Today we’d like to introduce you to John Kim.
John, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I came to the coffee business via a circuitous path through finance and theology. I moved to Evanston from Ohio in 1996 following graduation from college and began working in finance for Baxter Healthcare. Three years later, I entered divinity school. But after serving a short time as a pastor, I still sought the right fit. In 2005, after a friend suggested I explore the coffee business, my brother, Brian Kim, and I opened The Brothers K on Main Street in downtown Evanston. Twelve years later, Brothers K continues to serve as a beloved gathering place for Evanstonians and Northwestern students alike.
My brother and I had no idea what we were in for when we opened. Metropolis Coffee served as an incredible mentor, teaching us so much about coffee. And then we began to meet everyone in the neighborhood and slowly but surely built a coffee community. Over the years, the neighborhood has embraced The Brothers K as ‘their’ coffee shop. It’s rewarding to build a business that is embraced by the neighborhood and claimed as its own.
In 2009, I opened The Other Brother Coffeehouse, a mile north of The Brothers K. A vibrant, urban coffee house with an espresso bar atmosphere, The Other Brother was equally embraced by the community and quickly established a loyal following. Five years later, I sold the shop to my manager and friends, Tim and Courtney Tanner, and set my sights on establishing another hospitality destination in Evanston: co-founding Boltwood, an upscale, farm-to-table restaurant with acclaimed chef Brian Huston. A year later, having helped make Boltwood one of Evanston’s most highly regarded restaurants, I felt the call to return to my first love, the coffee shop.
In 2016, Backlot Coffee opened its doors in Evanston, and thirteen months later, moved two doors down to a larger space at 2006 Central Street. And in August 2017, we opened our second shop in Old Irving Park.
Has it been a smooth road?
Running and managing a coffeehouse (let alone three) has its challenges, but what has been great is learning to build a team and let the team express the values of the business. It is so rewarding to get a team that takes ownership of the space and embrace the community. We like to hire individuals that live in the neighborhood or have a connection to the neighborhood; this has translated into keeping great staff and really building a community around coffee.
So, let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Backlot Coffee story. Tell us more about the business.
Backlot Coffee is a welcoming, communal coffee house; we aim to foster and enrich community. Our two shops offer Stumptown Coffee and an array of baked goods and savory bites, all from local purveyors. Backlot’s name was inspired after another community: a park surrounded by a group of homes in Evanston whose backyards create “The Backlot.”
My wife and I were looking for a new home in Evanston (we’ve lived in Evanston since 1996) shortly before the shop opened. When I toured a home in the ‘Backlot community’ and heard about the ice hockey games in the winters and soccer and barbecues in the summers, celebrating community in the truest sense, I knew it had to be the name of our coffee house.
Backlot is the only coffee house in the Chicago area exclusively serving Stumptown Coffee, a widely respected, premium U.S. coffee brand. We pride ourselves on speedy service and fair prices. Our fellow local food partners include donuts from Do-Rite Donuts & Coffee; cookies from pHlour Bakery & Cafe; cookies and sweet breads from Sugar & Spice; muffins from Prairie Grass Cafe; and a variety of spices are used in the drinks from The Spice House. Additionally, in Evanston, croissants from Hewn; tacos from Amanecer Taco Shop; burritos from Blind Faith Cafe; and Frio Gelato (available in the spring and summer) are available.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
We hope that 2018 will be a big year for us. We would like to open two more shops in Chicago and Evanston. We love what we do and want to bring our coffeehouse to communities that are looking for a place to rest and enjoy one another. We hope to soon roast and source our own coffee. 2018 will be a year of expansion and exploration!
Contact Info:
- Address: 3982 N. Avondale Avenue, Chicago
2006 Central Street, Evanston - Website: www.backlotcoffee.com
- Phone: (773) 657-3797 and (847) 475-1381
- Email: backlotcoffee@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/backlotcoffee
- Facebook: facebook.com/backlotcoffee
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