Czech Village Meat Market and Deli to Close This Week
It's sad when any business is forced to close its doors. But it is especially sad to see one go that is wrapped up in as much history as Anvil Meat Market and Deli. The Czech Village deli has announced that their last day of business will be on Thursday, September 30th, according to a post on their Facebook page.
Before it was Anvil Meat Market and Deli, it was the Village Meat Market from 2008 until December of 2019. Before that, it was Pohlena's Meat Market. Anvil owner Steven Prochaska's great grandfather used to work at Pohlena's, according to a 2020 story in the Cedar Rapids Gazette. Prochaska featured many of those famous recipes when he opened up Anvil in that very same location. In fact, he told the Gazette that there has been a meat market on that street for over 130 years. Who knows what will end up taking it's place now.
In the statement on Anvil's Facebook page, Prochaska says that things are tough in the restaurant industry right now. He says that he will miss employees past and present and that he'll miss seeing his regular customers.
Anvil Meat Market and Deli, located at 92 16th Ave. S.W., will close as of September 30th. They will be running closeout deals in the shop so customers are urged to stop by and help them go through whatever they have left in stock. So go pick up some meat from the counter, or order a couple of sub sandwiches to go. It's the end of another era along the streets of Czech Village.