LOGAN SQUARE — Wormhole 2 — a ’90s-themed coffee bar — is now open next to Margie’s Candies.
Located at 1953 N. Milwaukee Ave., the coffee shop is an extension of the ’80s-themed Wicker Park Wormhole Coffee, 1462 N. Milwaukee Ave.
The shop, which had been in the works for a year, announced its opening in an Instagram post.
Dan Weiss, the owner of Chicago chain Dollop Coffee Company, bought Wormhole two years ago. He shared the news of the expansion with Block Club last summer.
RELATED: Wormhole Coffee Will Join Margie’s Candies On Logan Square/Bucktown Border
Former Wormhole owner and Weiss’ business partner, Travis Schaffner, said opening Wormhole 2 during the COVID-19 pandemic has left feeling “conflicted.”
On one hand, he said he was happy to be bringing back employees who had been furloughed. The opening was more than a year in the making. And now, with the new revenue, paying landlords will get easier.
But Schaffner feared for his staffers’ health and safety. And even with increased neighborhood support, the shops are operating at less than 40 percent of what typical revenue looked like pre-pandemic.
“We’re probably gonna be OK. Regulars are coming two to three times a day in some cases. We’ll just continue to do our best and that’s all we can do,” he said.
The company is matching gratuity at both Wormholes; matched tips in Wicker Park are donated to Chicago Freedom Fund, while matched tips at Wormhole 2 are going to Brave Space Alliance.
Indoor seating is not available at either Wormhole as it doesn’t make sense financially, nor is it safe, Schaffner said.
“I hope people stay safe and protect themselves and be part of the process to fix the underlying themes that set this situation up for us,” he said. “It should never have come to this. … To open under these circumstances, it’s terrifyingly scary. It shouldn’t have to be this way.”
Wormhole 2 is not the only business joining Margie’s at the busy intersection of Milwaukee, Western and Armitage avenues.
McKinley Park-based Marz Community Brewing plans to bring a 1,300-square-foot, 40-seat taproom and brewery to 1965 N. Western Ave. The project is currently under construction.
Hours of operation at Wormhole 2 are 7 a.m.- 3 p.m. daily. Follow the shop on Instagram and Facebook or learn more online.
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