Munchi Mochi, a once-again thriving local café, is located just down the street from Kirkwood Community College’s main campus. It’s a café with primarily Asian foods, with a theme based off original characters created by the owner.
When the owner, Kira Anthony, who is a current student at Kirkwood, was asked about the inspiration for her business, she stated, “At the start of COVID, I was 16. I was interested in graphic and business, so I wanted to combine these two together. The food we serve was trending at the time, so I specialized in that. I hope to build a franchise one day.”
Unfortunately, in July 2025, a car crashed into the front wall of Munchi Mochi, only three months post-opening. This resulted in a short closure before reopening.
“But because the wall wasn’t fixed, people thought we were closed, so we lost a lot of customers, regulars and revenue,” Anthony explained.
“I was depressed for a while. It felt like I had lost everything,.” she answered when asked if this discouraged her.
Munchi Mochi is back on its feet, looking stylish as ever.
“I’m really happy that I can find a place where I can find gluten-free snacks, pancakes and other items,” said Tara Allen, Kirkwood marketing instructor. “I have dietary restrictions, and so it’s just really nice to have an inclusive place next to campus that gives out a Kirkwood discount for faculty, students and staff.”
A noticeable portion of menu items are gluten-free, inspired by Anthony encompassing her friend’s gluten-free diet and her own, offering convenience not only in the location of the shop but also to dietary needs.
The menu also comprises coffee, boba tea, bingsu ice cream, mochi donuts, musubi and donut holes. Other items include stickers, mochi pancake mix, earrings, necklaces and pens. Soon, they will start up a ramen bar community board.
When walking in, customers can see colorful characters such as Rex, the extremely sporty leader of the crew; Zoey, the heart of the group and the nicest one; Cedric, who is the muscle with a teddy bear personality; Nandi, the tactician; Alistar, who is the tech guru; and lastly Phoebe, the tough tomboy.
“Every once in a while, we’ll have some bad guys coming to do some mischief in Cedar Rapids because they want to steal their mochi power,” Anthony’s mother stated in an explanation of the fascinating lore.
“So, if you follow our Instagram (@munchimochi05), the quote on the board changes every week, so you can follow the storyline.”
Categories: Feature
