by Nicole Sankowski | Sep 30, 2021 | Blog
By Kelly Pollock, feature writer for The Buzz Cafe
As a child growing up in Indiana, Ron Aleman loved watching his mother and grandmothers in their own kitchens. After college at Purdue University, Ron worked in sales. But he had always really enjoyed cooking and was considering culinary school. It was the events of September 11, however, that gave him the push he needed. “Life is too short,”Ron told himself, eventually graduating from Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago. Now twenty years later, Ron is the owner of his own restaurant, Taco Mucho, at 220 Harrison Street in the Oak Park Arts District.
Taco Mucho’s first incarnation was at Fulton Galley in Chicago in 2019. “I had heard about a food hall that was accepting applications for restaurant pop-ups and I submitted my idea to them. They received over 100 applications and ultimately chose five vendors,” said Ron. Unfortunately, the food hall closed after only five months, but, “It was a very positive experience and I got a chance to test my recipes and flavors.”
After the success of the pop-up, Ron felt ready to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant. He lives in Oak Park with his family and wanted something close to home, so after looking at surrounding cities, he landed on the former District Kitchen & Tap space on Harrison. Ron felt fortunate that the space needed a minimal build-out. Most of the work was cosmetic and included a redesigned flow and updated bathrooms.
One major addition is a custom mural created by Chicago artist Alecks Cruz who already has several mini-murals in Oak Park along the retaining wall that runs between North and South Boulevards. “Alecks was referred to me by a friend. We met and discussed Taco Mucho—the food, the culture, and the family vibe that I wanted. He took our conversation and combined it with his incredible talent to create the mural,” said Ron.
Currently, the restaurant is operating with counter service, but Ron plans to offer full service soon. “We want to be a casual, neighborhood taqueria—a place parents can bring their kids and a casual date-night spot with great food and cocktails. We see Taco Mucho as an extension of our home and want you to feel like a guest when you come in to eat.”
All the food is freshly-made and locally-sourced when possible. The current menu is focused on tacos and the most popular item is the carne asada. “I wanted to give our customers a steak taco like they’ve never had. I bring in whole ribeye roasts and break them down before marinating and tenderizing the meat. I sear the meat on the grill before serving and I serve it fresh on handmade corn tortillas with a simple onion and cilantro garnish.” Other menu items include chips and guacamole, churros with a dark chocolate dipping sauce, and margaritas.
The biggest obstacle facing the restaurant right now is the staffing shortage affecting the entire industry. “I’m staying positive about the whole situation and running a limited menu and hours until we are fully staffed. We plan to open for brunch soon and delivery service will be starting up shortly,” said Ron.
The return of a Mexican restaurant to the Arts District has garnered an enthusiastic response from the community. “Our grand opening was on August 21 and I was completely overcome with emotion that day. It was basically an hours-long party that included a mariachi band, food and beverage tastings, and live mural painting. We sold over a thousand tacos and were out of everything by 7pm.”
For Ron, the best part of the new venture is being able to work with his wife Zintia and sons Aidan and Eddie. “My wife is a frontline hero working as a full-time nurse. Most days after her shift, she heads to Taco Mucho to help out along with my sons. We’ve also been blessed to receive so much support from our extended families.”
“The Arts District is such a warm, welcoming community,” said Ron, “And I’m just excited to bring the great flavors of Mexican street food to Oak Park.”
Visit Taco Mucho at 220 Harrison Street or online at www.tacomucho.net. Current hours are Tuesday-Thursday from 5pm-9pm, Friday from 4pm-9pm, and Saturday from 12pm-9pm. They are closed Sunday and Monday.
by Nicole Sankowski | Sep 1, 2021 | Blog
By Kelly Pollock, feature writer for The Buzz Cafe
On Saturday, September 11, from 12pm-5pm, the 17th annual BarrieFest will take place in Barrie Park at 1011 S. Lombard Avenue, just across the Eisenhower Bridge from the Oak Parks Arts District.
