Common Grounds Vibe Cafe, Opening Day

Common Grounds Vibe Cafe is a family owned business that started in DeKalb County in July of 2016. We are planning to reopen June 2025 at 22 West St. Charles Road, Lombard IL.

Common Grounds has always been about supporting local artists, musicians, other small businesses and bringing high quality organic and fair traded products from around the world. Because together, community is bigger and better than we can imagine.

New kid on the block

Like the neighboring communities of Elmhurst, Villa Park and Oak Brook Terrace, Lombard offers a wonderful mix of diversity, students, artists and business professionals. Vibe Cafe is a community art studio with thrifty supplies, used books and plenty of space for remote workers. Our coffee selection is roasted nearby sourced ethically and through organic processes. Our menu features unique Chai, Matcha and other crafted tea drinks. Nutritional smoothies and healthy snacks will be available along with pastries and sandwiches through our restaurant neighbors. The cafe is 2000 sq ft. and offers convenient parking, easy access to Metra service, lively restaurants, bars and trendy stores in the downtown community.

Want to help us reopen?

We are looking for financial support to help with our startup and operational costs. Through January 2026 with a donation of $50 you will receive an Art and a Cup discount card. A donation of $200 or more secures a one month private work/studio space, a large smoothie and a sample bag of coffee or tea. All donations mean a lot, along with ideas and words of encouragement. We are also collecting used books, games and art supplies at the back porch of 22 West St. Charles Rd. Please share and thank you!

Seeking a vibrant team

If you're an artist, art teacher, librarian or business savvy professional we want your help for our planning team. Leave a message and follow: IG/FB @commongroundsvibe or BlueSky: commongrounds.bsky.social

Founder

Jeffery Foster is a Chicago native originally from the Beverly Neighborhood (home of Rainbow Cone). He attended American Academy of Art and Robert Morris (now Rooservelt Univeristy). Jeff has been a graphic designer, art teacher and youth pastor prior to Common Grounds. It all began with a brief partnership in Oswego IL through a Methodist church where he organized activities for youth and children along with larger events. During this time, the Fosters moved to Dekalb IL, and in 2016 opened their small coffeeshop with books. After two years it had evolved into a used bookstore, small bakery and in 2021 a community art space. Common Grounds formed partnerships with groups such as Adventure Works, Safe Passage and the global anti-trafficking network Polaris Project. These relationships helped to define our brand identity of "inspiring community and diversity, one cup at a time."

Sadly, our thriving Sycamore IL location closed August 2023. I was a family decision to transition away from profit driven small business. Jeff began investigating art therapy as a new career and spending time with his own creativity and artistic abilities. He joined local art guilds, workshops and creative centers like Elmhurst Art Museum. With so many art connections Jeff found a real synergy and found Lombard to be a great fit for a new kind of business model, Vibe Cafe. Its goal is to nurture creativity, self care and foster collaboration. Community Art Kits and thrift art tables will invite "anyone" to be a great artist, just as the little mouse in Ratatouille became a great chef.

Meanwhile, the coffeeshop business will run fast and simpler to allow creative to shine. Rather than food preparation, we will invite our downtown neighbors to cater for Common Ground patrons. Lombard has great parking, ideal for promoting remote working, regular art workshops and skill sharing. Coffee will always be delicious, organic and ethically sourced from everywhere in the world possible. Tea will never be treated as a second class citizen and our smoothies will be 75% health conscious.