His job allows him to work remotely, and he enjoyed Atomix’s quiet, quaint atmosphere. “I guess I’ll have to start exploring the neighborhood and see what else is around here.”ĭavid Young, a trader, has been frequenting Atomix since he and his wife moved to West Town five years ago. Since then, Sharkey said he has relied on Atomix as a place to grab a coffee, snack on a pretzel roll sandwich and catch up on emails.
Carroll Ave., near the border between West Town and the Near West Side. In 2016, the union moved its offices to 1901 W. Jesse Sharkey, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, was among the customers who stopped in Tuesday for coffee Tuesday. “I’d have to say, I feel people are recognized and safe coming here,” she said. Headley said she has appreciated the “safe space” it provided to the neighborhood’s writers, artists and LGBTQ community.
Atomic coffee then at mb johnson park. movie#
One of her favorite memories of working at Atomix will be Monday movie nights, when her coworkers would pull down a projector screen in front of the shop’s windows and show cult and horror flicks from the ’70s and ’80s. “I would even come in on my off days,” she said. Atomix was her first workplace where she became close with her coworkers, customers and boss. Since taking the job in July 2018, Headley said she has personally gotten to know several neighboring residents and business owners. “Then you’re doing better than someone who’s making a lot of money.”Īs regulars came in for their morning coffee Tuesday, barista Audrey Headley broke the news of the shop’s closing. “That’s really like, the high point, use your business to help other people and better their lives,” he said. Credit: Hannah Alani/ Block Club Chicago Atomix Coffee Shop, 1957 W.
Atomic coffee then at mb johnson park. free#
One of Murphy’s favorite memories of owning the coffee shop was the free community events he organized with staff and neighbors, like a free yoga night run by a barista/yogi. And businesses that existed years ago, would not be able to thrive today.” “Businesses that are thriving would not have been able to exist years ago. He also knew many of the writers, artists and students who once comprised the bulk of his customer base could no longer afford to live in neighborhood. In 2017, Murphy began to notice a stark decline in revenue. But in the end, that is not necessarily the most sound financial decision.” “I’ve enjoyed being a little bit the antithesis of the modern coffee shop. “We resisted all those things, for forever,” Murphy said. All-day wifi was scaled back to kick customers off after an hour or two. Several new coffee shops and cafes opened, and trends within the coffee industry changed.Īt most places, large booths for writers and students who needed to camp out for several hours were replaced by tightly-packed communal tables. The following decade saw lots of change in the neighborhood, Murphy said.
In 2010, Murphy began managing the coffee shop. A great many people were able to grow and feel safe there, and expand their lives.”Ītomix opened in 2001 with a space theme, which included a massive blue-and-white mural of Yuri Gagarin, the world’s first astronaut. “I don’t think I necessarily understood or comprehended how special it was to other people.
“I know that it was a special place for me,” Murphy said. Revenue began to decline in 2017, he said. “After 19 years, it is time to to say good bye- to Yuri and your favorite baristas.”ĭan Murphy, the owner of Atomix since 2011, said financial pressures were a major factor in the decision. “It is with a heavy heart, that we must announce that ATOMIX will close at the end of this month,” the Facebook post read. Chicago Ave., Atomix was one of the only independent coffee shops in the area that withstood the changing retail and housing landscape on the border of West Town and the Ukrainian Village over the past two decades. WEST TOWN - Atomix Coffee Shop, a staple in the neighborhood since 2001, announced in a Tuesday Facebook post it would close by the end of the month.
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