First celebrated in 2005 when Barrie Park reopened after being closed for several years for environmental remediation, BarrieFest is sponsored by the South East Oak Park Community Organization (SEOPCO), a group that was founded to give neighbors a voice and make sure they were being treated fairly during the remediation. Today the event has two purposes: to provide a family-focused festival for the residents of southeast Oak Park and to offer all Oak Parkers a chance to experience the unique neighborhood.
Some of this year’s free activities include a climbing wall and inflatable obstacle course, information booths from local businesses and organizations, and bicycle repair from Wheel & Sprocket. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of September 11, the Fire Department plans a flag raising at 12:30.
In 2020, COVID-19 forced organizers to get creative. “We partnered with Fitzgerald’s last year to sponsor their Community Truck that brought live performances to seventeen different locations in our neighborhood (masked and socially distanced). It was very different from what we usually do,” said Jim Peterson, SEOPCO treasurer. Although it was different, the truck was a success, and Fitzgerald’s will be back this year providing live music in the neighborhood from 11:00-12:30 and in the park from 12:30-2:00.
New to BarrieFest is a partnership with Takeout 25, an initiative launched in November by Oak Parker Ravi Parakkat. Ravi wanted to support local restaurants during the pandemic and envisioned 10,000 Oak Park residents each spending $25 per week on takeout equating to $1 million in monthly revenue. Divided by the 100 restaurants in Oak Park, the “Carry Out to Carry On” pledge aimed to provide $10,000 in monthly revenue to help each restaurant survive. To date, almost 9,000 people have joined the Takeout 25 Facebook group and not a single restaurant in Oak Park permanently closed due to the pandemic.
BarrieFest will mark the launch of Takeout 25 as an official non-profit. “Takeout 25 saved local businesses and jobs. These results prompted me to talk to local business owners about the future of Takeout 25 and the consensus was an expanded mission that included addressing food insecurity and sustainability of food systems while strengthening the local economy and community. We quickly determined that the best way to achieve the optimal impact was to organize as a non-profit,” said Ravi.
Nine local restaurants will participate in the event including Oak Park Arts District favorites Mora Oak Park and The Happy Apple Pie Shop. Ticket booklets cost $25 and include three $8 food tickets with the additional dollar donated to Beyond Hunger in support of Hunger Action Month. All food options will be priced at $8 and tickets can be used at any participating vendor. Tickets can be purchased on the day of the event but advance sales are encouraged to facilitate planning. To pre-purchase tickets, visit Takeout 25’s new website at www.takeout25.org.
BarrieFest organizers are excited to be back in Barrie Park with most of the traditional elements of the event returning. Said SEOPCO co-chair Stuart Barnes Jamieson, “It is time for this close-knit community to come back together to celebrate our identity as one of Oak Park’s most diverse neighborhoods. With the new partnership with Takeout 25 for food, and the second year of our partnership with Fitzgerald’s for entertainment, we expect this year’s BarrieFest to be better than ever.”
For more information about BarrieFest, visit www.facebook.com/seopco.
by Nicole Sankowski | Jun 7, 2021 | Blog
By Kelly Pollock, feature writer for The Buzz Cafe
When Diane VanDerhei founded INTUIT Dance! in 2004, her goal was to develop lifelong lovers of dance and to involve her students in the full creative process. She never imagined a global pandemic and the adaptations that it would require, but in March 2020, when COVID-19 shut down Oak Park and the rest of Illinois, the teachers and students at INTUIT did what they always do: got creative and made the best of the situation. “We had to turn on a dime and not miss a beat during the pandemic. I stress problem-solving in choreography class so I had to live up to my philosophy and figure it out instead of freaking out. The kids started using FaceTime during classes and that led me to videotaping classes and then Zooming,” said Diane.
Having taught at INTUIT for several years and having choreographed the Oak Park and River Forest High School musicals since 2017, Connor Cornelius, like the dancers at INTUIT, is used to creative solutions. “Our students are always adapting and learning about dance in different ways beyond traditional technique classes. They are used to being open-minded so transitioning to films and other new solutions in the classroom was smooth.”
