Unimpaired Dry Bar closes in Iowa City

IOWA CITY — Contents of Iowa City’s only dry bar are up for auction after it closed suddenly.

Bidding at the “short notice auction” from Backes Auctioneers for pizza equipment, bar equipment, a self-contained walk-in cooler, tables and chairs starts Tues., March 12.

Unimpaired opened in 2021 as an expansion from its original Davenport location. With alcohol-free spirits and cocktails, it aimed to offer a fun environment without the pressure to drink near the University of Iowa, which was listed as a top party school by the Princeton Review until 2018.

It’s unclear when the dry bar closed. Its social media was last active in October 2023. Its original location in Davenport also has been closed permanently.

Comments: Features reporter Elijah Decious can be reached at (319) 398-8340 or elijah.decious@thegazette.com.