Popular Ice Cream Shop Appears Ready to Make Return to Cedar Rapids

As a kid, it was likely one of your favorite places to visit. It looks like soon, you'll be able to take your kids there.

There was an agenda item for the recent Cedar Rapids City Planning Commission meeting that caught my eye. It was the request for rezoning near a property that we first revealed plans for nearly a year ago. While things have taken longer to materialize than previously expected, we've learned of a second tenant for the location.

In June of 2022, I shared that a fourth 'Dunkin location was planned for the former Western Fraternal Life Association building at 1900 1st Avenue NE in Cedar Rapids. At the time, it was believed it could open within a year.

One of the big reasons for the delay has been the parking situation. Things needed to be rezoned to T-MC (Traditional Mixed Use Center) from T-RF (Traditional Residential Flex). According to an application by Reif Oil Company to rezone five properties, the rezoning was necessary to "match the rest of the property in order to utilize portions of the north lots for parking and truck access. The proposed development is to re-purpose the existing building for use as a Dunkin Donuts, Baskin- Robbins, and a bakery." The bakery is so Dunkin' can make fresh donuts on location.

According to the Gazette, Reif Oil Company, which is based in Burlington, is the owner of Eastern Iowa Food Service (EIFS). EIFS holds the Dunkin' franchise in the Corridor.

The Cedar Rapids City Planning Commission signed off on the rezoning at the meeting. It covers 124 19th St. NE, as well as 1903, 1907, 1911, & 1917 A Ave NE. The next step is approval from the Cedar Rapids City Council. That could come at their meeting on Tuesday, May 23.

Baskin-Robbins was founded in California in 1945. The last location I recall in Cedar Rapids was on Center Point Road. That one closed years ago. Amazingly, even though there are more than 2,400 locations in the U.S. (all locally owned and operated), the company's website lists only one Baskin-Robbins store in the state of Iowa. It's at 7666 Hickman Road in Windsor Heights, a suburb of Des Moines.

Inspire Brands, which bought both Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins in 2020, is undoubtedly wanting to add more locations in Iowa so we have greater access to Baskin-Robbins.

If you've ever wondered why the founders decided on 31 flavors, the Baskin-Robbins website says it was "so you could have a new one every day of the month." Clearly, they loved ice cream as much as I do.