North Liberty is about to get a little bit more caffeinated. Cafe Muse will serve coffee cocktails along with traditional coffee drinks and eats. The new coffee shop is slated to open early in next year in western North Liberty. The cafe will feature both a drive-through window and ample couches and booths. Owners Nasi Moradi and CJ Huang hope the cafe services both on-the-go professionals as well as patrons who want relax and socialize.
“Our vision is that we want to build a social destination here at Cafe Muse,” said Huang, who also has ownership in Cedar Rapids’ Rock Bar American Grill and owner of the Witwer Building in Cedar Rapids.
“We really want the place to match with the young professionals that live in North Liberty,” said Moradi, a local realtor who will serve as the cafe’s general manager.
Huang and Moradi, a couple who live in North Liberty, said they plan to open Cafe Muse in the first few weeks of January after the holidays. When they do open, they will serve coffee made by Intelligentsia Coffee from Chicago, baked goods from Bread Garden Market, a small lunch selection, afternoon high tea, cheese plates and both wine and beer. The cafe will seat roughly 60 customers.
Huang said the cafe, located at 565 Cameron Way, will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends.
Coffee cocktails are something both owners are excited to bring to eastern Iowa. Huang said the drinks, which blend espresso, coffee or cold-brewed coffee with liquor, have been growing in popularity in major cities like Chicago but have yet to make it to Iowa.
“It’s new, it’s coming to the big places, but hasn’t taken off just yet,” Huang said. “Everyone already does traditional cocktails, so we’re going to put out attention on something newer.”
With a modern architectural design created by Iowa City’s AKAR Architecture, Moradi said their coffee shop will be a “unique space everyone can enjoy.”
Huang said that they will be hiring 10-12 full-time employees for Cafe Muse. Those who want to send their resume and availability for Cafe Muse can contact Moradi at nasi@cafemuseiowa.com.
The couple, who regularly commute from North Liberty to Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, said they also see their new cafe addressing a growing need for services in the fast-growing North Liberty. Cafe Muse’s location on Cameron Way, an arterial road in North Liberty that leads directly to Interstate 380, promises high vehicle traffic for the cafe with a drive through.
