Cedar Rapids business owner ‘considering’ relocating after shooting

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Kelly Finn is worried about safety after the shooting at Taboo over the weekend that left two dead and 10 more injured.

Finn owns FinnPrep, a test preparation and college counseling company with an office on 3rd Avenue. “I am concerned now about getting in and out of the office.”

She added, “I have young kids who come here as clients, and I also have tutors that work for me that are college students...We are down here on Saturdays sometimes. And I mean, I have to, you know, look for my own protection and also the protection of the people that I work for. And that work for me.”

Finn also said she “felt misinformed” because she “had no idea there was a nightclub in there.” She said, “I guess I assumed you had to have a sign for your business.”

We asked Finn if she had taken concrete steps to relocate. She said no. “I’m thinking about it. I want to see how the city responds and what happens.”

Finn’s business has been in its current location since July 2021. We spoke to another person who owns a business very close to Taboo. Erynn DeRycke’s Embody Bridal has only been downtown for about two months.

When asked if she was planning on making any changes, DeRycke said, “I have a pretty secure set-up and my vibe is a little bit different. I’m a bridal store so I don’t know that I’m like too concerned or feeling like I need to worry about anything too much. But, with that being said, I’ll continue to make sure things are really secure around here.”

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