CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Two of the last original walk-up Dairy Queens in Cedar Rapids are taking divergent paths.
One, at 3304 First Ave. NE, has closed and will not reopen after owner Jill Muckler died last year. She had been the third-generation owner of the popular spot, where customers of all ages — sometimes with their dogs — would line up outside to buy the soft-serve treats, particularly on hot days.
A separately owned Dairy Queen, at 501 16th St. NE, was unanimously approved during the city’s Historic Preservation Commission meeting on Feb. 12, 2026, to move forward in its quest to become a local historic landmark…