Overflow Coffee Bar celebrates five years in the South Loop

Five years ago, Brandon and Amanda Neely wanted to start a business where making a profit wasn’t the top priority.

Check out the video below to learn more about Overflow and their unique business model and how that impacts their mission.

Overflow will officially celebrate their anniversary on April 2, 2016. For more information on this event, click here.

The Quiet Workshop at Daystar Center May 30, 2015

When: Tuesday, May 30, 2015 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Daystar Center, 1550 S. State Street

Cost:  The Early Bird rate (by May 16) is $75. Includes all materials, morning pastries, coffee, lunch, and afternoon snack. Childcare available upon request.

Slowing down in order to keep up with our basic needs
Our society is moving at an ever-increasing speed of fast. “If you want to hang on, you better speed up.” is the message of today. And as a result, many in our world find themselves stressed to the max, with calendars filled to the brim. When was the last time, for example, someone told you they were not very busy?

Basic needs never change
It could be useful, however, to remind ourselves that our basic needs never change. The need to be seen and appreciated. The need to belong. The need for nearness and care, and for a little love. This is given only through slowness in human relations. In order to master transformations in our ever-changing world, we have to recover slowness, reflection and togetherness – and thereby find real renewal.

Rediscover centuries-old tools
This is what The Quiet Workshop is all about. We’ll take a relaxed approach to the important topic of soul care, giving you a handful of tools which have been used for centuries in helping busy people step out of the traffic and take time to re-acquaint themselves with their God, their family and neighbors, and most importantly, themselves.

There is more to life than...
All are invited to attend The Quiet Workshop but it’s best suited for those who think to themselves, “There’s gotta be more to life than this…” whatever “this” is. Those in leadership roles at work, in the community, at church, and at home will benefit greatly. The Quiet Workshop also serves as a great introduction to spiritual direction for those interested in being directed or becoming a director.


To register, click here. For additional information, call 312.674.0001.

Local Brew: Spoke & Bird Open for Business

Spoke & Bird at 205 E. 18th St. is now serving breakfast and lunch, featuring coffee from Counter Culture. Check  out the menu below. They are open seven days a week 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. They can be reached by phone at 765.748.6661.

Spoke & Bird is close to opening

Spoke & Bird at 205 E 18th St is almost ready to open. We stopped in on Friday afternoon where barista training was in process. Free cups of coffee, including lattes, cappuccinos and other specialty beverages were served.

Look for a soft opening next weekend, serving coffee and pastries. Spoke & Bird will be featuring coffee products from Counter Culture, located in Chicago. Before long you can expect see a complete brunch menu, when they will also be serving alcoholic beverages.

For more information, please visit their Web site.

Barista training at Spoke & Bird

Overflow Coffee Bar Makes Best Coffee Shops To Work from Home List

Overflow Coffee shop located at 1550 S. State St.

Overflow Coffee Bar, 1550 S. State St., was noted as one of the best independent coffee shops in Chicago to work from home list, published at CBS Chicago. The post noted that “coffee shops are the new home office with just enough caffeine, treats and mellow atmosphere to get your work done…”

Author Jacky Runice mentioned Overflows friendly staff and “nice” prices. Also noted were the abundance of outlets for computers, tablets, and phones. In addition to the great coffee, Overflow contributes part of their profits back into its South Loop neighborhood.

Do you “work from home” at Overflow Coffee Bar? If you do, what makes Overflow such a great place to get your work done?


Overflow’s Mission Statement
Overflow Coffee Bar is more than a typical coffee shop. For starters, we give our profits back into the community for non-profit activities. Next, we have a mission that’s more than just selling coffee. Our mission is to give South Loop residents, students and workers the opportunity to change the world. We accomplish our mission through four priorities.

1. Providing High-Quality Organic and Fair/Direct Trade Products – Our products, from t-shirts to salads to coffee, make a real different in the lives of farmers who grow the raw materials, in the lives of the workers who assemble them and for the environment. Our products are also top of the line in terms of quality. We promote fair-labor and environmentally-friendly practices that benefit the entire world.

2. Building Community – We help neighbors get to know each other. We bring South Loopers of all different backgrounds and life-stages together and empower them to make their community and the world a better place for generations to come.

3. Inspiring Volunteerism – We help South Loopers give back to their community and the world by promoting volunteer activities with non-profits conducting activities locally.

4. Promoting Local Artists – We love showcasing local artists through having visual art on our walls, hosting poetry readings, producing theatrical productions, being a venue for musical performances and having open-mic nights.

Overflow Coffee Bar Celebrates 3 Years in the South Loop

Overflow Coffee Bar, located at 1550 S. State St. in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood, will be
celebrating their third anniversary in business on March 29, 2014. From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., they will be serving free cake (while it lasts), with raffles throughout the day. From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. there will be a special coffee tasting and networking celebration.

Let them eat cake
Overflow Coffee Bar is an independent coffee shop owned by husband and wife team, Amanda and Brandon Neeley. Besides serving up some of best coffee anywhere, the Neeleys also serve soups, sandwiches and sweets. They will be debuting some new food items—including some gluten-free—in the spring and they’re adding outdoor seating that will be pet friendly.

Free cake while it lasts!

Catering services
Besides their in-house food and beverage service, Overflow is available to cater your small or big business meeting or special event. Their catering services also include delivery. For more information call 312.772.235.

Get your fruit and vegetables here
Also starting this spring, Overflow will be participating in the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program featuring fruits and vegetables from Nichols Farm & Orchard in Marengo, IL. You can get more information on the program at Overflow, during normal business hours.

