Five Unwritten Rules of Cedar Rapids

If you grew up in the city of Five, it's an unwritten rule that you shared these experiences with fellow Cedar Rapidians.

Here are a few memories that have left a deep imprint on those who have grown up in the “City of Five” These are known as the Five Unwritten Rules of Cedar Rapids:

You Still Call It the “Five” The Five Seasons Center in downtown Cedar Rapids hosted all the big rock, pop, and country music shows back in the day. From Alan Jackson to Aerosmith, chances are it may have been the location of your very first concert. The concert facility now known as the U.S. Cellular Center will always be known as the “Five”.

You Remember The Original Westdale Mall – It was 38 years ago this month that Westdale Mall officially opened in Cedar Rapids. You can still name all four anchor stores: JC Penny, Younkers, Von Maur…and Wards! Fellas: bonus points if you still own a piece of clothing purchased at Chess King.

You’ve Been Hearing It Called "Cedar Crapids” Forever – really, you don’t recall the first time you heard it and you can’t remember a time that you haven’t heard it referred to it as “Crapids”. It’s a joke older than “jingle bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg…” but it still makes you smirk like a 12 year-old.

You Recall a Lot of Different Grocery Stores – Long before the Wal Mart and Target Supermart stores, you grew up in a neighborhood filled with nearby shops and markets. And with all due respect to HyVee, Fareway and Sav-A-Lot, you fondly remember visiting places like Barlow’s, Eagles, Me Too, and Warehouse Market.

You Had the CRAP Scared Out of You – at Cedar Rapids old haunted houses like Nightmare Manor in the old Knutson building by the police station. After 13 fright-filled years, they shut down about 5 years ago due to the city’s flood relief efforts. Memories of other great old haunts like the Jaycees Haunted House and Campus Life’s Scram in the Dark can still send a shiver down your spine.