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Dark Matter Opens Osmium Coffee Bar in Lakeview

 Osmium Coffee Bar opened at 1117 W. Belmont Ave.
Osmium Coffee Bar
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LAKEVIEW — Dark Matter Coffee has (finally) arrived in Lakeview.

After announcing North Side plans more than a year ago, the popular coffee roaster quietly opened Osmium Coffee Bar, 1117 W. Belmont Ave., this week.

It's the company's first project outside of Ukrainian Village, where it's home to Star Lounge and The Mothership.

"We had customers kind of give us some backlash, like, 'You guys are a hipster coffee shop. Why would you come to Lakeview? Why wouldn't you go to Logan Square?'" said owner Jesse Diaz, 31.

"Why would anybody in their right mind want to open another coffee shop in Logan Square or Wicker Park? It's silly. ... There are so many coffee deserts in this city."

Diaz said he lived in Lakeview, near Clifton and Barry, when he moved to Chicago a decade ago. The entrepreneur is pumped to bring his brand to the neighborhood, which he said has seen too many "big businesses" move in over the years.

Osmium Coffee Bar will offer a small to-go menu with espressos, Chocolate City iced coffee and specials like the Agave Latte (agave, cinnamon, chocolate).

The in-house menu will be more expansive with a focus on espresso, Diaz said. And baristas at Osmium won't use the pour-over technique that's popular at Star Lounge.

"We want to make sure all of our shops can be associated with each other, but don't try to copy what other shops are doing," Diaz said. "I don't want someone to go to Star Lounge and think they'll have the exact same thing as they're going to have at Osmium."

The Lakeview coffee bar will have pastries and sandwiches from Do-Rite Donuts, West Town Bakery & Diner, and Sauce and Bread Kitchen. And staff will offer table service, in addition to bar orders.

Dark Matter Coffee announced last summer plans to open Osmium Coffee Bar sometime in Fall 2013. Diaz said the project was stalled due to city regulations and exisiting obligatons at his Ukrainian Village locations.

"The city, up on the North Side, pays a little bit more attention to things than they do in our neighborhood [Ukrainian Village]. For example, the health department made us put up sneeze guards around our $7,000 espresso machines. That doesn't really make any sense whatsoever. I've been open for seven years and never heard of such a thing."

Diaz said it took some time to work out health code and signage regulations. Now that Osmium is open, he's looking forward to adding a concrete patio out back later this summer.

Through Friday, the shop is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Regular hours begin Monday. Opening times remain the same, but Osmium closes at 9 p.m. daily. Diaz said the shop might push closing time to 11 p.m. in the future, depending on neighborhood demand.

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