Reviving Marion's Uptown: Ramsey's Metro Market

You can think of the uptown Marion area as a “destination spot.”

You have small, unique, locally owned businesses like , , , , , and many more that offer a contrast to the types of retail, chain shopping offered in Cedar Rapids.

But, as Conrad Ramsey sees it, there is no real separation between Cedar Rapids and Marion. Rather, the owner of the nine month old wine and cheese bar, said he places his restaurant said the "local" in his locally owned business refers to the greater Cedar Rapids area.

"I like to think of Marion of part of the community at large and not to be compared to Cedar Rapids," he said. "You tell me, when you drive in between Cedar Rapids and Marion, can you tell the difference?"

So, when the decades long Rockwell Collins employee finally decided to open a business, he wanted to bring something to the community that he thought was lacking: a cozy wine bar with simple, tasty food.

It is something he likes to return to after his day job.

"It is a chance for me to meet new friends and meet more of the community," he said.

Though the Rockwell employee had little experience in the restaurant industry, his son, Josh, however, has.

Josh Ramsey said there’s been booze at most places he’s worked, most recently Red’s Public House and Granite City.

He runs Ramsey’s, designs the menu and is finding himself increasingly active in picking the selection of wine.

The wine bar/deli is fairly new as well, opening its doors on the May 20, 2011. Since their beginning, they advertised, instead relying on word of mouth.

Marion resident Matt Youngblut stumbled across Ramsey’s a little while ago and was immediately impressed.

"We were having a glass of wine and it was just a calming environment with a lot of selection," he said.

Restaurants are typically expected to stay in debt in their first year of business. With the increasing popularity of Ramsey’s, though, Josh said at nine months of operation, they are "above water."

In the future, Conrad Ramsey is not only looking forward to growing his business, but the growth of Marion. He said he’s excited about the Central Corridor Project, which he believes will be able to tie the downtown together, taking the relatively high speed traffic away from Ramsey’s doorstep.