Jed Vander Zanden lives in the heart of Cedar Falls with his wife and five-year-old son. They have lived here for almost six years. Jed owns Sidecar Coffee Roasters in the Cedar Valley while his wife works at UNI as a professor.
Jed enjoys feeling connected to the community and feeling like he is one of the locals. They love the unique community vibe they get from shopping and eating locally. They are big supporters of both Single Speed Breweries and Basal/Cibo establishments. Local businesses supporting each other is great for the community.
When he thinks about the Cedar Falls Food Co-op opening in town, Jed believes it will benefit the Cedar Valley in a big way. He and his wife are excited about a locally owned downtown grocery store where they can do the majority of their shopping (particularly fresh foods). They chose to live and play in the heart of Cedar Falls and would like to spend more of their money in the local economy. A downtown co-op will bring the community together and will hopefully be a place to come together to learn, talk, and eat.
As a family, they spend lots of time playing in the yard and gardening. They do a lot of cooking and eating with friends, so they enjoy good food choices. They love trying new foods, and trying new ways to prepare it. Slow cooking and smoking meats are new favorites at their home. Jed would like springtime a little better if it would only last longer in Iowa.