Roots Market

October 22, 2007
I love this store. The employees are always nice and polite. There beer selection is not huge by any means but is probably the best in the area (nothing compared to John’s Grocery). They usually have some Bells and even Three Floyds. Worth checking out if you’re in the area and looking for something different. Their food is also good.

December 23, 2006
Small organic grocery store with a suprisingly good beer selection. I picked up a reasonably priced mixed six and found a 22 oz bottle of Millstream 20th Anniversary dopple bock (it was the last one on the shelf, though). They have a good number of imports and an excellent selection of beers from outside Iowa including the likes of Green Flash, Speakeasy, and Bell’s.

July 12, 2006
Arguably the 2nd best place to buy beer in the Cedar Falls/Waterloo area...2nd only to HyVee Wine & Spirits on University Ave. What just looks like a small "mom & pop" type grocery store on the exterior turns out to be a nice little beer oasis on the inside. They have a good-sized shelf dedicated almost entirely to domestic micros, all available for individual sale in "pick a sixer" six-packs. The prices are relatively good, and basically the same as what you’d pay per bottle if you bought an entire six-pack of one brew. (2006 Update): They have recently added another beer room dedicated entirely to Belgian brews. For now, they probably only have 20-25 offerings, but they ensured me they’re going to try and get as many in as they’ll be able to fit. This seperate room is easy to miss if you are just looking around..it’s near the cash registers (on the opposite side of the store from the majority of their beer). The service here is great. Small-town, Iowa atmosphere and they are more than willing to chat with you about beer for as long as you want. Overall, Root’s Market is worth stopping in, as they carry some unique selections and get in new beers quite often. You should be able to find something worth picking up here. This may be the best store in the state if you want to sample single domestic bottles, and the prices are comparable to others in the area.

June 13, 2006 [ Updated December 16, 2007 ]
This organic store has a nice new selection of Belgians and keeps them out of the sun which is nice. However they leave the beer you buy in a little clear sack or nothing at all to keep it in the sunlight for me is religious because of the money I spend I want it to stay out of the sun. They are growing a better selection from what I hear, I can’t wait to visit again. Visited again, a year later, they have lost their entire Belgian selection because turnover was so bad. I can see why...I bought a new six pack. I know this because it was a Bell’s Pale Ale. They just came into the state a month ago and this couldn’t have been that old. Looking up the date on the bottle: 7819 - packaged on February 6, 2007, so it was in it’s prime. I bought it April 7th and it was awful and heat treated. I definitely will never waste my time there again.

May 8, 2004
A very good selection of beers here, rotates often. For this area it is usually difficult to get anything from U.S. microbrewers and roots market really fills this niche. Ordering beers they do not have on premises is common. Staff is very knowledgeable and helpful, and you can do some grocery shopping as well, good place, recommended.