Seems Milwaukee coffee is swiftly infiltrating the Chicago market. Last summer, Colectivo announced it was breaking ground on its first Chicago cafe. And this week, Stone Creek Coffee announced that it, too, will open a new cafe in Chicagoland.
Stone Creek co-owner Melissa Perez notes that the Chicago cafe, which is one of three to four additional cafes Stone Creek expects to open by 2020, is a next step in the mission to build the company sustainably and responsibly, both in the Milwaukee market and throughout the Midwest.
The 2,000-square-foot cafe, which is expected to open in spring of 2018, will be part of a new development at 945 W. Belmont Ave. in Lakeview, next to the Belmont "L" stop. It will house a learning lab, which will enable Stone Creek to host training for both baristas and wholesale partners, as well as public classes.
Founder and co-owner Eric Resch, who began his coffee career with Starbucks in Chicago in the early 1990s, says that Stone Creek is pushing against the stereotype of pretentious specialty coffee by welcoming everyone to Stone Creek cafes, from coffee rookies to connoisseurs.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
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