LOGAN SQUARE — La Strada, a small Logan Square cafe known for its healthy juices, bagel sandwiches and empanadas, has closed after five and a half years of business.
The cafe’s last day was Sunday, according to a sign in its window at 2023 N. California Ave.
The sign reads: “Dear friend + patron, We would like to thank you for your support for the past five and a half years. We will miss you all! It was a honor serving you all! Our last service will be Sunday Dec. 29th. Thank you!”
It’s unclear what prompted the closure. Owner George Chavez didn’t respond to several requests for comment Monday.
Neighbor Hannah Ensign walked up to La Strada Monday afternoon expecting to grab a bite, but was instead greeted by the sign announcing its closure.
“It’s pretty sad,” Ensign said. “I knew they were a small business so I definitely would come often because I knew if people were not coming they would probably close.”
Ensign said she loved La Strada for its tasty bagel sandwiches and “amazing” coffee. She also described Chavez as “super nice.”
“They were my favorite coffee shop in the area. There’s a lot of coffee shops in the area, but I felt like this one was the most homey,” she said.
The cafe earned rave reviews on Yelp, with one reviewer saying, “La Strada provides a little boost of happiness every time I visit” and another saying, “Cozy local cafe with super friendly staff that make you feel right at home!”
Chavez opened La Strada with his wife in 2014. The two also ran Zen Salon for Men located directly next door.
“[The block] has been good to us. We love the neighborhood,” Chavez said in 2014 before opening. “And for years we wanted a café, so it’s always been a dream.”
After Zen Salon for Men closed, Chavez was considering opening a wine bar in its place, but the plans never materialized.
Logan Square has become a hotspot for coffee shops in recent years. And in the years since La Strada opened, that trend has only grown as both independently-owned coffee shops and chains continue to flock to the neighborhood.
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