Passion project – Atlas Collective bookstore, coffee shop opens

Kara Taghon is a lover of good books and good drinks. She has brought those passions together to form a new business – The Atlas Collective (TAC) bookstore and coffee shop located in downtown Moline at 1801 Fifth Ave. More than 50 people from the community joined Ms. Taghon on Saturday morning, Jan. 6, for […]

Kara Taghon is a lover of good books and good drinks. She has brought those passions together to form a new business – The Atlas Collective (TAC) bookstore and coffee shop located in downtown Moline at 1801 Fifth Ave.

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More than 50 people from the community joined Ms. Taghon on Saturday morning, Jan. 6, for the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new business. “It’s been an incredible, incredible response from the community. I’m stunned,” Ms. Taghon, founder and CEO of the new business, told the QCBJ shortly before the opening ceremony. “I'm not from the Quad Cities, so I don’t know a lot of people here. But I tell one person (about the business) and they tell another.” Many of those people were on hand Saturday morning to show their support for The Atlas Collective. A crowd filled part of the street in front of the business for the ribbon-cutting and welcoming speeches. Supporters also crowded into the store to buy books and drinks after the brief ceremonies. During the ceremonies, Moline Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati called the business site a “really cool location” and hopes the community will support the business. The Atlas Collective is located in a one-story brick building at the corner of 18th Street and Fifth Avenue. It is next to the LeClaire Apartments. (In fact, there is a LeClaire mural painted on the back of the TAC building). The business also is located near the former Moline Dispatch newspaper building. During the welcoming ceremony for the business, the mayor described TAC and its owner as a “possibilitarian.” “That’s a made-up word that I once saw at a museum. … But, it’s about making opportunities for everyone,” Ms. Rayapati said. Ms. Taghon said she hopes the new business will be a cozy, safe and joyful place for the community. On Saturday, many members of the community were in TAC to do business, buy books and enjoy drinks. Ms. Taghon said her favorite drink offered at TAC is called The Atlas, of course. That drink consists of dirty chai with oak milk. Some of the other drink offerings include:

• The Vito with iced strawberry matcha latte.
• The Ivy, with London Fog sweetened with honey and topped with lavender petals.
• The Aries with blood orange and strawberry.
• The Hades with blue raspberry and lime.
• The Helois with black tea and lotus lemonade.
• There are also many coffee drinks, such as the Americano, Red Eye, cold brew and drop coffee.

TAC has a small staff serving up those drinks and selling books. In addition to Ms. Taghon, the business has two other employees –  Elijah Israel, who is described as the caffeine overlord and purveyor of all things caffeinated; and Brooke Matheis, creative director for the collective’s marketing materials, social media and in-house stationery design. In addition to the drinks, the business also offers a wide variety of new and used books; stationery; and merchandise, such as T-shirts, mugs and tote bags. “I feel this is very powerful and a scary moment,” Ms. Taghon told the grand opening crowd. “We look forward to sharing it with you.” The Atlas Collective is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays (the coffee bar closes at 3 p.m. daily). TAC is closed on Sundays and Mondays. For more information about the Atlas Collective bookstore and coffee bar, visit www.atlascollectiveqc.com and www.facebook.com/atlascollectiveqc.