173 Craft Distillery reached out to Jesus about a business collaboration, he sought guidance from the NIACC John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center. Through the Pappajohn Center, Jesus received support navigating financial planning, reviewing projections, and connecting with advisors who offered outside perspective. Jesus said, “I recommend going to the Pappajohn Center because even though you think that you can make it on your own, there’s always something that you don’t see. The more people that you have in your corner, the more successful you can become.”
To Jesus, the most important part of running a successful business is creating relationships within the community. When the family restaurant expanded from one location in Mason City to a second location in Clear Lake, Jesus saw how the community responded to good food, excellent customer service, and authentic interactions. “When we came to Clear Lake, this community came and supported us. They come year after year, month after month. We go the extra mile to get people what they want,” he said. “If you don’t care, the community will feel that. Caring about the community is the secret sauce for a business.” Like the other restaurants under Jesus’s management, Reserve 173 serves the community year-round and is a part of Clear Lake’s daily life.
Jesus has big plans for the future for Reserve 173 Bar & Grill. He intends to expand the menu, book live music, and continue to grow his impact on his community. Reserve 173 represents a continuation of Jesus’s broader approach to entrepreneurship: steady growth, shared responsibility, and a commitment to building businesses that are rooted in the places they serve. “I’ve started believing that diamonds are created with pressure,” Jesus said. “I’m 27 years old and I’ve had this pressure on myself and I always thought, what do I do? But right now, starting this new journey, it’s a lot of pressure but it’s easier to handle.”