Anniversary Celebration Details
March 29, 2014
8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Free cake (while it lasts) and raffle prizes
7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Coffee Tasting, Speed Networking, and Impact Sharing, featuring Marc J. Lane, adjunct professor of law at Northwestern University School of Law and Tim Taylor, owner of Ipsento, an award-winning roaster and coffee shop in Bucktown (he is Overflow’s roaster). There is a charge for this event. Tickets may be purchased by clicking here.

Join them on social media
You can find Overflow Coffee Bar on Facebook and Twitter. Hashtag for this event is #Overflow3Years.

Overflow Coffee Bar extends Saturday hours

Starting August 24, 2013, Overflow Coffee Bar at 1550 S. State St. will be open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

In a recent e-mail, Overflow said “We’re extending our Saturday evening hours to coincide with awesome events in our building for you to check out. . . You can come in to study, work, socialize, have a coffee date, and for some great events happening in the Auditorium connected to our space.” For information on some of what they have on the schedule, click here.

Currently, Overflow’s Saturday hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Overflow Coffee Bar Celebrates two years in the South Loop

It’s hard to believe that it’s only been two years since Overflow Coffee Bar , 1550 S. State St., opened. They’ve become a neighborhood staple, serving as an ambassador for all things relating to the South Loop. We caught up with husband and wife owners, Brandon and Amanda Neely to get their take on the last two years. Below is our interview.

South Loop Connection: What does it feel like being in business for two years?
Overflow Coffee Bar: Honestly, a mix of good feelings and not-so-good feelings.  In some ways, we feel pride and encouragement.  In other ways, we feel exhausted and discouraged.  Most of the time the good feelings outweigh the not-so-good ones and that keeps us going but we aren’t all rainbows and sunshine either.

Overflow's grand opening ribbon cutting two years ago

SLC: We all know you sell coffee, but are there items on the menu now that weren’t available when you opened two years ago?
OCB: We’ve always sold more than just coffee – sandwiches, pastries, salads, tea, hot cocoa, and the like. We added soups and Naked Juice this winter.  In August of 2012 we also became a fair trade store – selling fair trade products through Ten Thousand Villages.

SLC: What is Overflow’s most popular coffee drink? Food item?
OCB: Our most popular drink is our specialty – the Overflow – a coconut milk hazelnut mocha with the option of adding cayenne pepper.  Food wise it is more of a toss up.  As you might guess, we sell quite a few croissants and bagels.

SLC: What do you enjoy most about being small business owners?
OCB: We really enjoy working together.  Since we got married, we’ve always done small things together, like cooking dinner.  It’s nice to work as a team.  We both bring different expertise to the partnership.  We could never have accomplished what we have without each other’s complimentary attributes.

SLC: Do you have any big or unusual goals as you begin your third year in business?

Amanda and Brandon Neely take a break
from business paperwork

OCB: Malcolm Gladwell posits that it takes 10 years of working really hard at something to become highly successful at it.  We’re not even close to that mark but we continue to work toward sucking less every day.  Besides that, there are always a few “big or unusual” things we’re working on but have no idea when the opportunity to accomplish them will come at hand.


SLC: What are you most proud of at Overflow?
OCB: That we’ve survived.  Seriously, many businesses fail within the first couple years so we’re happy to still be standing.  We’re proud of our loyal customers for supporting the mission to change the world one cup at a time.  We wouldn’t have survived without you!

South Loop Connection has covered the Overflow Coffee Bar before the Neely’s even knew where in the South Loop their store would be located. For a look back on how far they’ve come, click here.

“The Price of Sugar” documentary screened September 27, 2012

Overflow Coffee Bar , 1550 S. State St., will be hosting a screening of the documentary film, The Price of Sugar, September 27, 2012 at 7 p.m. Suggested Donation: $7.

About the Film
In the Dominican Republic, a tropical island-nation, tourists flock to pristine beaches unaware that a few miles away, thousands of dispossessed Haitians have toiled under armed-guard on plantations harvesting sugarcane, much of which ends up in U.S. kitchens. They work grueling hours and frequently lack decent housing, clean water, electricity, education or healthcare. Narrated by Paul Newman, The Price of Sugar follows Father Christopher Hartley, a charismatic Spanish priest, as he organizes some of this hemisphere’s poorest people to fight for their basic human rights. This film raises key questions about where the products we consume originate and at what human cost they are produced.

Discussion Afterward
Representatives from Chicago Fair Trade will lead the discussion after the film.

Schedule
7:00 - Welcome and Introduction
7:10 - Film begins
8:40 - Film concludes. Bathroom and coffee break
8:50 - Discussion facilitated by Chicago Fair Trade

Transit/Parking
While Overflow encourages the use of public transit (Red Line, #29, #62 and other buses are close), limited parking is available in the rear of the building on a first come first served basis. Bring $3 for your spot. No one will be in the lot to take it. You can pay at the ticket check-in table.

What Do You Love Best About Trader Joe’s?

Grand Opening This Friday
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 12 months, you’re probably pretty excited about Trader Joe’s finally opening in the South Loop. For years, rumors were rife about a store opening here. This Friday is the grand opening and we’re wondering what you’re most excited about. Like Oprah, we have our “favorite things” about Trader Joe’s. They are listed below in no particular order.

• Maple syrup—hard to beat the price for pure maple syrup
• Olive oil—again, hard to beat their price on this item, which is often on sale for under $5 a quart!
• Coffee—Joe is a great medium roast, reasonably priced
• Peanut butter—TJ’s creamy salted peanut butter is cheaper than the cheapest store brand from any grocery chain; it’s also the best, in our opinion
• Balsamic vinegar—in the one quart jug is another bargain item that is often on sale and under $4.

Trader Joe’s: our favorite things.

So what are you favorite things about Trader Joe’s?