What’s brewing in Elmhurst? | Brewpoint
Photo courtesy of @BrewpointCoffee on Twitter.
For a remotely small town, Elmhurst has an abundance of coffee shops for students, teachers, and parents alike to sit down and catch up with one another. With all of them providing a space for us to fulfill our Friends fantasies, I took it upon myself to figure out what makes each coffee shop unique.
I decided to start this journey off with my personal favorite, Brewpoint. Located at 124 West Park Avenue, Brewpoint attracts a wide variety of customers, especially those who just got off from the Metra across the street.
Angelo Villanueva and Melissa Villanueva joke around at their family owned coffee shop.
The idea of Brewpoint came about when the owner, Melissa Villanueva, was doing community work in the Philippines. She decided to start the coffee shop along with her husband, Angelo, when they were both unemployed and dreaming big. They turned their dreams into a reality by forming the family run Brewpoint, a business that makes customers feel welcome and like a part of the community.
“The place is very inviting and has a warm, cozy atmosphere,” said a first time customer. “I like that they have a bunch of board games for the customers to use because it just made me think that this is a nice place for people to come and hang out.”
Along with hosting board game nights every Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Melissa and Angelo invited their customers to watch game seven between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians on Nov. 2, while they sipped on Brewpoint’s drinks of the season.
From left to right: Victor Villanueva, Tia Nelis, Susan Villanueva, and Melissa Villanueva cheer on the Cubs during the anticipated game 7.
With winter just around the corner, and fall just about to end, Brewpoint has come out with a couple of drinks inspired by the season to warm you up in these cold days. The “Pumpkin Coconut Latte” is made out of pumpkin spice syrup, coconut, espresso, and milk. The “Cider Bolt” is steamed apple cider, cayenne pepper syrup, caramel spice syrup, and whipped cream with caramel on top. The public’s favorite, the “Lumberjack Latte, has smoked maple syrup, espresso, and milk.
Brewpoint is very conscious of the fact that their customers have many preferences when it comes to ingredients and might have allergies or a certain diet they follow. They offer a variety of different choices for their milk-based beverages: whole, 2%, skim, soy, almond, and coconut milk; with these options customers are able to have their drinks made in a way that is preferable to them.
“I got the Pumpkin Coconut Latte and it was really good and dairy free,” said another first time customer. “Usually I can’t have pumpkin drinks from anywhere because there’s so much in those drinks but Brewpoint was able to tell me what exactly what was in the drink and I was able to pronounce all the ingredients!”
Along with the community feel and allergy conscientious menu options, the first thing that caught my eye when I first walked into Brewpoint was how beautifully adorned it was. From the floor to the ceiling, Brewpoint’s decorations surround a travel theme. Maps, quotes about traveling, and globes decorate the place, giving it a unique look that’ll make you want to go out and explore the world. Since the globe-trotting theme expands to even the drink names, it’s clear to customers that the owners love to travel.
“My daughter has traveled all around the world and she loves it,” said Melissa’s father, Victor Villanueva. “She actually has coasters here in the coffee shop that represent every place she’s gone to.”
Unique and rustic chair that fits Brewpoint’s wanderlust theme.
A map made out of copper that was gifted to Melissa Villanueva.
Melissa Villanueva projected multiple quotes on the wall and painted them to inspire her customers every day.
A globe adorns The Garden Room, a new establishment of the coffee shop.
Another thing that makes Brewpoint so unlike other coffee shops is that you can’t find it anywhere else other than Elmhurst. Starbucks is a very popular and efficient way to get your morning coffee, but they are located everywhere and do not necessarily make a town special. Brewpoint, however, has many different characteristics that make it unique. The care that the owners have put into Brewpoint goes along with the care they’ve poured into the community.
Angelo and Melissa have donated $3,000 from their Brewpoint tips to Syrian refugees who resettled in the Chicagoland area through the Syrian Community Network. Besides donating money, they also promoted the hashtag NotAfraidToLove in order to show their support and open arms for Syrian refugees, their caring spirit drawing customers back to Brewpoint’s doors time and time again.
Melissa Villanueva shows her support with her employees.
“We get many regulars and we love them all,” said Brewpoint employee Madison Grotto. “If I could describe Brewpoint in one word, it would be community.”
Whether you’re a regular or you’ve never visited before, Brewpoint is a great place to sit down for a coffee date or to do your work somewhere quiet and warm. Stop by from 6:00 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Mondays through Fridays, 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Sundays, or visit Brewpoint on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @BrewpointCoffee.
To continue this journey, Melissa Villanueva recommended Pilot Pete’s Coffee & Treats located on 128 West 1st Street which will be my next stop! Stay tuned!
Gabby Palomino is a senior at York, and this is her first year on the York-hi staff. After high school, she aspires to study fashion merchandising and...
