Popular Smoothie Shop and Cafe Expanding to Two Other Eastern Iowa Cities

It was last February we told you they were opening their first location in eastern Iowa. A year later, two more are about to open. The new stores will expand their Iowa footprint to eight locations.

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The first five Iowa locations for Tropical Smoothie Cafe were all in western or central Iowa. When we broke the news last winter that a location was going to be opening in Cedar Rapids, the reaction was met with great excitement. The restaurant opened in the spring of 2022.

From being at the Cedar Rapids location each of the last two weekends, I can tell you the love hasn't faded. It's a busy place. I wondered aloud to my wife on one of the visits... 'I wonder how long it will be before they add another location as busy as this one is.'

The front counter kind of looked like this. Yes, it was hopping!

This morning, I learned that it isn't far off at all. Tropical Smoothie Cafe is adding a new restaurant in Marion. As you can see in the photo below, signs are already up at the corner of Highways 13 and 151. It will be next to the building that houses Jersey Mike's Subs, Pancheros, and Pizza Ranch.

Rich Logsdon, who owns both the Cedar Rapids and Marion locations, tells me the Marion store is set to open in late March. He describes it as "a drive-thru location. Seating accommodations will be about 25 people inside. I love the location and am super excited to serve Marion and the east side of Cedar Rapids."

A Tropical Smoothie Cafe will also be opening in Waterloo. The store will be at 1039 Peoples Square, just off San Marnan Drive. We're waiting for confirmation of when that store will be opening, but believe it will also come this spring, but after the Marion location. The Marion and Waterloo restaurants are owned by different people.

If you're unfamiliar with Tropical Smoothie Cafe, they offer more than 20 different smoothies. There's the Chia Banana Boost (photo of the ingredients below), along with a number of "Super Veggies", "Balanced Fusions", "Fruit Blends", and "Tropical Treats". I've loved every one I've tried.

The Tropical Smoothie Cafe menu also includes flatbreads, wraps, quesadillas, salads, sandwiches, and breakfast items. *Note: Menus do vary by location.