Dry Bar Locations in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City Now Closed

The future of a business aimed as an alcohol-free alternative to the nightlife scene in Eastern Iowa is unclear after two dry bar locations are now closed.

The Corridor Business Journal reports that Unimpaired Dry Bar and Eats locations in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids are currently closed. At the Iowa City location at 125 East Burlington Street, a sign hangs on the door saying that the bar has been closed by order of the Johnson County Health Department. It will remain closed until the department has "performed the required inspection and the facility has met all necessary requirements. Or, as such time that the facility has closed permanently."

The CBJ reports that Unimpaired announced plans in July of 2023 to open a Cedar Rapids location that would be called Unimpaired Express. It was to be located at the old Hawks Nest Sports Bar located at 415 Third Street SE. The Cedar Rapids location was going to focus on coffee drinks and 'mocktails.'

The CBJ reports that it isn't clear if the Cedar Rapids Unimpaired location ever opened for business. A sign in the window of the storefront, however, now says that the property is up for lease. The CBJ also states that the listed phone number is no longer in service and that Google lists the Cedar Rapids store as "permanently closed."

Unimpaired opened its first location in Davenport in 2020, according to the CBJ. However, that location has also been listed by Google as 'permanently closed.'