The Gladbrook Nook coffee shop soft opens Oct. 31
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GLADBROOK -- "Stay awhile -- relax and feel right at home" is the motto of the soon-to-open The Gladbrook Nook, located at 315 2nd St.
Its 22-year-old proprietor Rachel Miner is eager to open the doors for a soft opening Saturday during trick-or-treating (5 p.m. to 8 p.m.), with a select menu of signature espresso, energy drinks, cider, hot chocolate and hot coffee. She's tested out drinks on community members, receiving positive feedback.
The coffee shop's name is a nod to the atmosphere Miner hopes to cultivate.
"I toyed around with some other ideas, but I really wanted to create a cozy, comfortable space that everyone -- not just young or old people -- is welcome to stay, hang out, do your computer work, read a book, whatever you need to do," she noted. "I've always been a coffee lover. I'm a fun drink lover -- always got to have a fun drink in my hand."
Miner, a native of Emmetsburg, residing in Lincoln, said the opportunity to acquire the building was too good to pass up. She toured it with her boyfriend Ayden Staker, owner of Perfect Circle in Traer. They agreed the building could be used for extra storage for his lawn care/landscaping business, while she used the main area for a coffee shop.
"There is an attached commercial space in the back for trucks...The building was originally the pool hall in town: Schade's. I don't think it's been much of anything since, but it's been the location of the 'Man Cave' where the men come to have coffee and play cards everyday, and they still come every day," Miner said of the location.
Although excited to be opening up her own place, running a coffee shop wasn't her initial career plan. She graduated in 2025 from UNI with a degree in gerontology and public administration, with the intent of becoming a nursing home administrator.
"I looked around for jobs for a little bit. I didn't find much, nothing really stuck out to me. Why run a nursing home if I can run a coffee shop?" she said.
And what's not to like about a spot where you can spend time, relax and enjoy a cup of Joe, plus free Wi-Fi?
Currently, she will offer two signature drinks: the Gladbrook Gold Latte, made with brown sugar and vanilla syrup, with cold foam and a brown sugar and cinnamon sprinkle on top. And the Matchstick Mocha, featuring chocolate, marshmallow syrup, marshmallow fluff and crumbled graham cracker crumbs. Her tea selection comes from the Tea Cellar in Cedar Falls.
She plans to offer breakfast, lunch and treats in the future. She has some restaurant experience, having worked at Mulligan's in Cedar Falls during college.
"I do have a little bit of food service knowledge and the regulations that go into that," she said. "But it's definitely going to be a learning experience, so that's kind of also why we're just starting with drinks. It's a lot."
A crafter, she has a corner of items for sale and hopes to broaden the merchandise.
"It'd be great to have little vendors, little gift options eventually," she said. "There's nowhere else in town to just grab a quick gift for someone."
The building includes a space for hosting events (40 people maximum), which local clubs have already used. She said she could envision hosting craft nights there.
Miner has no official grand opening date yet, but it will likely be around mid-November. She will post more information on social media. Hours of operation will start out as 5:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., but will be extended once she adds food items to the menu. It will be open Monday through Saturday. She has hired some staff, and may bring on more.
"We have to see how busy we are. I have no idea. We've had a really good response on Facebook and everything, but it's hard to know what it's going to be like day-to-day," she said.
She may be reached at: 641-473-0000 and rachelminer@gladbrooknook.com.