Nov. 14--Bow Truss Coffee Roasters appears poised to replace the popular Whispers Cafe as the concession operator in the Gold Coast's Mariano Park.
The Chicago Park District board of commissioners is slated to vote on authorizing the concession permit for Bow Truss at a Wednesday meeting.
Bow Truss emerged after many Gold Coast residents banded together this past summer in an effort to keep Whispers Cafe in the park because they felt it essential to preserving the character of the space, a small triangular plaza bordered by State Street, Rush Street and Bellevue Place. Gibsons Restaurant Group, which operates the Gibsons Bar Steakhouse just south of the park, was seen as the highest-profile threat to Whispers Cafe's longtime operation.
Eight concessionaires applied for the permit, according to park board documents. The Park District's Application Review Committee scored Bow Truss' application highest at its Oct. 20 meeting.
The proposed permit for Bow Truss would run for seven years with three one-year extension options, according to park board documents. If approved, Bow Truss will operate out of the existing kiosk and name its operation Cafe Birch, a nod to Birch Burdette Long, the architect who designed the kiosk in 1900 and was a protege of Frank Lloyd Wright.
Bow Truss will not make any major capital improvements to the kiosk, the documents said, but will undertake minor repairs and restoration work. Bow Truss will also be responsible for landscaping and will upgrade patio furniture.
Bow Truss plans to serve its locally roasted coffee, as well as baked goods, sandwiches, salads and gelato, according to documents. The company also plans programming at the plaza, including "sunrise yoga, seasonal market days and pop-ups."
Time will tell if Gold Coast residents embrace Cafe Birch the way many cherished Whispers Cafe, which Nemer "Tiger" Alia and wife Michelle ran for more than 13 years. Neighbors launched an online effort over the summer called "Save Mariano Park" to show support for keeping Whispers Cafe in operation.
Park District officials have said they're trying to increase revenue, with concessions among leading generators of nontax revenue.
Last year, Whispers Cafe generated about $51,000 in revenue, Park District spokeswoman Jessica Maxey-Faulkner said previously. In total, the Park District has 266 permitted concessions, from restaurants to ice cream carts, that yielded a total of about $2.8 million last year. It's not yet clear if Bow Truss' Cafe Birch will bring in more than Whispers Cafe.
Bow Truss has six locations in operation and nine more planned in the coming year including Mariano Park according to Bow Truss co-founder Philip Tadros. Tadros said the company makes more than $3 million annually, mostly through wholesale partnerships.
"Bow Truss is honored and we feel we can really enhance the Mariano Park experience with regards to quality product, customer service and community hub facilitation," Tadros said in an email. "We will do right by the people and the Park District."
gtrotter@tribpub.com
