New coffeehouse opening soon in North Center: Espresso Thy Art

February 16, 11:42 AMChicago Neighborhood ExaminerDana Kavan

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Cafe's logo designed by Reformado

North Center's main drag is stepping up its coffeehouse game. The busy Irving Park-Damen-Lincoln intersection already houses a Starbucks, but soon it'll be home to Espresso Thy Art, a locally owned coffee shop that'll have me passing on the venti Pike Place Roast for good.

Owned by three sisters, Espresso Thy Art merges an art studio with a cafe, dishing up one-of-a-kind paintings alongside frothy cappuccinos. I emailed with artist and co-owner Rossana Reformado about the inspiration for the cafe and what patrons can expect when it opens in March. 

Why did you choose this particular locale/neighborhood for your coffeehouse?
Our parents own the building, and they operated a Filipino Bakery from 1987 to December 2007. We are familiar with the neighborhood as we grew up in the Lakeview/North Center area and have seen many changes throughout the years.

Can you tell me a bit about why you decided to open the cafe, and what role each of you will play?
My sisters and I decided to start an indie coffee house that also sold artwork. It’s a leap of faith that none of us really anticipated doing at this stage in our lives, but it’s also a venture that we are extremely excited about. My older sister, Marissa, will help with product development for the café, and my younger sister, Virginia, will be the café manager. On any given day, you will see one or all of us working behind the counter, and occasionally you will see me doing my artwork in what we call the “studio” area, where much of the artwork will be displayed.

Will you display artwork of other artists or just your own? What price point will your pieces be at?
The café will display my artwork and that of other artists. Price point will be anywhere from $4.00 for note cards, and up to $600 or more for original paintings. We will also have jewelry, tumbled marble coasters, and prints with a Chicago theme. We will feature artists on a rotating basis, and also plan to have art openings in the future.

What amenities will the cafe have?
The café will have free wi-fi for customers. Most pastries will be baked in-house as well as fresh breakfast and lunch items. Some of the items we will offer include freshly made crepes, Belgian waffles, Filipino baked goods, smoothies, and fresh fruit. Our coffee is specially roasted for our café, ground in-house, and handcrafted to order. We hope to have the backyard finished for outside seating during warmer weather. We will be growing fresh herbs and flowers in our garden for the enjoyment of our customers.