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Chicago blogs were all abuzz last week with news about recently-opened East Village coffee shop bLENd.
The simplest version of the story (as we read on The Food Chain) is that bLENd is owned by a founder of the abstinence-only education group Project Reality. We thought this was pretty interesting on a number of levels (not insignificantly the amount of media it has received) so we decided to get in touch with bLENd part-owner and Event Coordinator Johan Khalilian to find out what the connection is.
Khalilian broke it down for us: "In all honesty, Project Reality has no connection with bLENd. They do not fund us, we do not fund them. We have no intent on funding them or anything abstinence related, they have no intent on funding us." So where does the confusion come from? Why is everyone crying wolf?
Khalilian told us that he has done work with Project Reality "as a speaker on healthy choices and abstinence." Beyond that, he said that "there is no affiliation with what we are doing at bLENd. There are certain people who have just assumed, because of my stance on abstinence, that bLENd is affiliated in some way shape or form. That assumption is false."
We can see why people might make the connection though. bLENd's website has a decent amount of what Chicagoist's dad might call "California psychobabble." From the site:
Our journey is undoubtedly a spiritual endeavor. We seek to engage the very fabric of our pluralistic society and create a marketplace where life-changing conversations can occur with individuals from every walk of life... It is love that fuels us. Love for God and love for others. We understand that there is nothing more vital than this truth. When all else fails, we love. How will we do it? By creating a “third place,” a place to enjoy outside of work and home, a coffee shop where more than coffee is poured out, a healthy social environment where people from diverse backgrounds can connect and develop authentic community. This “third place” will be known as bLENd.
Coffee with a mission. It may not be our mission, but from what Khalilian says, it isn't Project Reality's mission either.
Image via bLENd.
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I have to admit that reading about the tie to Project Reality and bLENd did turn me off, but if they aren't tied together, then I can try it out - I'd rather go to a local than Star$ anyday.
i live in the area, and i had friends walk by before blend was opening. they asked someone there what it was all about, and the man introduced himself as one of the owners and told them about the abstinence and, they say, a Christian connection. weird how they would tell that to passerby but not to their event planner....
Isn't the whole "third place" idea straight out of the Starbuck's business model? Why not raise the stakes and do something innovative? That is, why not aim for Second Place™?
On the plus side, "bLENd" is bound to drive lesser copy editors crazy.
Drink the coffee, but stay away from the kool-aid.
This is a story? How about a story about all the loony lefty-affiliated coffee shops? Beans 'n Bagels under the Montrose el stop, to start.
Put the coffee down, Tom.
I thought this place was odd before reading this. Offbeat hours, a mostly teenage clientele. I suppose everyone needs their own joint, but in the East Village? Odd odd odd.
Hey Tom, all of the looney left-affliatated coffee shops? Buddy, that's where the left was born, from Paris to San Francisco to Greenwich Village. You're on their territory now.
sarah: Ooh, how weird. Maybe I'll just steer clear after all...
I walk by this joint every day. With the demise of Filter nearby, I thought perhaps bLENd may be a viable candidate for filling whatever void was created by Filter's departure. Their space is huge and has the potential to be a good community gathering / hang-out area.
Unfortunately, the (extended amount of) time they took to open, coupled with a limited menu (the guy at the counter looked like he had never considered that vegetarians could be anything other than mythical creatures), and a nonsensical Web site (hello?!?! menu? hours? phone number?)... I gave up on bLENd pretty quickly.
Best of luck to them, though.
What's up with the "make a donation" link on their Web site? It takes you to paypal and then you can donate to the Mosaic Partnership Ministries - which is what, exactly?
Creepy. No thanks.
not sure why some people think this place is creepy. perhaps if it were affiliated with buddhism, kabbalah or some other "cool" religion they wouldn't be so critical.
I think the place is creepy because I think the place is creepy. That's my decision as a consumer. In a market driven economy, the consumer makes the decision on where he would like to spend his money, for whatever reason. I'm not spending my money here.
Sean, I'm curious: how do you know Blend is not affiliated with buddhism or kabbalah? And can you tell us which "uncool" religion is it affiliated with?
It's creepy because it's clear from their website and their various postings on the 'net that serving coffee is not their true agenda. Also, they're registered as a "non-profit" organization with the City of Chicago. Not a totally strange thing in itself, but I for one like to know what charity my money is going to when I support a non-profit. From what I've learned so far, they aren't charities I want to give to. If anyone else does, or just doesn't care, more power to 'em.
jeremy: you're right, we leave in a market driven economy.
mike: if you believe sarah above, the answer to your question is Christianity.
lynn: it's funny that you only worry about where your money is going if it is a non-profit.
So Sean, in your mind Christianity is creepy? I mean, Sarah certainly didn't make that connection. In fact, you're the only one here who did.
And where do you get the idea that Lynn only cares about where her money goes if it's a non-profit?
I ask these questions because you seem to be making tenuous assumptions for the sole purpose of labeling other posters as intolerant (although, I confess that your language has been ineffectual enough to provide you a wedge of deniability on that count).
FYI, non-profits don't have to register with the City of Chicago, so I'm not sure what info Lynn is citing. If they are soliciting funds, they do have to register with the Secretary of State and the IL Attorney General's office. If they are a 501(c)3, a recognized non-profit by the IRS, then you can view their financial statements on guidestar.org and make a truly intelligent choice.
