Recently, Sugarfire Barbeque and QDogs closed. Though Sugarfire is clear across Cedar Rapids, many folks living in Marion were still very melancholic about this, along with the closing of QDogs. Sugarfire was described as a very fun atmosphere. It was originally a bank, but they renovated the place to make an incredible restaurant space. QDogs was a very enjoyable environment where, according to Google, “Classic BBQ is the draw at this laid-back spot offering live blues, beer on tap & outdoor seating.” These two BBQ restaurants were loved by many and will be missed greatly.
There is one dish in particular that everyone raved about at Sugarfire, especially Mr. Mitchell, social studies teacher: The Mississippi Mud Pie. According to House of Nash Eats, Mississippi Mud Pie is an “Oreo cookie crust, a fudgy brownie-like base, chocolate mousse and chocolate whipped cream with Oreo crumbles sprinkled on top.” Mitchell loved this so much that he even made it a tradition. He said, “My family and I would get the Mississippi Mud Pie each year on my birthday and Father’s Day.” He is very upset now that he won’t be able to continue that tradition. Thankfully, his wife was able to go to the business the day before they closed to get this mud pie recipe, but it’s not the same. He said that he would miss the dining-in experience because of its nice atmosphere. Some might suggest finding another place, but there are no options. Mitchell said, “It’s incredible that the area of Cedar Rapids-Marion only had that one option for Mississippi Mud Pie…. But unfortunately, now we’re down to none.” Not having what makes someone feel at home is soul-crushing, so that’s why as a community, people need to take better care of small businesses.
QDogs was permanently closed on September 23rd. According to Corridor Business, “QDogs was launched by Jeff ‘QDog’ Coil as a barbecue trailer 12 years ago before opening a physical restaurant at 895 Blairs Ferry Road NE in Marion.” They were known not only for their delicious smoked meats and sides, but also for their environment. While the restaurant was small in size, it was a huge place for musical artists, especially blues artists, to perform. The QDogs BBQ Company Facebook explained that they needed to take a step back to “keep the candles burning.” They said that it was a very hard decision to make since the restaurant was award-winning and had a great venue, but it was the right decision ultimately.
The people of the community must support local businesses because soon they’ll all be gone. So many small businesses have closed recently, and it affects the owners and people around them greatly. Mitchell said, “We really need to support our restaurants or else they go away never to return. Just in the past couple years, we have lost Vivian’s Soul Food, The Lost Cuban, Winifred’s, [QDogs], El Rancho, and now Sugarfire.” Countless other small businesses are closing every day. At times, people get so caught up in their hectic lives that they forget to help others, but that can’t happen.
The closing of QDogs and Sugarfire Barbeque has hurt the souls of many people since those were the only places like it in the area, but just think about it. If that many people are hurt by it, imagine how the owners of Sugarfire, QDogs, and all of these other small businesses closing down feel. The community needs to take a step up and treat small businesses with respect so this pattern doesn’t continue.
