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Kickstand Espresso Bar
As a sister coffeeshop to Dollop and Noble Tree, Kickstand Espresso Bar serves the second most traversed train station in Chicago. We take pride in this community cafe’s staff of expert baristas and reclaimed wood furnishings.
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Mastering the art of the indie coffeehouse
Kickstand Espresso Bar found a home in the punk-rock corridor of Lakeview―near subculture purveyors The Alley and Ragstock―in July 2010. As the little sister to cafes Dollop and Noble Tree, Kickstand fulfills a need for serious coffee at the second most traveled train stop in Chicago and has been described as a community space for artists and cappuccino connoisseurs alike.
The Belmont Red Line-adjacent coffeehouse is filled with hipster charm and artisan nuances: reclaimed wood counter tops, an espresso bar built out of old soda crates, a study table made from a repurposed bowling lane and vintage bikes hanging on the walls (to compliment the cycling culture aesthetic). The walls feature a rotation of local artists such as Homeless Cop, a large chalkboard filled with random sketches and an array of clocks, for example, set to different times.
Behind the counter visitors can order coffee from Chicago-based Metropolis Coffee, or fuel up on treats from Southport Grocery and Cafe, and Hoosier Mama Pie Co. And, as with all of Doejo co-founder Phil Tadros’ coffeeshops, Kickstand is stocked only by local vendors and bakeries. Free WEBbeams WiFi is also piped in for those chained to their laptops.
Signage and illustrations for Kickstand Espresso Bar was commissioned from Chicago designer and illustrator Angel D’Amico. Her designs also represent Dollop and Noble Tree.
The Chicago Tribune’s MetroMix reviewed Kickstand saying, “If you’re the sort to geek out over intricate latte art―think swirls, hearts, rosettes and even facial profiles—this Metropolis-brewing Lakeview coffeehouse is for you.”Meanwhile Chicagoist said, “The new kid on the block, Kickstand Espresso Bar is a welcome entry to the Lakeview business scene and the city's coffee culture.”
The Chicago Tribune’s RedEye featured the cafe on the cover of their weekend edition on Oct. 2, 2010, saying Kickstand was a “coffee shop-slash-informal gallery space that’s on the front lines of Chicago’s established-yet-growing shop gallery scene.”
Most recently however, Columbia College's Echo Magazine profiled Kickstand saying, "Lattes aren’t just covered with a plastic lid and handed across a counter to you here. Rather, Kickstand baristas labor over each drink and present it with a work of foam art in the crema of the espresso. ... Go here after dinner, before a movie, or on a cold cloudy day to warm up a bit."
