SKOKIE, Ill. (CBS) – This is a great cafe with great staff, a great mission and really good food.
CBS 2’s Joe Donlon recently visited one of Chicago’s hidden gems: Will’s Place.
Will’s Place is a cafe located at 7927 Lincoln Avenue in downtown Skokie. Their motto is “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” Nearly everyone who works at the cafe has a developmental disability, including their boss.
“My son William has an intellectual and physical disability,” Joan Hallagan said. “He can’t speak.”
Haragan adopted Will in Vietnam about 22 years ago when he weighed just 2 pounds.
“When I brought him back to the United States, he was malnourished,” Hallagan said. “He had a stroke at birth. His whole life has been a challenge, but he’s done it with incredible passion and has captivated the world.”
Will’s Place is set to open in July 2023, with a line of prospective customers lining the street. It’s more than a place to get a delicious meatball sandwich; it’s an opportunity for young people who have been pushed out of social and educational services for their disabilities.
Will’s Place is a cafe in downtown Skokie. Owner Joan Hallagan says her motto is “If there’s a will, there’s a way.” Nearly everyone who works there has a developmental disability, including her boss. CBS
“I’m 22 and I’m done,” Hallagan said.
Donlon: “So what did you think when it came around?”
Hallagan: “I wanted my son to have a job that was meaningful – something that he wanted to do, something that he wanted to do every day, something that he could be proud of.”
She and Will decided to open a restaurant named after him, but there was just one problem.
Donlon: “Did you have any experience in the restaurant industry?”
Hallagan: No, not at all.
So she called in two experienced professionals: Hallagan introduced CBS 2 to Chef Michael and Manager Jeff.
“When I pitched the idea to them, they thought I was a little crazy, but we ran with it,” Hallagan said. “Skokie has [tax increment financing] We relied heavily on friends and family with the money we were able to get.”
Then there was the issue of staffing.
“We employ 17 young people with disabilities,” Hallagan said.
She explained the store’s expectations: “The standards are very high here. You are expected to come and work here. You are expected to cut tomatoes a certain way. You are expected to keep the sandwiches consistent. You are expected to keep the place clean and spotless.”
“The confidence level has changed a lot. They’re so happy,” Hallagan said.
It’s a really great cafe with a great staff, a great mission and really good food. CBS 2’s Joe Donlon recently visited one of Chicago’s hidden gems, Will’s Place. Will’s Place is a cafe in downtown Skokie. Their motto is “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” Nearly everyone who works at the cafe has a developmental disability, including their boss. CBS
For example, her pastry chef, Julia, makes some very sweet treats.
Donlon: “Julia, what are you making?”
Julia: “Cookies.”
Donlon: “Cookies? What kind?”
Julia: “Chocolate chip.”
Donlon: “Do you ever eat chocolate chips?”
Julia: “No.”
Donlon: “Tell me!”
For Julia and her coworkers, Wills is a place where they feel safe, happy and respected. Hallagan says to her, Wills is all that and more.
“It’s really special,” she said. “It started out as Will’s story, but now it’s turned into so many special stories.”
And the homemade food is really delicious, he said on the iPad he uses to communicate.
“Go to Will’s Place and get a chocolate chip cookie and a meatball sandwich, they’re so good,” Will said through the iPad talker.
Hallagan said there is a long waiting list of people wanting to work at Wills, and she would like to expand into farmer’s markets and other locations.
For more information about Will’s Place, visit WillsPlaceSkokie.com
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Joe Donlon