Another Downtown Cedar Rapids Restaurant Has Closed Its Doors

Just a few weeks after hearing about the closure of Barrel House in Downtown Cedar Rapids, another local restaurant has announced that they have shut down operations. Chophouse Downtown at 411 1st St SE is now permanently closed.

The closure of Chophouse Downtown was announced by owners Ryan and Joseph Avila-Burillo on Facebook this morning (August 1st). The post reads:

"Despite our dedication and effort, certain challenges have made it difficult for us to continue operating. More recently, the increasing number of homeless individuals, the removal of parking meters, and the rise of major competitors with free parking have all contributed to our struggles. Additionally, the current economic challenges, rising food costs, and staffing difficulties have further strained our operations. With the upcoming construction for the flood wall installation next year, we believe it is the right time for us to step away and move on."

The post from Chophouse Downtown also mentions the recent closure of Barrel House, saying that lots of other small businesses are struggling right now:

"Many other small businesses in the area are facing similar challenges, and our hearts go out to them. It breaks our hearts to see so many beloved establishments forced to close their doors. We sincerely hope that our city will step in to support and preserve these vital small businesses."

I've had lots of delicious meals at Chophouse over the past three years (as you can see below), and we've also had quite a few awesome work celebrations and parties there, too! It will certainly be missed by me and my coworkers, as well as many others.

It appears that Ryan and Joseph Avila-Burillo's other Cedar Rapids restaurant is now closed, as well. Mezcal Tequila Cocina, which was located inside the old Happy Joe's on Collins Road, no longer has a website or Facebook page, and the Google listing reads "permanently closed."