Chicago French Press opened its doors to the public on March 18 with promises to bring a more “flavorful” taste to campus, according to founder Kris Christian. Located at 970 East 58th Street—the same building as the UChicago Bookstore—Chicago French Press replaces a University-operated café serving Starbucks coffee. Christian told the Maroon that her premium, freshly roasted coffee and loose-leaf wellness teas bring a “new taste” to a community known to be among the most caffeinated college campuses in the country.
It was a “match made in heaven,” Christian said. “Our freshly roasted beans would feed the need for students who are… looking for different coffee options that are really unique.”
Christian, a self-proclaimed serial entrepreneur, started her career as an investment banker after graduating from Howard University in 2009. As an avid coffee consumer, she found an opportunity to blend beans with organic ingredients to enrich their flavor.
“I was drinking loads of coffee to stay up, and I wanted something flavorful that wasn’t bitter and stale,” Christian said.
After years of experimentation, Christian founded Chicago French Press in 2017. The business originally started as an online store before expanding into retail in 2020. The Hyde Park store is their third location, with other stores at the Roosevelt Collection in South Loop and on campus at the University of Illinois Chicago.
“We’ve definitely grown fast. We grew [during] the pandemic, and opportunities came based on our growth online,” Christian said.
Through a partnership with UChicago Dining, Chicago French Press first started serving their coffee on campus several years ago through cafés and pop-up events.
“Over the last couple of years, we’ve been able to engage with students to vet our products prior to entering the retail space,” Christian said. “We knew exactly what drinks students like, so when the opportunity arose, [UChicago Dining] was able to operationally support us, and we brought in the great products and staff that we have.”
Harlan Lariviere, a second-year student at the College, said Chicago French Press is a “nice addition” to existing campus cafés.
“It has a better selection of drinks than other cafés,” Lariviere said. “I really like the cold brew and Americano, and I think it’s a slight upgrade from Starbucks.”
Meanwhile, some students have expressed concern about the café’s long wait times.
Jake Wolf, a first-year student at the College, said, “It took them over 15 minutes to prepare my order, and I couldn’t get it before I had to go to class.”
Another first-year student, Arman Azmi, said, “It took me 20 minutes to get my drink—God forbid anyone’s in front of you.”
Chicago French Press aims to uplift marginalized communities on the South Side. The company donates 5 percent of the proceeds from each coffee bag sold to support local nonprofit organizations, such as Chi Gives Back, which focuses on underserved communities in Chicago, and Yo Soy Ella, a women-centered support group that provides services to women of color. As they continue to grow, Christian intends to expand these partnerships to “build our future leaders that exist in vulnerable communities.”
“The purpose of Chicago French Press is that coffee is the conduit to a bigger change I want to see around the support and uplifting of communities of color,” Christian said. “It’s great to be on the South Side and be able to be closer to those communities, to be able to see that change.”
