Wheaton library to discuss renovations, opening of coffee cafe

Wheaton Public Library officials are hoping to open a coffee cafe this spring on the west side of the library.

Library board President Christine Fenne said the board will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, March 9, on the third floor of the library to review a bid from a construction company that could start cafe renovations soon.

Several months ago, Director Betsy Adamowski said the board was considering the cafe for the Parkview Commons space, which has large windows overlooking Adams Park.

“The space was always intended to be a coffee cafe or some type of space like that and so we're very excited to have the opportunity to have that in the library,” Fenne said.

The board will discuss whether to award the bid to Construction Solutions of Illinois for nearly $83,000 to do the renovations, which Fenne said would include the installation of sinks, counters, refrigeration, cabinets and other essentials that a vendor would need to operate a cafe.

“We first want to confirm that with our budget and with the bid that we received, are those two things going to match and go forward? And then, if we are going forward with the build out, then we can talk about who would be fulfilling the vendor capacity,” Fenne said.

“The majority of the board is interested in moving this project forward,” she added. “We just want to be careful and thoughtful about it because we want it to be successful.”

Vendors who have applied to run the cafe will be present at a meeting on March 16, Fenne said.

If the board agrees to move forward with the renovations and selects a vendor in the next month, she is hopeful the cafe might open in the late spring or early summer.

While the cafe or coffee shop would be independently operated, Adamowski said she hopes the operators will share the library's vision by offering music on the outdoor patio or events such as poetry readings.

“We just think the coffee cafe will be a great extension of the library services,” Fenne said, adding that she believes it will be a place for people to “meet and network.”