Tala Coffee Roasters adding cafe, tasting room to Libertyville industrial location
After six years in an out-of-the-way industrial area in Libertyville, Tala Coffee Roasters is expanding its operation next door to include a cafe and tasting room.
A lot has happened since former barista Joanna Tong and three partners, including husband, Stefan, decided to start their own business and signed a lease for Unit B at 834 Liberty Drive in 2017.
The new company began roasting coffee from importers who source from all over the world and distributing it online as well as via wholesale connections nationwide.
In 2018, a Tala Coffee Roasters opened a cafe in Highwood with an eye to the future. The company experienced significant growth during the coronavirus pandemic and in April 2021 acquired the unit next door for more production and storage space.
When the third and final space in the building became available last year, the partners snared the opportunity to pursue a combined facility.
"It's awesome to have the original dream come true, to have a roaster and cafe in the same place. That was pretty cool," Joanna said last summer.
At the time, Tala was working its way through the village approval process to allow a special use for an adjoining coffee shop in an industrial district. Building improvements, including replacing overgrown landscaping, also are part of the project.
The partners also were pursuing another opportunity to convert an old Texaco gas station in Winnetka into a cafe. But for various reasons, that process also took longer than expected and the partners now find themselves juggling the details of two ambitious construction projects simultaneously.
"We never intended for these to be at the same time," Joanna said.
The Libertyville cafe is targeted for a summer opening to be followed by Winnetka in the fall.
Joanna, originally from Minneapolis, and Stefan, a Singapore native raised in China, studied at Trinity International University in Riverwoods.
They worked at Hansa Coffee Roasters in town with Keith Lilja who aspired to own a coffee roasting business. With Keith's friend, Ryan Hickman, the four decided to strike out on their own.
"We were slowly learning to do things we thought were better," she said.
Different names were considered but Tala, which means sweet and beautiful in different cultures was chosen, Joanna Tong explained.
"We roast our coffees to maintain sweetness," she said.
Tala roasts to order and offers free delivery. It also has become the house coffee in several local and area businesses.
Four blends are always available. Ruca, a blend of Guatemalan and Honduran beans, is brewed daily.
"It translates to tried and true or the one you can't live without," Tong said.
In Libertyville, customers, through a large window, will be able to see Lilja, Tala's head roaster, plying his craft.
"Libertyville is pretty packed with coffee companies but there's still a missing piece where you can see what's being roasted, to be close to the action," Joanna said.
The cafe also will have a training lab for baristas doubling as a "cupping room," the coffee version of a tasting room in a brewery or distillery. Hot and cold small bites also will be offered.
Though in an industrial area, the cafe is expected to be a morning pit stop for dog walkers in the surrounding neighborhood, a shift break for employees at nearby businesses and destination for local customers.