Why We Chose Jefferson Park
One question I’ve been asked as I share about our unique space is “why did you choose the location that you chose for your cafe?” Choosing the location for any business is obviously extremely important. You’ve likely heard the phrase “location, location, location!” When it came to choosing my space I had to be very aware of the characteristics that were and weren’t important to me and my business.
Frankly, the first filter I put on my search was proximity to my home. I didn’t want to fall in love with a location that was even 20 minutes away. I knew the further the distance, the more time I’d spend on the road, and the more quickly I’d grow weary with the time spent away from my family. I know this business is going to put stress on my family and my marriage, so I wanted to make some things as easy as feasibly possible. Our location is less than a 10 minute walk from our home which makes the commute quick and easy for me and my children when they need or want to tag along or when emergencies come up.
Our obvious second and third filters were size and price. We needed an affordable space that was big enough, but not too big. One of the many important things I have learned over the past several months as I have prepared and built Sunny Village Cafe, is that your rental agreement can make or break your business. It is no small matter, so I knew I needed to be very careful and intentional about this decision.
The most exciting aspect of the location we found and ended up leasing is that it has a parking lot! It seems silly getting excited over something so incredibly normal, but in a city it really isn’t that normal. And what’s more, there is a gravel lot across the street that we can use as well just in case more parking is needed. So if that was something you were wondering about, yes–we will have a parking lot. No street parking necessary. We all know how stressful street parking is with children.
As I’ve met and chatted with parents in Jefferson Park and Portage Park, I have felt so validated in choosing the border of Jefferson Park and Portage Park* for our cafe location. There are so many young families in the area that have moved further west as their families have grown and they have sought larger and more affordable housing. When I was dreaming of this space, I was really hoping to focus on our immediate neighborhood. All others are welcome of course, but I just dreamt of how lovely it would be to have an indoor space a walkable distance away from home where you can bring your children. Where you can sit down and drink your coffee before it gets cold.
*Fun fact: I say “the border of Jeff Park and Portage Park” because I think most people would agree that my cafe is located in Jefferson Park, but according to a city map I stumbled across the shops that are on the north side of Lawrence are in Portage Park. Who knows?! I’d love to hear your opinion too. Is it Portage Park or Jefferson Park? Check for yourself here, though I don’t know how official this tool is.
