Evanston could never have too many coffee shops. Each shop has an offering that the others can’t really match. With Kafein, it’s the pie. For Argo Tea, it’s serving up legitimate tea. And of course, Starbucks produces the familiar beverage that you’ve been drinking since 14-year-old you discovered coffee. Caramel Macchiato, anyone?
A new coffee shop called J.J Java has been added into the mix. Though it doesn’t have a reputation as established as other shops in the area, J.J. Java has a few intriguing characteristics that could easily become that special thing that sets it apart from the rest.
A splash of diversity:
Chinelo Oparaeche, a newcomer to the neighborhood, is the owner of J.J Java. Oparaeche is Nigerian-born and will definitely bring an ethnic flair to her shop that other coffee places in Evanston don’t have. She plans to sell gifts from her homeland in the store and serve international coffees, from countries such as Guatemala, Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda.
To add to a menu that will comprise of common café items such as paninis, pizzas and salads, Oparaeche plans to sell a traditional African dish once a week, like plantains with coconut rice.
An uncharted location:
Oparaeche comes from a town further north of Evanston in Winthrop Harbor, IL where she previously owned a similar business. She had to close up shop for good after spending four years there, because she felt she had never quite belonged in that community, which she said is rumored to be a Ku Klux Klan town.
“It wasn’t possible for me to remain there because I wasn’t able to integrate the people of the town," Oparaeche says.
A move to a town closer to the Windy City was in order for Oparaeche, who was looking for an open-minded community. As a college town with a diverse population, Evanston seemed to be the perfect place to open up a coffee shop with a bit of ethnic flair and a positive atmosphere. Oparaeche chose a storefront with virtually no other coffee shops in the immediate area—on Foster near the El stop.
Not only will this new location benefit Oparaeche, but it’ll also be an advantage for students living in that area who don’t necessarily want to go downtown or on campus for their coffee.
Welcoming Wildcats:
Oparaeche wants to go beyond selling coffee to strangers. She hopes that working with Northwestern students becomes a major part of her business, and is planning on hiring students to work as baristas and hosting student group events. Though her shop is off campus and will not be associated with the university, Oparaeche feels like Northwestern students will appreciate the atmosphere more than any other local group.
“I want to be able to the Northwestern students to show off their talents, so they can play live music, show movie screenings, do poetry and have other kinds of entertainment,” Oparaeche says.
Caffeine Chemistry:
In order to compete with the many coffee shops in town, Oparaeche plans to put her chemistry degree from Carthage College to use. Unlike many coffee shops, she roasts coffee in house, using international fair trade coffees. She boasts that her process keeps the coffee from turning out too acidic.
“Coffee usually has a very strong taste because they over-roast it,” Oparaeche says. “You aren’t really getting any nutritional value that way. The antioxidants in coffee are very good for you if it’s brewed and roasted right.”