At the recent soft launch opening of Shibam Coffee in suburban Glendale Heights, customers swarmed in, lined the red-roped entrance area and stared in wonder at the lavishly decorated interior, with marble floors and Arabic calligraphy on the walls. A few patrons started snapping photos even before getting to the main door. A teenager asked an employee setting up chairs if the Yemeni coffee shop was hiring.â
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What used to be a Chase Bank next to a Taco Bell in a busy plaza on North Avenue was now an immaculately designed cafe serving cardamom coffee and pistachio lattes to customers eager to become regulars.â
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âPeople kept asking (on social media) when we were opening and it took a long time â but we wanted it to be perfect,â said Moiz Baig, co-owner of the newly opened Shibam Coffee, the Dearborn, Michigan-based Yemeni coffee chainâs first-ever Illinois location. âThe (Yemeni) coffee business is booming right now â no matter how many there are, people are still excited.ââ
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The recent boom in Yemeni coffee shops in the Chicago area, specifically in Lombard and other suburbs with a growing population of modern Muslim communities, underscores the rising demand for a place to socialize that isnât tied to alcohol, but with a buzzy nightlife ambience.â
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Photo 1:â Asher Asif, center, gathers with friends over tea at Matari Coffee on April 18, 2025, in Lombard. â
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Photo 2: An employee pours the Adeni chai on July 7, 2025, at Shibam Coffee in Glendale Heights. â
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Photo 3:â Manager Naveed Mirza, bottom left, greets a customer at Qahwah House on April 18, 2025, in Lombard. â
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Photo 4: People hang out among friends and family in the early morning hours at Cafe Bethak in Lombard on March 16, 2025. â
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Photo 5: Groups of families and friends gather for desserts at Cocomelt on April 18, 2025, in Lombard. â
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? Zareen Syed / Chicago Tribuneâ
?ď¸ John J. Kim and Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune / @johnkimpicturesâ and @briancassellaâ
At the recent soft launch opening of Shibam Coffee in suburban Glendale Heights, customers swarmed in, lined the red-roped entrance area and stared in wonder at the lavishly decorated interior, with marble floors and Arabic calligraphy on the walls. A few patrons started snapping photos even before getting to the main door. A teenager asked an employee setting up chairs if the Yemeni coffee shop was hiring.â
â
What used to be a Chase Bank next to a Taco Bell in a busy plaza on North Avenue was now an immaculately designed cafe serving cardamom coffee and pistachio lattes to customers eager to become regulars.â
â
âPeople kept asking (on social media) when we were opening and it took a long time â but we wanted it to be perfect,â said Moiz Baig, co-owner of the newly opened Shibam Coffee, the Dearborn, Michigan-based Yemeni coffee chainâs first-ever Illinois location. âThe (Yemeni) coffee business is booming right now â no matter how many there are, people are still excited.ââ
â
The recent boom in Yemeni coffee shops in the Chicago area, specifically in Lombard and other suburbs with a growing population of modern Muslim communities, underscores the rising demand for a place to socialize that isnât tied to alcohol, but with a buzzy nightlife ambience.â
â
Tap on our bio link to read more.â
â
-----â
â
Photo 1:â Asher Asif, center, gathers with friends over tea at Matari Coffee on April 18, 2025, in Lombard. â
â
Photo 2: An employee pours the Adeni chai on July 7, 2025, at Shibam Coffee in Glendale Heights. â
â
Photo 3:â Manager Naveed Mirza, bottom left, greets a customer at Qahwah House on April 18, 2025, in Lombard. â
â
Photo 4: People hang out among friends and family in the early morning hours at Cafe Bethak in Lombard on March 16, 2025. â
â
Photo 5: Groups of families and friends gather for desserts at Cocomelt on April 18, 2025, in Lombard. â
â
? Zareen Syed / Chicago Tribuneâ
?ď¸ John J. Kim and Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune / @johnkimpicturesâ and @briancassellaâ