New Cafe Coming to Library, Again

The 's on-again, off-again relationship with a cafe is on—again.

On Monday, the library board approved a contract with a new vendor who will fill the vacant cafe space.

Just four months after opening in September 2011, the because of the owner Kim Stoltz's health. Since its closing in January 2012, the library has met with a number of potential tenants.

"It's still very sad with Kim leaving with her health, but we're excited to have a new person coming to the cafe," library director Kate Hall said. "We had it sitting empty for two years and we do not want that to happen again." 

The cafe was a welcomed addition to the library, which saw the space sit empty for two years until Book and Bean opened. Hall said the new cafe would bring in an additional $4,500 in annual revenue to the library through rent, which is $375/month.

Just as Stoltz had experience running a library cafe in Joliet, the new owner in the New Lenox library has operated a cafe in the .

The cafe will be called Bookworm Cafe and will offer healthy sandwiches, homemade soups, warm breads, cookies and more. Hall said the menu in New Lenox will be very similar to the Oak Lawn location.

Hall said the owners will have 60 days to prepare the location before opening, though the opening could happen before that. She doesn't have a firm date yet.