Press Release

Bethel New Life earns Metropolitan Planning Council's 2006 Burnham Award

July 31, 2006   (CHICAGO)….. Longtime Garfield Park resident Minnie Smith and her husband of 50 years, Joe, have fulfilled many of their dreams: they raised six children and ran a BBQ restaurant on Chicago's South Side, and Minnie serves as president of their block club and tends three community gardens in their West Side neighborhood. Just two weeks ago, they celebrated their latest endeavor when the doors opened to Garfield Park's first and only coffee shop, Westside Coffee Express, located at Lake and Pulaski in the Bethel Center.

The shop, which the couple co-owns with their daughter, Brenda, serves specialty coffee drinks, teas, smoothies, pastries, and homemade pies and cobblers to local business owners, transit commuters, and college students who are fast becoming regulars. In addition to the goodies, the place has atmosphere to spare: a relaxing massage chair, electric fireplace (to beat the chill during Chicago's winter months), and wireless Internet combine to create a cozy and convenient community gathering spot.

"There used to be a restaurant on this corner, years ago, but it's long gone," said Minnie. "We didn't have any coffee places in our area, and everybody wanted a place where we could have meetings and get a cup of coffee. This is it."