For teacher Sage Miller, the pandemic offered a unique opportunity to reconnect with INTUIT. “I had taught at INTUIT before, but last summer when I was living in New York, I got in touch with Diane and and started teaching again via Zoom.” She has since relocated to the Oak Park area and spent the spring teaching in the studio. “Teaching online and hybrid teaching were challenging, but it also inspired me. It involved lots of patience from both us, the teachers, and from our students. I was amazed by their commitment and creativity.”
After more than a year of Zoom and hybrid classes including two virtual performances, INTUIT students from preschool to high school were finally able to dance in front of a live audience on May 22 on the campus of Dominican University in River Forest. “Spring Carousel of Dance” was in four parts including the classical ballet “Les Sylphides” by Chopin, contemporary dances set to music by King Sunny Ade, and the number “It’s Time to Dance” from Broadway musical “The Prom.”
To comply with public health guidelines, the performances were outdoors and the audience was limited. “I loved that the outdoor recital built a sense of community. There was no fourth wall, no separation between the dancers and the audience. Dancers could see the audience react to their dancing in the moment and audience members could rejoice together. We could feel the energy and positivity which was something we all needed,” said Connor. Added Diane, “I loved the outdoor setting. It was something I had been thinking about even before the pandemic. The setting, the costumes, and the choreography were a lovely combination. The audience was so ready for a live performance and that contributed to the success of the event.”
The day also marked an opportunity to celebrate graduating seniors Mira Mundt and Julia Patston. “Mira has been an important part of our musical theater program the last few years and Julia has been dancing with us since she was in preschool,” said Diane. “They will both be missed.”
Throughout the pandemic, Diane was careful to comply with all public health guidelines. But by keeping classes small, and ensuring that dancers were masked and socially distanced, in-person classes were a possibility at different times in the last year. For Julia, her time at the studio was one of her only in-person connections. “School was fully remote until February so dancing at INTUIT was just about the only way we had to spend time with friends for much of the pandemic. We felt safe there with temperatures being taken, masks being worn, and hand sanitizer being used. I am so thankful we had the chance to dance together.”
INTUIT Dance! is located at 237 Harrison Street in the Oak Park Arts District. The four-week summer session begins June 5 and one-week workshops are offered in July and August. For more information, visit www.intuitdance.org.
by Nicole Sankowski | May 24, 2021 | Blog
By Kelly Pollock, feature writer for The Buzz Cafe
Dye Hard Yarns launches its very first B.I.P.O.C. Box!
B.I.P.O.C. : The acronym stands for Black, Indigenous & People of color.
This box is a labor of love from Chastity Dunlap, owner of the fiber studio, to you.
It’s a gathering of Artists from diverse cultures and backgrounds. It’s a way to uplift and feature the beautiful Diversity that exists within the fiber world.
Each bi-monthly box has been curated around a particular theme, and it’s individual pieces create a harmonious experience for you to fall in love with.
Read the full story of the BIPOC fiber box’s creation and find purchase details here: https://dyehardyarns.com/products/b-i-p-o-c-box-may
Dye Hard Yarns is located at 210A Harrison Street.
by Nicole Sankowski | Apr 30, 2021 | Blog
by Kelly Pollock, feature writer for the Buzz Cafe
One of the first things that Mark Doebler, Lead Pastor of Village Church of Oak Park, tells you after meeting him is that he is a rabid South Carolina Gamecock who abhors the color orange since he associates it with his archenemies, the Clemson Tigers. “It just galls me,” he says. So removing the orange-tinted windows at his congregation’s new church is one of his top priorities. Village Church recently acquired the building at 911 S. Taylor Avenue (the former Harrison Street Bible Church) in the Oak Park Arts District.
