EDGEWATER — A couple of "coffee geeks" have big plans for Devon Avenue.
Chris and Meghan Zimmerman took over at 1259 W. Devon Ave. last month after Stella Espresso closed after nearly six years in business.
The newlyweds plan to open Ellipsis Coffeehouse there on March 30.
The Zimmermans, who call themselves "coffee geeks," have always loved coffee. Chris said for him it began in childhood.
"Coffee's always been a big part of my life," the 26-year-old said, remembering when his parents would sit around and talk over a cup. "Growing up it was always something that grounded me."
His dad, Joe, drove from the family's hometown near Niagara Falls to help put some finishing touches on the shop.
"It's been a part of our existence for as long as I can remember," he said. "We didn't go over to friends' for beers, we had coffee."
Chris Zimmerman said he worked at a Tim Hortons, a fast-food coffee chain. Then, after moving to Chicago in 2010, he got a gig as a barista at Brothers K Coffeehouse in Evanston.
But he said owning "a coffee shop has always been in the plans."
Last summer, the Zimmermans ironed out the details with the owners of Stella, who were looking for a way out of the business.
Chris Zimmerman said he wants his coffee shop to be "a place of gathering" for people in the neighborhood, where they can come and just be.
The sentiment inspired the cafe's name.
"It's the ellipsis — it's the dot, dot, dot," he said.
He said he plans to serve Counter Culture Coffee, a North Carolina roaster that trades directly with coffee farmers.
For Zimmerman, the coffee house will be an extension of his love for the brew.
"It's had ..." said Zimmerman, pausing to search for the right words.
"A sentimental place in your heart," said his wife, wrapping up the thought.
"To some people it's just coffee. But to me, it's not," he said. "It's the thing that makes me tick."
