New cafe in Batavia aims to be home for science lovers looking for a good cup of coffee - Chicago Tribune

takanadalagi.blogspot.com

Chicago resident Michael Kandah doesn’t consider himself to be a world-class scientist, but hopes his new coffee venture in Batavia will appeal to curious people of all ages.

Last month, Kandah, 48, opened Smarty Pants Cafe, his first business venture which he hopes will “bring together people who want a neighborhood spot to drop by, listen, talk and participate in group science discussions and events.”

Advertisement

The cafe at 817 N. Randall Road in Batavia was officially welcomed into the city recently with a ribbon-cutting that included Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke and Batavia Chamber President and CEO Margaret Perreault, as well as other business owners, family and friends.

A former electrician who worked for Amtrak, Amazon and various data centers around the country, Kandah acknowledged he is entering a crowded field in the marketplace, given there are so many franchise coffee shops as well as dozens of mom-and-pop cafes that dot the landscape.

Advertisement

“This really is about my side passion of science and learning about the world around us,” Kandah said the day after the ribbon-cutting. “I was looking for a coffee shop or a meeting spot that was science-focused. You would think that these would be around, but it seems like the coffee shops are all similar in nature and I wanted to do a special interest place.”

Kandah believes “there is a niche out there of people who are interested in science and are curious about the world around them” and that “like-minded people will find a home here in our cafe.”

“I wanted something like this. I used to go to science meet-ups in Chicago but they were held in the Adler Planetarium in a cold, dark place – a conference center with the florescent lights and it didn’t feel warm and inviting for people who were just curious,” he said. “I’m not a scientist but I wanted to be around folks where I could ask questions.”

Kandah admits his curiosity has led to his traveling a bit and trying to learn a little of the languages wherever is he going. He also collects mugs from his travels.

Smarty Pants Cafe definitely offers a science vibe as it includes an intimate setting with the science-related programming on TV in the background and a science bookshelf where people can come and check out books.

During the ribbon-cutting, Kandah unveiled a photo from the James Webb Space Telescope’s collection of images which is now part of the cafe’s science-related decor.

Not all the materials are “geeky,” Kandah said, noting that “I’ve had grandmothers bring their granddaughters in and they just loved the pictures and the science books and it kind of gets them started.”

Kandah said his choice of location was also influenced by the internationally-famous Fermilab that is located nearby.

Advertisement

“I thought there would be a more in-house market for scientists themselves to come in and feel comfortable sitting around and explaining things to a layman like myself,” he said. “But it’s not just scientists. I’m running into a lot of people who like the concept – they are into science and see how it has been beaten down the last few years and feel like now maybe there is a home. I’ve tried to make the cafe inviting for laymen like myself.”

The cafe menu includes coffee, espresso, cappuccino, lattes and teas as well as natural food bars Kandah is getting from Silverland Bakery in Forest Park in a variety of flavors.

The coffee preparation and execution are being driven by coffee roaster Cafe Umbria, an Italian company with a roasting facility in Logan Square in Chicago.

“I tried their coffees and I’ve been working closely with them.The account representative comes in here and dials up my espresso machine and brewer and they have all the recipes,” he said. “It’s pretty much about working with them and the recipes and which coffee is best for whatever drink. It’s not me experimenting.”

Perreault spoke about the new business and said that despite the plethora of coffee outlets in the area “Smarty Pants Cafe is definitely going to be a different twist.”

“They are not just an exciting, beautiful, cozy coffee place to hang out, their mission is to bring people together to talk about interesting, intellectual topics, a lot of science topics and presentations that cater to people who like to give a lot more thought to deeper topics,” Perreault said. “It’s a wonderful place with great coffee, but is really so much more. It’s going to be a central hang-out place for people to gather and meet and discuss topics.”

Advertisement

Perreault added the shop would not just be a place for intellectuals but “be engaging for everyone.”

“Everybody should be exposed to this kind of environment – grandmas and grandkids or people just hanging out and having a cup of coffee,” she said. “There are things in there that make you think of bigger things in this world than just yourself.”

David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.

Adblock test (Why?)

"cafe" - Google News
March 15, 2023 at 11:33PM
https://ift.tt/fowztaK

New cafe in Batavia aims to be home for science lovers looking for a good cup of coffee - Chicago Tribune
"cafe" - Google News
https://ift.tt/IdcYwrW
https://ift.tt/W7hHNFi