Business & Tech

Brothers K and Dollop in Competition? Maybe Not So Much

WBEZ did an in-depth story about how the two Evanston coffee shops around the corner from one other decided to get along.

Brothers K is a beloved stalwart coffee shop at the corner of Main and Hinman where regulars know each other by name. Dollop Coffee, which has a loyal Chicago following, teamed up with Hoosier Mama Pie to open a combined shop around the corner on Chicago Avenue late last year.

How will two such similar coffee shops, serving the same brew no less, get along?

According to an in-depth report by WBEZ, they're doing quite well. The owners met before Dollop opened to discuss their proximity, and coffee supplier Metropolis got involved in the discussions as well, so as not to be in the position of playing favorites between two of its favorite customers.

According to the piece, Brothers K reports losing some of their weekend traffic, but their to-go customers have remained heavy. You can read or listen to the full report here.

Were you a Brothers K loyalist? Or did you hotly anticipate Dollop's opening? How have you reconciled having the two spots so nearby?


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