From the Dept. of Business Affairs and Licensing (at cityofchicago.org, public record):
Location
1725 W DIVISION ST , Floor:1-2
Doing Business As
BLEND
Business Structure
NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION
Ward 01
Precinct 047
Owner/Officer
DANIEL A. GRAY SR PRESIDENT
GRISKA G. GRAY SECRETARY
JOHAN L. KHALILIAN VICE PRESIDENT
Licenses
Retail Food Establishment
Issued 02/06/2007
Expiration 11/15/2008
i never meant to imply that Christianity is uncool or that posters are intolerant. i never made any comment about what sarah said other than the info concerning its connection. it seems that if this were a coffee shop for swingers it would be less creepy than a place that advocates abstinence. i apologize for posting a different opinion. perhaps i should have just called it creepy without actually having been there like everyone else.
This is Johan, from the controversial cafe, aka bLENd, aka the creepy cafe.
Just wanted to invite anyone who would truly like to know our hearts on a human level to come in and talk to me personally. I would gladly treat you to a cup of coffee or smoothie or anything else you would like.
Hope you are all having a great day!
I think having a link to donate to the Mosaic Partnership Ministries on the Web site and not explaining what that organization does is creepy. Like, vague on purpose ... why?
as a teenager, I was once lured into a youth group with the promise of pizza. now it's coffee. ehn? sounds like a front to me.
but I'll check it out. I'm not threatened by this kind of thing. I already know where I stand. it's still coffee.
I don't eat at Wendy's for the fear of money going to anti-abortion groups (irrational, I know), so I'm keeping a wide berth from this place.
Victory's Banner always weirds me out a little bit (most overtly religious spaces do), but mmmm, omlets.
And I do hope that everyone who keeps referring to this place as bLENd also writes WAL✭MART. Zippy typography is for logos and no further. =)
Christianity is creepy as are Christians and just about any other religion I can think of. Gross.
Right on, bopo. You hear that, Macy*s?
I'm not threatened by Blend, if it is creepy then it will go under because nobody will go there. It never seems to be open when I want coffee (in the morning on my way to the 'el') and always seems to be open when I'm in the mood for another sort of mild-altering beverage (the kind with alcohol in it) . Because of this, I've not been in there yet. That being said, I'm not into vague psychobabble either, what are you about? Why? And what is the nature of the 'ministry' that your site asks us to donate to? I have no problem with religious organizations if they have a social justice mission I support (I've volunteered with a few), but clarity is an order here.
I've never been there so I won't make judgments about the establishment, but Johan coming on here with an invite to treat us to a smoothie so we can "know his heart"? Creepy.
Go to alliance bakery across the street. alternative to starbucks and the people are friendly as heck.
i stopped in at blend out of curiousity, and the folks who worked there seemed a little out of sorts--and that was way before i saw their web site.
Prescott,
You crack me up with your comments. I like how smart alecky and witty they can be. I hope I am not being "creepy."
Also, I have been on their website, cuz Gapersblock mentioned them a while back. I think the mission statement is just really vague and new-agey sounding. I think they should stand clearer on their mission. Are they taking a Christian stance, a Buddhist stance, a Unitarian stance? What? I don't think people are necessarily calling them creepy because of its alleged ties to Christianity, but more because of their vagueness.
I don't just go to a coffeehouse or cafe because of their coffee, I go for the atmosphere, and there is this intangible, "can't put my finger on it" vibe that helps the place thrive. For instance, I really like going to The Grind. It's not any different from your usual run of the mill cafes - serves sandwiches, usual coffee selection, exposed brick walls, dark wood, but I just really feel comfortable there and I want to be a regular customer. But I go to another cafe, like Cafe Descarte, which is really close -same deal, coffee, exposed brick, wooden furniture, but I just wasn't feeling it there. Could be due to the lack of customers. It just wasn't comfortable for me.
I guess my point is if Blend can't somehow make the atmosphere comfortable and inviting for the locals, then no matter how hard they try to fill up the void of Filter, it just won't cut it. Seems like the initial reception of its potential customers isn't that promising. Unless a lot of virgin teens like to hang out there.
Honest Pilgrim! I scooted by there a few times last Saturday afternoon. The kaleidoscope colored building immediately catches attention like rare toxic plants growing in deep dark jungles, where they use vibrant colors to trap unsuspecting insects.
I did a u-turn and scooted back for another look Yea, it was mighty strange all right! I noticed very pale young people staring outside from that dark cavernous space. Instead of sitting out side and drinking with friends they sat alone in the gloom. I slowed to look closely. They all seemed calmed by some sort of mind numbing drug. Just now I looked at the web page, CREEPY-O!
Word to the wise. Enter at you own risk least you find your self walking in Logan Square at night trying to sneak into bars to sale cheap jewelry or at the air port collecting donations for some sort of “church”
I’m sure those that defend this “Venus Fly Trap of a Church” are those same well scrubbed blond folks ridding around in yellow school buses in Logan Square and Ukie Village collecting kids for mass indoctrination in the Mormon Church
Looks like the only kool-aid being drunk is by the commenters on this page. Yow. YOU are the creepy ones.