An area of northeast Cedar Rapids that's already a hotbed of activity is preparing to welcome a pair of new businesses.

The Fountains at the corner of Blairs Ferry and Edgewood Road NE will be welcoming a unique workout facility and a new restaurant.

HOTWORX, a 24-hour infrared fitness studio, will be located in the ground level of the Accel Group building that was completed last year. Ritual Med Boutique and The Sanctuary Spa are already at street level in the building.

According to their website, HOTWORX "is a virtually instructed exercise program created for users to experience the many benefits of infrared heat absorption, while completing a 30-minute Isometric workout or 15-minute High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) session. As the infrared heat penetrates your body causing you to sweat, the isometric postures further accelerate detoxification by physically removing the toxins from your organs through muscle contraction."

HOTWORX has a "patented sauna that combines heat, infrared, and exercise."

There are currently four HOTWORX locations in Iowa. They're in Ankeny, Clive, Bettendorf, and Coralville.

Local HOTWORX franchisee Melicia Patik tells me she hopes to open in 3 to 4 months.

Bob James
Bob James
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According to a building permit issued by the City of Cedar Rapids, the new restaurant coming to The Fountains will be located where Billy Sims Barbecue was before closing early this year.

Mai Pho, a restaurant with authentic Vietnamese food, has had a location at 2315 Edgewood Road SW for more than a decade. Soon, they'll be on the city's east side with items like these:

Stir-Fry Lemongrass has your choice of "chicken or beef stir-fried with lemongrass, onion, and green pepper."

Mai Pho
Mai Pho
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Bun Tom Thit Nurong features grilled pork and shrimp "on rice vermicelli, with chopped lettuce, and cucumber."

Mai Phot
Mai Pho
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We reached out to get an approximate opening for Mai Phi but haven't heard back.

New Restaurants That Opened in Eastern Iowa in 2022

The next time you're looking for a new place to go eat, you might want to check out this list! A ton of new restaurants opened in the Cedar Rapids area in 2022, with even more on the way in early 2023. Here are the places that began welcoming customers in 2022:

Gallery Credit: Courtlin

Palisades-Kepler State Park Celebrates 100 Years

The 840-acre state park just south of Mount Vernon, Iowa celebrates its 100th birthday in 2022. Home to hiking trails, a beach, ramps for boats, camping, and fishing, it's long been a popular destination. The limestone bluffs of Palisades-Kepler State Park just add to its allure.

Gallery Credit: Jacob Glandon Photography

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