Sister Rosemary's Drive-thru Opens!
by Kathryn and John Moery
With overflowing anticipation and wide-eyed wonder, we entered the magnificent Misericordia Hearts and Flour Bakery and Cafe at 6130 North Ravenswood under its banner 'Welcome’ sign. On our way in, we were warmly greeted outside by four newly-hired baristas, Ken, Bekah, Dylan and Connor, who offered us a cup of the featured Collectivo coffees – Blue Heeler or Toro Blend Espresso – a brochure with a menu of all that awaits inside, and a $1.00 off coupon for our next visit. Until its opening on April 26, these ambassadors will be relocating to various sites throughout the neighborhood to herald the opening of this great new asset to the community. Sitting on the former site of a run-down strip mall, this pearl of a place provides community-based employment for 10 Misericordia residents. Flowing from their current campus locations, the upper floors of this architectural beauty will soon house an Art Studio overlooking the expansive second-floor outer terrace and a new coffee packaging facility on the third floor.
Stepping inside, we immediately noticed the signature Misericordia resident artwork hanging from the walls. Roxie Able, the General Manager, and Beth Woytek, the Bakery Manager, were enthusiastic in detailing all aspects of the operation and the inspiration from which it continues to evolve. Roxie started in January, having worked at a Peets Coffee on the Mag Mile, and Beth, the veteran Bakery manager from the main campus, is moving to head up this site.
Uniquely, this bakery site offers an array of new items as not to duplicate what is offered in the bakery on the main campus. All the tasty bakery treats and the breads for the lunchtime menu offerings will be freshly baked daily on site behind windows that open to the public. The ovens will stoke up at 4AM for a 6AM week-day opening, and feature such new pleasers as doughnuts, scones, bagels, eclairs, croissants, as well as vegan and gluten-free brownies, cookies and other varieties. 'Flatbread Fridays’, offering a pizza-like luncheon item, will be celebrated in the dining room weekly. In addition, the prints of signature Misericordia artwork hanging on the walls are available for sale. The 36-seat dining area with open display cases for all bakery items is festooned with green plants from the campus Greco Gardens, and foods served will be prepared with herbs grown in the garden. The Café has been conceptualized to operate in a fashion that is mindful of popular commercial bakeries and cafes. Hand-crafted hot and cold drinks such as latte, cappuccino, mocha, smoothies and kombucha are made to order by baristas. The flavors of the kombucha, a fermented tea that is thought to be good for the stomach, will rotate and will open with a delightful Peach Blossom flavor and zingy Lemon Ginger. Beth explained the goal of this location is to keep the menu fresh with room to “grow and change”.
Staff and residents wait on customers behind the long counter and bakery case with the mixing, baking, and doughnut frying in full view behind the large glass windows opening to the seating area. The Misericordia resident-staffers will make smoothies, fill soft drinks, hand out and package orders, and run orders to the drive-thru window for customer pick-up. These residents submitted resumes and were interviewed as part of the hiring process, which follows the same protocols taught in the pre-employment program on the campus.
The drive-thru bakery was Sister Rosemary’s vision. This dream come true uses a high-tech, computerized system to streamline the operation for drive-thru and dining room service. Drive-thru customers place orders at a menu board at the northwest corner of the building and then wend around the southwest corner to another window where they pay and pick up their orders, which have been efficiently assembled at the expediting station by staff behind the counter inside the building. There are parking spaces on the north and south ends of the parking area.
Customers signing up with their phone number will earn loyalty points good for a discount. Customers can also use the Toast App for ordering, once the bakery is open. More details on the app will come soon. Gift cards will be available. The bakery operation runs seven days a week, from 6AM – 2PM on weekdays, and 7AM – 2PM on the week-ends. This exhilarating enterprise is a true marriage of all things miraculous and good that has made Misericordia a piece of heaven on earth. Meet you at the bakery!
