Pouring Back Into the Community: The Inspiring Journey of Pink Owl Cafe
Alex Herrera, owner, met numerous challenges from financial struggles to daunting uncertainties when starting a business. Yet, he said he was committed to turning his aspiration into reality.
Alex Herrera sits in front of his iconic pink rose wall at his cafe at 2713 Ridgeland Ave, Berwyn, Ill. Pink is Herrera’s favorite color and he knew this cafe or as he calls it "office" had to be pink as well. Mario Tenorio/Cicero Independiente.
By Jonathan Torres
“When I got the opportunity for this place, I knew it had to be pink,” said Alex Herrera, owner of Pink Owl Cafe located in Berwyn, IL.
Herrera said when he first first opened his doors in October to his coffee shop, he knew it had to be something that was more than just a place to grab a cup of coffee.
He envisioned a comfortable and welcoming spot that would inspire and warm the hearts of his customers with every freshly baked croissant and owl branded cup.
But behind the pink drapes and along the blush, marbled tables, was a story of resilience and dedication. The journey of this small cafe was met with numerous challenges. From financial struggles to the daunting uncertainties and doubts of starting a business, Herrera was committed to turn his aspiration into reality.
“The process was very crazy. I am a photographer, that is my profession, and when I was given the opportunity I thought about it because I didn’t even have a dollar in my bank account,” said Herrera.
Before opening up his coffee shop, Herrera said his busiest time of the year was from May through October as a photographer. During that time, he had to earn enough money to live during the winter months.
However, things changed when he received the call for the 2713 Ridgeland Avenue location in May 2023.
“At that moment it really made me think, can I? Or can I not? But I was always that type of person that although I can’t, I always say ‘let's do it,’” said Herrera.
Enjoying coffee since 6 years-old
Alex Herrera behind the counter preparing a delicious cup of coffee using the espresso machine gifted to him by Crepas Culichi, the previous business at that location. Mario Tenorio/Cicero Independiente.
Born in Durango, Mexico, Herrera grew up with a cup of coffee always in his hand. He said he remembers when he was around 6 years-old, his grandparents would wake him up for school “con un cafe de leche” almost daily.
Later, arriving in the United States and moving into the Berwyn area, he noted that before opening the coffee shop, he was always serving a cup to family and friends.
“Everyone would love to go to my house to try out some coffee that I would make, despite it not being professional, I always made sure it was made with love, and I think that is why people liked it,” said Herrera.
After more than 20 years living in the Berwyn and Cicero area, and the different jobs he was able to get from photography, Herrera was looking for something to do during the week when he wasn’t photographing jaripeos and quinceaneras on the weekends.
As a photographer for bull riders, Herrera was front and center in the action, seeing through his own lens what a resilient mind can do when met with an unpredictable situation.
With a little courage and determination, Herrera said he was ready to embark on a rodeo of his own.
His inspiration in creating the coffee shop included his own interests. Herrera noted the color pink has always been his favorite color. He said he even wore pink boots and belts to some of his jaripeo gigs.
Herrera adds he wanted to become a lawyer in Mexico and noticed lawyers in Mexico would have a symbol of a “búho”, or owl, in their office.
“But for me I never liked school. So this was the perfect place for me to have my office and put my own búho, the owl, and make it pink,” said Herrera.
Week after week, he set aside a portion of his check to bring the Pink Owl Cafe to life, crafting the blush and rosy-colored shop he had envisioned. Despite facing financial difficulties and the uncertainty of his future after investing his money from photography, Herrera remained driven by his ambition and intentions to share his coffee with the people of Berwyn and Cicero.
“I was scared to open, because behind everything that exists there lies fear, right?” said Herrera.
Herrera said with immense support from friends and family, both financially and emotionally, they encouraged him to keep moving forward.
From the heart, and for the community
Alex Herrera takes a quick break in the back patio of Pink Owl to enjoy a refreshing cup of coffee with friends. Mario Tenorio/Cicero Independiente.
When Pink Owl Cafe first opened its doors in October 2023, the coffee shop was met with great curiosity and embraced by the community, both from the neighborhood and the neighboring businesses.
Angie Birriel, owner of Puros Birrell Cigars, a cigar lounge next door, said she comes to the cafe frequently, enjoying her specially made mocha from Herrera himself.
"It’s a really great place, Alex is a great guy," Birriel said.“I think the community is really enjoying the atmosphere here in the shop.”
Xochil Escobar, a local resident from Berwyn, said because of the type of work she does, she is always at coffee shops. Escobar describes the Pink Owl Cafe as a very homey and cool place, saying, “it doesn’t feel like a starbucks. It’s more of a family-like vibe.”
“I feel like it is like a safe haven, people can come together here and I think that is what the community is like, people helping one another,” Escobar said. “People come here, chat with each other, meet people, and I think that is what the community is all about.”
Herrera said he hopes to inspire and be a good example for anyone wanting to chase their dreams. He strongly encourages anyone looking to create anything, to make it the best that it can be and that it is always made with the heart.
“Me, who is a believer in God, I always say that things happen when he says they are going to happen,” he said. “And that’s what happened…Since I opened my doors I felt as if things were getting better and better.”
With a vibrant flower wall to capture the memories and decorative chandeliers to lighten your heart, Herrera and his team say they await your arrival with warm smiles, and an even warmer cup.
Because at the end of the day, “Owl you need is coffee.”
Jonathan Torres is a Mexican-American journalist from the South Side of Chicago. He hopes to continue reporting in the Cicero/Berwyn area, bringing the communities together one article at a time.
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