New coffee shop, bookstore planned for Czech Village to carry on Mary Kay McGrath’s legacy

CEDAR RAPIDS — A new coffee shop and bookstore are in the works for a vacant Czech Village storefront.

I’ll Meet You There, a new venture from duo Lindsay and Jaymie McGrath, tentatively plans to open at 62 16th Ave. SW on Dec. 1.

Through the new opening, the sisters hope to carry on the legacy of their late mother, Mary Kay McGrath. The entrepreneur and property owner, known as the “Angel of the Village,” led revitalization efforts in the Czech Village and New Bohemia districts until she died in February 2024.

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The name comes from a common phrase Mary Kay and her husband, Pat, said to each other when planning everyday events. The sentiment is engraved on Mary Kay’s headstone as a message of comfort and faith — that she will meet her loved ones again in Heaven.

“It spoke to their unwavering love and trust, a promise that no matter the destination, they would always find one another,” the bookstore owners said.

Lindsay and Jaymie have created the space to celebrate connections, community and a love for books. The space will encourage a slower pace with carefully curated shelves and a menu of coffee beverages paired with sweet treats.

“Every detail of the shop reflects the work ethic and tenacity their parents instilled in them from a young age,” the owners explained on a new website for the shop.

The storefront’s last major tenant was Hospoda, a restaurant serving wood-fired pizza and specialty Czech beers.

Former owners Eric Lennie and Manny Maldonado closed the restaurant in October 2023, after about two years in business.

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

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