Green Llama Cafe: NOF Feature in Humboldt Park

Company Profile

Established in 1972, Rincon Family Services (RFS) is a pillar of Chicago’s West Side. Founded as a substance use treatment center, its services now address the needs of the larger community – including professional development, prevention services, and a vast array of mental health programs for adults and children.

Its latest initiative is the Green Llama Immersive Cafe in West Humboldt Park. The cafe’s diverse menu, which combines traditional Latino dishes with American favorites, is sourced from nearby farms. This guarantees healthy options while also fostering economic development in the community. Their coffee offerings are roasted by Factotum Coffee and sourced from Latin American pueblos to promote sustainability and support independent farms. In addition to food options, the Green Llama offers financial development programs for adults as well as broader cultural programs and kid-friendly events to bring neighbors together.

Neighborhood Opportunity Fund Impact

Seeking to serve as the “spark” of reinvestment for the neighborhood, RFS used a $250,000 Neighborhood Opportunity Fund grant to build out a space for a new café and juice bar. RFS identified a need for a unique food business in the area and chose a location along the priority-investment Pulaski Corridor.

With its NOF grant, RFS renovated an existing storefront to create the Green Llama Immersive Cafe. The work included ADA-related improvements; a remodeled façade and roof; and interior mechanical, electrical, and plumbing fixes. They also installed two playrooms for children, ample seating space, and a large mural designed by local artists.

Photo Credit: © City of Chicago

The Green Llama Immersive Cafe is Open for Business:

Come visit the Green Llama now at 3944 West North Ave! The café is open Monday-Friday from 8 am to 4pm and Saturday-Sunday from 8 am to 3 pm.

You can learn more about RFS at www.rinconfamilyservices.org or check out the Green Llama’s menu at www.greenllamacafe.com. You can also keep up with them on Instagram (@greenllamacafe), TikTok (@green.llama.cafe), and Facebook (The Green Llama Café).

Learn More About the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund

The City of Chicago Neighborhood Opportunity Fund generates revenue from downtown developments to finance permanent building improvements for small businesses and nonprofits. Administered by SomerCor, NOF grants are for commercial property acquisition, improvement or new construction and can range up to $250,000. If you have a vision to strengthen the commercial corridors in Chicago’s South, Southwest, and West Sides, click here to learn more about the program.