A long-vacant former Bank of America on Milwaukee Avenue might finally get some life again, with a drive-thru custard shop and cafe called Kind Brew Cafe and Creamery on deck if city regulators give it the green light. The plan would flip the old bank into a morning-through-evening stop for coffee and custard, with a one-way drive-thru, indoor and outdoor seating, and a few extra touches like a mural and upgraded streetscape. The owner told neighbors he is aiming for a January opening.
At a neighborhood meeting, Brandon Grosz, who lives in suburban Niles, walked residents through plans for Kind Brew that include roughly 40 indoor seats, eight outdoor seats, nine parking spaces and a single-lane drive-thru that would exit onto Milwaukee Avenue, as reported by Block Club Chicago. Grosz told attendees he is hoping to bring something “bright and vibrant” to the neighborhood and said he wants to commission a local artist for an exterior mural. Because drive-through facilities are treated as special uses under the city zoning code, the project must win approval from the Board of Zoning Appeals before construction can begin, per the Chicago Municipal Code.
Milwaukee Avenue is adding new spots
The proposal lands on a corridor that has quietly been building some momentum, with new coffee and dessert spots drifting into the Northwest Side. As opened a Gladstone Park location this spring, October Café joined the mix earlier this year, and local reporting has followed plans for an Andy’s Frozen Custard project that drew community discussion this month, according to Nadig Newspapers. Neighbors and business leaders say the cluster of activity is starting to create a small hub along Milwaukee Avenue around Elston and Lawrence.
Next steps and timing
Grosz told neighbors that construction should take about four months once the special-use permit is approved, and he is targeting a January opening, the neighborhood presentation shows and Block Club Chicago reported. The Board of Zoning Appeals will schedule a public hearing as part of its review, giving residents an official chance to weigh in and allowing staff to study traffic and circulation around the site. If the permit is granted, Grosz plans to resurface the lot, renovate the building, add trees and landscaping, and install a bike rack as part of the site work.
Neighbors at the roughly 20-person meeting were largely supportive, though curb access and drive-thru queuing are among the details the zoning board and community say they will be watching closely. If the project wins approvals, it would reactivate a long-vacant storefront on Milwaukee Avenue and add another morning-and-evening option for local families.
