MAYFAIR — Northwest Side neighbors are rallying around Casa Cactus after the Mayfair coffee shop was forced to temporarily close due to a licensing issue with the city.
The cafe, located at 4595 N. Elston Ave., has been closed since June 26. The business is currently working with the city to obtain a retail food establishment license, a process owner Ozzy Gámez said could take months.
Gámez recently launched a GoFundMe to help support the shop’s eight employees in the interim. The fundraising campaign has raised almost $10,000 in just three days.
“We understand that Casa Cactus is a special place not because of the walls, but because of the people who work there,” Gámez said.
He added: “Essentially overnight, they have no income coming in.”
‘We Will Reopen’
Gámez, who lives a short walk from Casa Cactus, opened Plant Shop Chicago at 4601 N. Elston Ave. in 2018.
He said a lot of the shop’s customers would ask about where they could get a cup of coffee or grab a bite to eat in the area.
Gámez wanted to create a gathering place for neighbors, so in 2023 he opened Casa Cactus across the street from the Plant Shop.
However, earlier this year Gámez learned employee tax withholdings that were supposed be paid into Casa Cactus’ account were accidentally being paid into the Plant Shop’s.
The Illinois Department of Revenue told Gámez Casa Cactus had to close on June 26.
When asked about the closure, Maura Kownacki, a spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Revenue, said that due to taxpayer confidentiality, the department “cannot divulge particulars regarding the compliance of a business.”
Gámez said the tax issue was resolved quickly, but that the city’s health inspector visited on July 1 after someone filed a complaint claiming Casa Cactus had a cockroach infestation.
No cockroaches were found and the cafe passed the inspection. However, the city found Casa Cactus did not have the correct business license, Gámez said. The cafe had been operating with a business authorization from the state, but no license from the city, which is required, he said.
Elisa Sledzinska, a spokesperson with the city’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, confirmed Casa Cactus does not currently have a business license. She said the shop applied for a retail food establishment license on July 1.
“A retail food establishment license includes review from multiple departments so the time period from license application to license issuance varies widely,” Sledzinska said in an email to Block Club.
Gámez said Casa Cactus has received a lot of support from regulars and from other local businesses during the closure.
The cafe, which has become known for its horchata lattes, café de olla Mexican-spiced coffee and fresh empanadas, also hosts regular events and fundraisers.
“I like to describe it as a community space where people gather that just happens to have coffee,” Gámez said.
He said the cafe’s employees have been touched to see how much people are willing to donate to support them and the business.
Customers missing Casa Cactus can also support the business by visiting the Plant Shop, which is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m., daily.
“I have no doubt it my mind that we will reopen,” Gámez said. “I know we will. I just don’t know when.”
