By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
May 1, 1994
Place: No Exit. Time: Just about anytime, but try Sunday afternoons around 4. Why: Because it’s a lot of fun, there’s free jazz music and the coffee is killer.
“I know it sounds like a cliche, but we really get satisfaction seeing our customers enjoy themselves,” said Sue Kozin, owner of the Rogers Park java hut No Exit. “There are a lot of coffeehouses and restaurants and bars and clubs and places where people can go to spend their time. So we try to offer something they’ll want to come
back to.”
That something isn’t anything flashy, but rather a low-key, homey feel that belies the coffeehouse’s doomsday name. The first thing you notice about No Exit is the amount of plants – they’re everywhere, giving the place a bit of that Little Shop of Horrors feel, which isn’t all bad. Some of the plants have been there as long as Kozin.
“A lot of times people will move and give us their plants,” she said. “We adopt them. We’ve got jade plants, ficus trees. . . . It’s a nice touch.”
The second thing you can’t help but notice is the aroma of sweet spices, bitter coffee beans and beef stew, which Kozin whips up herself. “I could die for her stew and soups,” said Stewart Fender, looking up from a game of chess. “It’s one of the bonuses of No Exit – the food’s as good as the coffee.”
Fender will be pleased to learn that Kozin and her husband, Brian, plan to redo the kitchen so they can offer a larger menu.
It’s been 17 years since the Kozins bought No Exit, which has been kicking around since 1958. During their tenure, they’ve watched giddy teenage regulars mature into serious adults. To this day, they get a kick out of seeing first-timers relish a hot cappuccino and a slice of rich chocolate cake.
Just as popular as its delicious desserts is No Exit’s Sunday afternoon jazz. Groups such as Bopzilla and Bob Vernae and the Firing Squad play be-bop jazz for patrons who listen appreciatively. The crowd is a mix of college students and older goateed folks who whisper quietly and sip their espressos.
“Sometimes the younger kids want to hear livelier music, but they never complain about the jazz,” Kozin said. “The people who come here on Sundays tend to come specifically to hear the jazz. The kids today are really well informed about all types of music and not just rock ‘n’ roll.”
Cool. Now how ’bout another slice of cake?
