North Lawndale Rallies Behind Monday Coffee After Break-In: ‘We Won’t Let Another Fail’

NORTH LAWNDALE — Neighbors, community leaders and elected officials gathered Friday to support and celebrate a local cafe a day after a break-in caused thousands of dollars in damages even though burglars left empty-handed.

The Details

Monday Coffee had a window smashed and its shop badly damaged in a burglary at 2 a.m. Thursday morning at its location inside the Starling community center, 3243 W. 16th St. Vandalism to the window, doors and cafe equipment during the break-in caused estimated damages in the thousands of dollars. The shop also had to shutter for a day before reopening Friday.

The break-in is the latest in a series impacting at least 50 businesses across the city in recent months, including on the Northwest and South sides and in neighborhoods including Lincoln Park, Beverly, Bronzeville and Avondale, among others.

But the shop’s owners said they were heartened by an outpouring of support after launching a GoFundMe campaign dedicated to covering repairs and emergency security measures and replacing lost income. The campaign had raised more than $9,000 of a $12,000 goal as of Friday afternoon.

“When we started Monday Coffee, we wanted to create something that felt like it belonged to the people who walked through our doors. A place to meet a friend, make a new one, get some work done, discover an artist, have a conversation, or simply exist without having to be anywhere else,” Monday Coffee and Starling management said in a joint statement.

“… We’re shaken by what happened, but we’ve also been overwhelmed by the love and encouragement we’ve received from our communities. So many of you have reached out, checked on us, and encouraged us to start this fundraiser.”

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What’s more, on Friday, local Ald. Monique Scott (24th) and James Brooks, the CEO of nearby Lawndale Christian Health Center, held a community “coffee and chat” event to support the business as well as provide free coffee to neighbors.

Monday Coffee co-founder Amanda Harth spoke with residents and worked as a barista. She told Block Club that the cafe was determined to move past Thursday’s break-in.

“The donations are a blessing and they help. Nothing’s changing, we’re just moving forward,” Hart said. “We’re not stopping or slowing down. This is just a blip in the journey of coffee.”

Around 50 community members — including regulars and new customers — visited during Friday morning, including Derek Brown, founder of nonprofit Boxing Out Negativity, and Cook County Commissioner Michael Scott.

Sharon Price, 64, lives a block away from the cafe, said her desire to see the neighborhood where she was born and raised revitalized drove her to come support the shop’s recovery.

“Why vandalize one of our core coffee shops?” said Price. “It’s the first coffee shop right here on 16th Street. This used to be a busy street for Black-owned businesses.”

She added: “I appreciate the new businesses coming to North Lawndale and how things are changing in North Lawndale for the better.”

Pamela Morehead doesn’t drink coffee, but the North Lawndale resident had seen break-ins at seven cars near her home nearby at 13th Street and South Avers Avenue in recent weeks and wanted to join in community solidarity.

“I’ve been here for meetings several times and I think we all need to continue to be family oriented, and we all stick together,” Morehead said. “Over the past few years people are coming out, they’re sticking together and doing community cleanups. North Lawndale has always been a good community, it just has a few bad apples creating a bad reputation, but it’s getting better.”

Harth said the cafe is going to resume regular programming and events without pause, including a meal giveaway Saturday morning. Coming off what she described as a “slow summer” for coffee sales, Harth said she hopes the increased support continues.

Community leaders pledged to back Monday Coffee’s continued success.

“Lawndale is strong. Lawndale is supportive,” said Scott. “Lawndale is a community that wraps its arms around one another. We won’t let another fail.”

Harth, a Pullman native and former menswear designer, launched Monday Coffee in October 2020 with her longtime friend, business partner and Hyde Park native Felton Kizer. The name Monday Coffee represents offering customers fuel to get through the week, she said.

The coffee shop was initially a pop-up in places like Soho House Chicago and Garfield Park Conservatory before it opened its first permanent location in November 2024 inside the Starling building.

Starling community center is a project from Duo Development that includes rentable community space plus a library, sound studio and garden. It was created by two immigrants from Mexico who sought to reverse the cycle of disinvestment in North Lawndale.

For more about Monday Coffee and upcoming events, visit the shop’s Instagram page.

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