GLADSTONE PARK — Audrey Borden said she wants customers to feel like they’re stepping into an autumnal cabin when they visit October Café’s newest location.
Located in the former Smak-Tak restaurant at 5961 N. Elston Ave., the coffee shop is filled with wood paneling and plenty of fall decor. Borden greets every guest with a “Hello, pumpkin” as they walk in.
October Café’s Gladstone Park location opened earlier this month. Borden and her wife, Michelle Gonzalez, opened a cafe in Norwood Park, at 6046 N. Avondale Ave., two-and-a-half years ago.
The shop’s name and fall theme were inspired by Gonzalez and Borden’s love story. The couple met while attending North Park University in October 2019.
Borden said when she and Gonzalez started dating, they would always try out new coffee shops together. Eventually, they started dreaming about opening their own.
The couple got married in October 2023, just two months after opening their first cafe. Borden and Gonzalez celebrated another life milestone about two months before opening the Gladstone Park location — the birth of their son, Tully.
Though navigating parenthood while launching a new business has been a bit chaotic, Borden said she and Gonzalez have a lot of support from their family.
“Tully is definitely a cafe baby,” Borden said with a laugh. “He’s here almost everyday.”
Borden said business at the Gladstone Park location has been really strong and that there was a line out the door on opening day.
October Café’s regular customers were excited to see the business expand, Borden said. One customer, who lives in Gladstone Park, even bought gift cards for all her neighbors, Borden said.
The new location has the same menu as the Norwood Park cafe. Highlights include a pesto panini, empanadas, a Mediterranean sandwich and vegan egg rolls. October Café is also starting to roll out specials like churros and a papaya smoothie.
Teens who show a student ID can get a grilled cheese, tater tots and a lemonade for just $5 at either cafe.
Gonzalez, who grew up in Norwood Park and is a Taft High School graduate, comes from a family of entrepreneurs. Her mother ran a child care center for many years, and her twin brother, Joel Gonzalez, opened Chiquita Scoops in Gladstone Park at 6140 N. Milwaukee Ave. in September.
Gonzalez previously told Block Club she wants to help bring more businesses to the Northwest Side. October Café hosts business pop-ups during the coffee shop’s weekly Small Business Saturdays and Sundays and organizes frequent community events.
The Easter bunny will be at the Gladstone Park cafe 3-5 p.m. Friday and at the Norwood Park cafe 3-5 p.m. Saturday. The Norwood Park cafe will also be hosting its third annual “Furry Art Market” on May 3 and in January 2027 the business will be organizing a coffee-themed cruise with stops in Florida, Honduras and Mexico.
You can learn more about upcoming events by following October Café on Instagram or by subscribing to the business’s recently launched newsletter.
Borden joked she and Gonzalez don’t plan on adding a third cafe until Tully is old enough to run it.
Both shops are open 6 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. October Café also offers pickup and delivery.
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