NOBLE SQUARE — Come spring, Chicago Avenue will be getting a new hangout called Standing Passengers, which bills itself as a coffee house and art gallery.
On Monday, a sign for Standing Passengers went up in the window of the former Ugly Mug Cafe at 1458 W. Chicago Ave. in Noble Square. The 2400 square-foot spot has sat empty since Ugly Mug Cafe shuttered last April.
Standing Passengers' owner Mark Rosengren, 39, a documentary filmmaker and Logan Square resident, said the shop, which hopes to open in April, will serve Metropolis Coffee and pastries made by a yet-to-be-determined local bakery.
Rosengren said he named the coffee house and art gallery after an independent film production company he started in 2003.
A former graffiti artist in the early 90s, Rosengren made a documentary about graffiti and is also an artist, specializing in "reverse glass painting." Standing Passengers will display his work, as well as feature solo and group exhibits by other local artists, he said.
Born in Old Town and raised in Evanston, Rosengren said that he has been busy over the past few years and while he has not given up on filmmaking, he wanted to open a business like a coffee shop that could be possibly more sustainable than continuing to pursue a full-time career as an independent artist.
"I was looking to open in Humboldt Park or West Town and it was recommended that I check out the old Ugly Mug spot; it's already built out and that's a rare gem for opening a cafe," he said.
To stay updated on the project, visit Standing Passengers' website.
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