CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A painted sign seen by generations in Czech Village has disappeared from its prominent position on the side of the Sykora Bakery building.
Extolling the benefits of Sykora’s bread, the sign on the bakery at 73 16th Ave. SW, encouraged customers to “Eat our famous rye for health.”
The painted advertisement with a peach-colored background, and Sykora Bakery in red, are now covered in a nondescript gray paint.
After closing as a bakery in 2023, the building, constructed in 1900, has been for lease this year under new ownership.
The Sykora building is shown in October 2024, after its sign had been painted over. (photo/Cindy Hadish)
Over the years, the sign had faded into what some might consider a “ghost sign” — a hand-painted ad preserved on a building for a long period of time — and after the new owners purchased the historic building in December 2023, they reached out to city staff regarding the paint.
Related: Sykora Bakery history hits the auction block
A representative of KN Properties LLC noted that part of the sale’s closing documents indicated a long-standing complaint from the city of Cedar Rapids regarding exterior paint, and said the company wanted to comply with the city ordinance and preserve their investment, as well.
The bakery’s iconic sign had faded by 2024. (photo/Cindy Hadish)
The email was forwarded to the district’s Main Street leader at the time, who strongly suggested preserving the sign, but noting there were no known paint regulations on area properties, even as part of a National Register of Historic Places district.
It was unknown whether or not owner Kory Nanke had seen that recommendation. He could not be reached for comment.
Originally a saloon called the Dew Drop Inn, Charles and Anna Kosek opened the first Czech bakery in the building in 1903. Joseph Sykora, who worked for the Koseks, bought the business in 1927.
The building was originally a saloon called the Dew Drop Inn.
Don and Sheila Janda purchased the landmark bakery in December 1993 from Lester Sykora, one of the sons of original owners Joseph and Clara Sykora.
The couple pledged to keep everything the same: the name, recipes such as the caraway rye bread, and Czech pastries, including the local favorite poppy seed kolaches.
John and Sue Rocarek bought Sykora Bakery from the Jandas in 2001, and had planned to sell the business last year to Craig McCormick, who temporarily reopened the bakery in September 2023, after it closed in late July, but the Rocareks decided to sell the building, rather than lease it out.
An online auction of bread pans, baking sheets, mixing bowls and more was held in February.
Read more: See what piece of Sykora’s history ended up with the previous owners.
only goes to show you, history is being deleted. even if something as small as a sign will be erased. and yet they want to preserve history of this town. so sad
I am a descendant of Joseph and Clara Sykora and this really saddens me. It was terrible when the bakery was permanently closed (although there were some owners over the years who were not the best stewards of the business) and it hit our family hard. This just seems like adding insult to injury. I realize times change and you can’t preserve everything, I suppose. But we really should work harder to save what we can from the past. I’m glad our family has plenty of pictures of the way the building was over the years. And, of course, we have our memories and the stories from previous generations.
Thank you for your message, Julia. Do you remember how long that sign had been there?
This is so sad, and knowing what it means to you and your family makes the story even sadder. I can’t understand this attitude of erasing the past, particularly when we understand so much more now about the impact our actions have on the world and all living creatures on it. Aside from the cultural, historic, architectural and sentimental value of buildings and signage–a figure that cannot be calculated–preservation makes sense from an ecological standpoint as well. Who knows how much harm was done from stripping the building alone?
stastny, zalasky, Miller family’s are all saddened by painting over an iconic sign like this. save history don’t destroy it!!!
Nothing is sacred anymore
So apparently a new owner just painted over it without care or recourse, only to then close the property and put it up for sale. In my opinion, that careless action should have severe consequences.