Wrigley Coffee Verified listing

It is particularly sad that we live in a world where nearly every word is either hypercharged or abused. And perhaps no other word fits the latter than “community,” which Wrigley Coffee is actually about. Even more, it rightfully and proudly proclaims it with a bright neon sign that says, “But first, community.”

And it’s been that way since the beginning.

When Wrigley Coffee first opened inside the former Fox Coffee House on Willow Street in early 2022, its purpose stretched well beyond pulling espresso shots. The café was envisioned as a social enterprise—one where every latte helped support a larger mission of workforce development. One bolstered with trauma-informed employment. And, of course, community building. Four years later, that mission has evolved, but its heart remains the same: creating a neighborhood coffee shop that just happens to change lives along the way.

Today, General Manager Robert Casey says that vision has continued to mature.

“Wrigley Coffee has morphed its original message a few times,” Robert said. “But I think ultimately it’s providing a workforce development space for people. And using trauma-informed care as well as grief counseling, which is a newer service. When it comes down to it, we’re ever-expanding.”

While the original emphasis centered on adults emerging from housing insecurity, today’s workforce development program increasingly focuses on introducing young people to meaningful employment. High school students and interns rotate through the café, learning everything from steaming milk and dialing in espresso to customer service and communication—skills that readily translate into careers throughout hospitality.

Written and photos by Brian Addison.

To read the full feature on Wrigley Coffee, click here.