Cedar Rapids Brewing Society

First it was Fresh Market, next New Pi Coop (opens tomorrow morning!), and I just saw in the paper this morning that we are finally going to get a Popeye’s Fried Chicken! Yes, Popeye’s is coming to CR – ABOUT FREAKING TIME!!! It’s going in next to Road Ranger at the corner of Blairs Ferry and C Ave. It’s scheduled to open in early February. Guess who will be there on opening day – damned right, ME! I was there on opening day for Krispy Kreme and the Fresh Market, so you know I’m gonna be there for this grand opening!!

Ate there yeeeears ago when I lived in KC. Had no reason to ever go back.


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wait ... we're getting a New Pioneer?

Bear wrote:wait ... we're getting a New Pioneer?

Yes just north of 32nd on Center Point Road


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It's in the old fin and feather next to Papa John's

It is the building with loading docks facing the road.

Yeah, they made the "front" of the building, the backside (and it looks like a backside, too!) But, it's practical for deliveries, as they didn't have a lot of space in the true back of the building and wanted to max it for customer parking. However, it means that trucks backing in for deliveries will block the street. PITA

Has a commercial real estate analyst on a national level, I have seen most weird configurations. This is one of the oddest. I understand why they did what they did, but unless they are saving a bunch of money, I thought it was a poor choice for a building to begin with. There are other options out there. Not a dynamite location, weird building for their use, limited parking, terrible docks. I certainly hope it works, it is on my way home from work. They wanted over $1.5M for that building and site to begin with. I had checked it out once when I was doing some brewery dreaming. I saw the old stonehenge area as a great beer garden with hop vines growing on them. Anyway, I hope they make it. They are obviouosly depending on being a destination retailer, which does fit them. None the less, their real estate decision seem less than optimal.

The story I've heard is that they didn't realize until after they had bought it that they didn't have sufficient room in the back for delivery trucks. I, too, hope they do well.

NewPI is well known for making some bad decisions, especially when it comes to sites and store layout. I like the Coralville location though. Been a member since college.

That is really sad. Pay a consultant if you have too. Will save money in the long run, maybe even the short run. One time at work we leased a second floor retail space in LA to Walgreens. They didn't inspect the property until after the 30 year deal was done. They ended up buying out the first floor tenant and had to sublease the second floor at a loss. Needless to say, they were not happy with us, but we are happy with ourselves.

I agree Matt, just hire a consultant next time. With Fresh Market (which almost certainly has more advertising $) they have real competition. With a barely adequate site it's more likely you'll either go out of business due to lack of visibility or customer frustration (poor parking). On the other end, if it takes off you're going to be wishing for a better site but locked into extended contacts.