Some Edgewater coffee shops grow, others struggle during pandemic

While some Edgewater coffee shops are struggling to survive the pandemic, others are growing by increasing online sales and opening new storefronts.

Chicago Grind general manager Kate Zehr said sales have decreased during the pandemic. Zehr, 31, said the Edgewater shop opened in 2014, and she has served as the general manager for a year and a half. She said the shop closed in March and didn’t reopen until July 8.

“It’s been nothing like it was before,” Zehr said. “It’s been rough getting back into it. I started out originally with about 10 employees, and now I have four.”

Because more people work from home, Zehr said the shop sees fewer people picking up coffee before work. As foot traffic slowed down during the pandemic, Zehr said Chicago Grind shortened its hours and eliminated menu items to cut costs.

Happy Monday Coffee Roasters co-owner Yamel Salazar said she has also cut hours to save money. Salazar, 31, has co-owned the store with partner Craig Alexander since 2017. She said they moved the shop from Kankakee to Edgewater this year in late October. They also own Uptown’s Drink Happy Thoughts, which opened in April.

“We signed the building leases before the pandemic,” Salazar said. “It’s been difficult at both shops because the pandemic regulations keep changing. It’s hard to keep up with them.”

Jagdish Sheth, an Emory University business professor, said locally owned coffee shops need to get creative to survive the pandemic. Sheth, who specializes in consumer behavior, said it will be especially hard for newer shops to stay open. However, exploring new service options can help them survive, he said.

“Unfortunately, small stores that cater to only four or five miles from their street will struggle,” Sheth said. “Many small businesses like that will need to learn how to offer curbside, delivery or online sales.”

Kyoto Black is one Edgewater business that’s taking advantage of online sales during the pandemic. Owner Justin Doggett, 32, said he began Kyoto Black as an online-only coffee bean and monthly subscription service in 2015. Kyoto coffee is unique from other blends because its slow drip process makes it taste like a “coffee wine,” Doggett said.

Doggett said he bought his first physical storefront in Edgewater during the pandemic so he could have a dedicated space to brew coffee. While he eventually hopes to sell his coffee at the store, he said focusing on online sales has kept his business steady.

“I got a months’ worth of business in a period of four days at one point,” Doggett said. “That pace kept up for several weeks. With people wanting to support Black businesses more, especially during the pandemic, business has been good.”

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Originally written for Medill coursework on Nov. 10, 2020.