Village Church of Oak Park was “planted” about 10 years ago as a member of the Evangelical Free Church of America when a small group of people came together believing that Oak Park needed a fresh voice in an evangelical church. Since its inception, Village Church had been worshiping at The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association until the COVID-19 pandemic forced them online last spring. The acquisition of the new building finally gives them a physical home.
“The long-term goal of almost any church is a place to call home, but property in Oak Park is crazy expensive. We were exploring a few possibilities of churches that were available and this one felt like the best fit and the best opportunity,” says Mark. Village Church was able to take possession at the end of March. They have jumped right into renovations including a new roof and a new HVAC system as well as some interior remodeling. “We technically could have walked in and started using the building, but we didn’t want to do that. We need to make it ours, freshen it up, and make it as welcoming as we can.”
While he is focused on settling his congregation into their new home, Mark is simultaneously settling into his relatively new role as Lead Pastor. He and his wife Lesley just arrived here in August after he was called by the church. “Making a move in the middle of a pandemic to a church that was only meeting online was bizarre. In Hebrews, faith is described as ‘the substance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.’ We were all trusting God that this was the right fit.”
Faced with at least a few months of construction, Village Church is currently worshiping outside in their new parking lot. “On Easter, we had over 100 people all socially-distanced,” says Mark. And while their Village Kids children’s ministry program is on hold, their Village Youth youth group for middle and high school students has been making use of the parking lot as well. “They love it. They’ve never had their own space before.”
Mark is excited about the possibilities that the new building offers. “Jesus said that nobody lights a candle and then hides it. While there’s nothing wrong with renting worship space, it’s kind of like turning the light on and then turning it off. You’re there for a very short period of time and then you disperse because you have no choice. It’s hard to really become a presence, a shining light, when the time that you’re on is so brief. This building gives us a chance to be a light full-time.”
And for Village Church, being a light also means being a good neighbor. “Jesus was once asked, ‘What is the greatest commandment?’ and he said, ‘The greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Who is my neighbor? My neighbor is my neighbor. We don’t always agree about everything, but we love them because God loves them.”
Mark is especially eager to see what the fellowship hall might mean for the community. “It’s great multi-purpose space. We’ve got a lot of flexibility with what to do with it. We want to be full participants in making this neighborhood a wonderful place to live and to do business and to experience life.” And whatever that means for Village Church, Mark is sure of one thing: that the coffee will be flowing. “I always say that coffee is proof that God loves us,” he says with a smile.
Village Church of Oak Park worships in-person on Sundays at 10:30 am in the parking lot at 911 S. Taylor Avenue. Services can also be streamed on Facebook Live. To learn more, visit their website at www.villagechurchoakpark.com
by Nicole Sankowski | Apr 5, 2021 | Blog
by Kelly Pollock, feature writer for the Buzz Cafe
This month, The Buzz is turning the spotlight on ourselves to highlight the fabulous managers of Buzz Café. Read on to find out what their favorite menu items are, where they shop in the Arts District, and what they do when they’re not working. (And they seriously work a lot!)
Name: Alana LeBeau
Job Title: General Manager
How long have you worked at Buzz Café? 19 years
What is your favorite Buzz Café menu item? Straight from the menu, it’s bacon and pancakes. But, I don’t eat anything exactly how it comes on the menu anymore. I make up my own creations now!
What is your favorite Oak Park Arts District business? Unfortunately, I don’t get to enjoy the shops along Harrison anymore since I always have to drive straight home because of my kids. In my earlier life, though, I used to make jewelry as a hobby, so I’d say Bead in Hand.
What did you do to keep busy during lockdown? WORK. I’ve been working full-time outside the home since last March and would actually LOVE a break. It’s been quite stressful.
What’s one thing that people would be surprised to learn about you? I still play the “original” Civilization game on a PC.
Recommend a book you’ve recently read, a movie you’ve recently watched, or a show you’ve recently binged.
I don’t have much free time and don’t read or watch anything. Seriously. I play video games to wind down (Mario Party 6 in da house!). The last movie I saw was “The Christmas Chronicles 2” on TV with my boys.
