Cedar Rapids Restaurant "Blend" Closing, Victim of Flood, Economy

By George Ford, Reporter

Blend on Tuesday, June 17, 2008, in downtown Cedar Rapids. Blend has since been completely remodeled and now features an outdoor patio. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

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By Aaron Hepker

Story Created: Jan 4, 2010 at 12:58 PM CST

Story Updated: Jan 4, 2010 at 7:58 PM CST

CEDAR RAPIDS — A downtown Cedar Rapids restaurant that reopened after being flooded in June 2008 will close Thursday, an apparent victim of too much debt and a slow local and national economy.

Blend Inc., 221 Second Ave. SE, reopened on Oct. 25, 2008, after sustaining significant damage. Owners Andy Deutmeyer, Vic Kuper and Mark Young obtained a loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Loan program.

Blend, which opened in 2005, added an outdoor cafe seating area after the flood. An employee of the restaurant confirmed the plans to close Thursday, saying fourth quarter sales were not enough to prevent the closing.

Deutmeyer, Kuper and Young were not available for comment.

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