Pedestrian Coffee, a Chicago-based coffee roaster, is opening a new coffee shop soon in the heart of the multicultural neighborhood of Logan Square.
Owner Tim Taylor doesn’t have a final opening date set yet, but he said that the grand opening will be scheduled after the coffee shop’s soft opening which will take place in around two weeks. The new coffee shop, opening at 2642 N. Milwaukee Ave., will be Pedestrian’s third location, with one spot in Lake View and another in Lake Forest.
Bringing in a new experience for coffee lovers that haven’t been introduced in the other locations, Pedestrian Coffee will be making ice cream from scratch, according to Taylor. The coffee shop will also have a corner where customers can make their own espresso shots and steam their own milk with the guidance of a specialized barista.
“One of our baristas who teaches barista skills will help people get a guided mini class basically, so people can learn how to make their own espresso, latte, and cappuccino,” said Taylor.
Pedestrian coffee shops sell different types of coffee made mostly of organic ingredients. Coffee is a cross-cultural collaboration for Taylor, who has long been passionate about ethical sourcing. His coffee ambitions date back to when he was the owner and CEO of Ipsento Coffee, a farm-to-table roastery and retailer established in 2008. Ipsento was sold in 2018, the same year Taylor started his journey with Pedestrian Coffee, hoping to deliver an exceptional experience to people in cafés and homes.
“We started Pedestrian mainly to keep coffee simple and approachable, but still high quality. And so I go to farms around the world, buying coffee from coffee growers directly. There’s always been an emphasis on the direct trade approach and paying cane growers well, but also, our emphasis is largely on good ingredients and a brand that people can trust,” he said.
What sets Pedestrian Coffee apart from others, according to Taylor, is how the team is focused on using ingredients that adhere to certain standards, such as working with ingredients that have no GMO and making almost all products in-house.