Would You Rather?
Have a cat or a dog? CAT!!!
Take a beach vacation or a mountain vacation? Beach vacation
Cook or clean? NEITHER
Write in a journal or talk with a friend? Talk with a friend OF COURSE!
Play an instrument or speak another language? Can’t do either, but would love to do both!
Draw a picture or ride a bike? Draw a picture
Name: Brian Thompson
Job Title: Kitchen Manager
How long have you worked at Buzz Café? 8 years
What is your favorite Buzz Café menu item? Apple Pie with Oat Crumb Top
What is your favorite Oak Park Arts District business? The Brown Elephant
What did you do to keep busy during lockdown? I worked.
What’s one thing that people would be surprised to learn about you? My diverse musical background.
Recommend a book you’ve recently read, a movie you’ve recently watched, or a show you’ve recently binged.
Book: Lion Heart by Elizabeth LaShaun, Movie: Tom & Jerry, Show: The Resident
Would You Rather?
Have a cat or a dog? DOG
Take a beach vacation or a mountain vacation? Beach vacation
Cook or clean? Both
Write in a journal or talk with a friend? Write in a journal
Play an instrument or speak another language? Both
Draw a picture or ride a bike? Both
Name: Cathy Koritz
Job Title: Bakery Manager
How long have you worked at Buzz Café? Almost 12 years
What is your favorite Buzz Café menu item? Southwestern Breakfast Wrap
What is your favorite Oak Park Arts District business? Bead in Hand
What did you do to keep busy during lockdown? Watched TV, crafted with my granddaughter, and did LOTS of cooking.
What’s one thing that people would be surprised to learn about you? I have a lot of experience in the medical field.
Recommend a book you’ve recently read, a movie you’ve recently watched, or a show you’ve recently binged.
I just re-watched Game of Thrones in its entirety. It’s my FAV!
Would You Rather?
Have a cat or a dog? Cat!
Take a beach vacation or a mountain vacation? Beach vacation!
Cook or clean? Definitely cook
Write in a journal or talk with a friend? Talk with a friend
Play an instrument or speak another language? Speak another language
Draw a picture or ride a bike? Ride a bike
Name: Tierra Dorsey
Job Title: Morning Manager
How long have you worked at Buzz Café? 12 years
What is your favorite Buzz Café menu item? Italian Grilled Cheese
What is your favorite Oak Park Arts District business? The Brown Elephant
What did you do to keep busy during lockdown? I worked.
What’s one thing that people would be surprised to learn about you? I love playing The Sims.
Recommend a book you’ve recently read, a movie you’ve recently watched, or a show you’ve recently binged.
I love the “A Twisted Tale” Disney books.
Would You Rather?
Have a cat or a dog? Dog
Take a beach vacation or a mountain vacation? Mountain vacation
Cook or clean? Cook
Write in a journal or talk with a friend? Talk with a friend
Play an instrument or speak another language? Both
Draw a picture or ride a bike? Ride a bike
Name: Julie Beland
Job Title: Night Manager/Music Manager
How long have you worked at Buzz Café? Since 2016. I started as an intern from Chicago’s Community Kitchen and was later hired.
What is your favorite Buzz Café menu item? BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza with Chips
What is your favorite Oak Park Arts District business? Chad Keast Hair
What did you do to keep busy during lockdown? I worked.
What’s one thing that people would be surprised to learn about you? I am an ex-felon. Buzz Café gave me a second chance in life.
Recommend a book you’ve recently read, a movie you’ve recently watched, or a show you’ve recently binged.
Show: Criminal Minds
Would You Rather?
Have a cat or a dog? Dog
Take a beach vacation or a mountain vacation? Mountain vacation
Cook or clean? Cook
Write in a journal or talk with a friend? Talk with a friend
Play an instrument or speak another language? Speak another language
Draw a picture or ride a bike? Ride a bike
