Most Iowans are lucky to have a single bookstore in their neighborhood. As of December, Cedar Rapids’ Czech Village has two.
Sisters Books and Nooks debuted in September, founded by friends Jamie Sharar and Sarah Danielson, who call themselves “sisters by choice.” Three months later, sisters-by-birth Lindsay and Jaymie McGrath opened I’ll Meet You There Bookstore and Coffee Shop around the block, sourcing the name from a sentiment their parents often repeated growing up.
Sisters aims for a dark academia aesthetic — rich brown and black walls, antique furniture, gold rococo frames, rugs with whimsical nature imagery, candles, sconces, dripping plants and cozy crannies in which to read a book while sipping wine or tea. A few decidedly modern details stand out, such as a neon sign with a quote from horror movie The Witch (“Wouldst thou like to live deliciously?”) and colorful merch with messages of LGBTQ+ Pride.
“We want to create a unique, cozy and inclusive space for people to congregate, filled with comfortable seating and nooks for you to snuggle in, chill out and enjoy a new book during your lunch break, or to escape your worries for an hour or two,” Danielson said.
Their book stock is primarily fiction: romance, mystery, fantasy, horror, thrillers and LGBTQ+ stories. Their nonfiction offerings include books about tarot, wicca and other mystical and macabre topics. They also sell some used books.
Danielson and Sharar, who met as students in Kirkwood Community College’s vet tech program, host a range of events in their space. In February, these included a sound bath meditation, a comedy show, and meetings of the Second Breakfast and Bloodbath & Beyond book clubs.
Danielson said they don’t consider CR’s other indie bookstores competition.
“We all have a different feel or vibe,” she said, “so I feel that we can all help each other. The others have been helpful with us, helping us with questions.”
Next Page Books is located right across the river in New Bohemia, nestled inside CSPS Hall (and occasionally staffed by a black cat named Frank). Yet another local book purveyor, Shady Character Books, is just a few miles west off Edgewood Road. The stripmall space has sold new and used tomes since 1990 — as Basically Books for decades and, briefly, M&M Books. Next Page is owned by Bart Carithers, Shady Character by Darryl Schade.
Sisters’ nearest and newest bookstore neighbor, I’ll Meet You There, has more of a “light academia,” cozy coffee shop vibe. Located in a historic storefront that hosted Rink Pharmacy in the 1950s, the McGrath sisters’ coffee and book shop has white walls, dark turquoise shelves and an ornate, bronzey-brown ceiling with crown molding. On the cafe side, wood beams frame a long, sage-green coffee bar.
“We are a full-service coffee shop,” general manager Lucy Steele explained. “We have plant-based energy drinks … matcha drinks, cappuccino, latte [and] a tea-based drink called the Pharmacy, based on the fact that this building used to be a pharmacy, way back when Czech Village was just starting out: peppermint tea with honey, brewed tea, cold-brewed tea and coffee.”
The bookstore opened on Dec. 8, its cafe on Dec. 19. Their book stock covers fiction, nonfiction, horror and science fiction. The ample children’s section features a huge, magnetic chalkboard under an arched book shelf, with plenty of surrounding seating and surfaces for activities. Like Sisters, there’s plenty of cushy furniture and quiet spots in which to wile the hours away.
A message on the bathroom mirror says, “You look incredible. Now go grab a coffee.” Outside is a photo-friendly mural of colorful, outstretched angel wings, as well as a polished metal sign cut with a matching angel-wing design. As temperatures rise, a patio area will offer open-air seating options.
In addition to books, both businesses sell gifts galore: journals, candles, tote bags, hats, sweatshirts, irreverent keychains, tote bags, magnets and mugs. They update items to correspond with the time of year — though Sisters always has one foot squarely in spooky season — and stock locally made products.
You can find more information about the women-owned shops on Instagram: @sistersbooksnooks and @_illmeetyouthere_. Sisters Books and Nooks is open Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Meet a friend at I’ll Meet You There Tuesday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., or Sunday and Monday, 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
This article was originally published in Little Village’s March 2026 issue.
