Business & Tech

New Cafe Opens in New Lenox Library

The Book and Bean Too gives New Lenox a spot for coffee, sandwiches and WiFi on the west end of town. It's the second location operated by owner Kim Stoltz, whose first location is in the Joliet Public Library.

Libraries are a great community gathering place, and a new cafe in the will add to that atmosphere.

The Book and Bean Too officially opened in the library Monday morning, offering coffee, sandwiches, free WiFi and more. Library employees and community members trickled through to grab a cup of joe or the favorite, a chicken salad wrap.

Owner Kim Stoltz, of Crest Hill, also runs the Book and Bean Cafe in the Joliet Public Library. For the most part, the menu at the New Lenox location is the same, including burgers, coffee, sandwiches, soup, smoothies and salads.

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The cafe will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Although the library is adding Friday hours starting in September, library director Kate Hall said the cafe plans to first see how business is and then decide whether to extend hours.

Stoltz said the cafe will be similar to the location in Joliet by offering various forms of entertainment, including open mic nights, poetry slams and art shows.

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"It's a small venue but we can do some cool things," she said. The cafe has a door that goes through to meeting rooms in the library, which could also be used for entertainment.

Hall said the cafe could bring in an additional $5,000 or more in annual revenue to the library through rent.


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