I'll Meet You There bookstore and coffee shop will open in December at 62 16th Ave. SW in the Czech Village neighborhood, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Gazette reported that co-owners and sisters Lindsay McGrath and Jaymie McGrath "hope to carry on the legacy of their late mother, Mary Kay McGrath."
An entrepreneur and property owner, known as the "Angel of the Village," Mary Kay McGrath led revitalization efforts in the Czech Village and New Bohemia districts until she died in 2024, the Gazette noted.
The store's name was inspired by a phrase Mary Kay McGrath and her husband, Pat, often shared, "whether arranging a meeting for business or planning a simple dinner together," according to the store's website. "It spoke to their unwavering love and trust, a promise that no matter the destination, they would always find one another. This sentiment is so cherished in the McGrath family that Mary Kay's headstone bears those very words, a message of comfort and faith: she will meet her loved ones again in Heaven."
Inspired by their parents, Lindsay and Jaymie McGrath have a vision that every detail of the shop reflects the work ethic and tenacity their parents instilled in them. They hope to "create the space to celebrate connections, community and a love for books, as well as encourage a slower pace with carefully curated shelves and a menu of coffee beverages paired with sweet treats."