Local man teams up with Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust to help businesses in construction zones

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) -Businesses throughout Cedar Rapids and Marion who are taking a hit because of nearby construction are now getting a boost. Joe Sample has teamed up with Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust to make it happen.

Sample is handing out twenty $10 gift cards each Friday at businesses in the center of construction. This week he was at Short’s Burger and Shine in Marion. The initiative called ‘Cookies for Construction’ is in partnership with Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust who not only provides the funds, but cookies as well.

”We really feel a responsibility to help Cedar Rapids and our community,” said James Klein, President at Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust.

Cookies for Construction began last week at ChopHouse Downtown in Cedar Rapids where construction has taken a toll.

”Once they started this construction our business sales dropped dramatically and we’ve had to cut a lot of our staff hours and that you know they rely on this income to take care of their families,” explained Ryan Avila-Burillo, Owner of Chophouse Downtown.

Sample publicizes each stop on social media to drum up business at the given establishment.

”Constructions hard to park, a lot of people just choose to go somewhere else, so they’ve been hurting a little bit do to that and I just feel if we can just continue to support them as the roads clean up and get out here and support them, it will help them and their business grow,” Sample said.

He and Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust will visit a new business each week into September.

Upcoming stops:

5/27 - Goldfinch Tap + Eatery

6/3 - Lion Bridge Brewing Company

- Rodina

6/10 - Lucky’s on 16th

6/17 - The Red Frog

6/24 - Jimmy Z’s

7/1 - Runt’s Muchies

- The Hip-Stir

- Zoey’s Pizzeria

8/5 -Big Shots

8/12 Cafe Saint Pio

8/19 - Frydae

-Bistro 319

-SOKO Outfitters

8/26 - Up in Smoke BBQ

9/2 - Craft’d

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