North Lawndale residents, community leaders and elected officials came together on Friday to stand behind Monday Coffee, a neighborhood café that was vandalized in a late‑night break‑in. The incident, which occurred at 2 a.m. Thursday at the Starling community center on 3243 W. 16th St., shattered a window, damaged doors and destroyed equipment, resulting in estimated losses of several thousand dollars.
Community response and fundraising effort
Within hours of the crime, the owners launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover repair costs, replace lost income and fund emergency security upgrades. By Friday afternoon the fundraiser had collected more than $9,000 toward a $12,000 goal, reflecting an outpouring of support from locals who value the café as a gathering place.
Local leaders join the effort
Alderman Monique Scott (24th Ward) and James Brooks, CEO of the nearby Lawndale Christian Health Center, hosted a “coffee and chat” event on Friday, providing free coffee to neighbors and highlighting the importance of keeping small businesses thriving. The event drew roughly 50 community members, including nonprofit founder Derek Brown and Cook County Commissioner Michael Scott.
Owners remain optimistic
Co‑founder Amanda Harth told Block Club Chicago that the donations are “a blessing” and emphasized that the café will not slow down. “We’re not stopping or slowing down. This is just a blip in the journey of coffee,” Harth said. The shop plans to resume its regular programming, including a meal giveaway scheduled for Saturday morning.
Neighbors share why the café matters
Long‑time resident Sharon Price, 64, lives a block from the café and expressed frustration at the vandalism, noting that Monday Coffee is the first coffee shop on 16th Street and a vital part of the historically Black‑owned business corridor. “I appreciate the new businesses coming to North Lawndale and how things are changing for the better,” she added.
Another neighbor, Pamela Morehead, who does not drink coffee, recalled recent break‑ins at nearby cars and stressed the need for a family‑oriented, united community. “North Lawndale has always been a good community; it just has a few bad apples creating a bad reputation, but it’s getting better,” she said.
Monday Coffee’s roots and future
Founded in October 2020 by Harth and her longtime friend Felton Kizer, Monday Coffee began as a pop‑up in venues such as Soho House Chicago and the Garfield Park Conservatory before opening its first permanent location inside the Starling community center in November 2024. The Starling center, a project of Duo Development, offers rentable space, a library, a sound studio and a garden, and was created by two immigrants from Mexico seeking to reverse disinvestment in the neighborhood.
With the community’s backing, Monday Coffee aims to continue serving as a place where residents can meet friends, work, discover local art and simply exist without having to go elsewhere. As Alderman Scott put it, “Lawndale is strong. Lawndale is supportive. We won’t let another fail.”
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
