Partner Program Highlight: Nordic Brew

Our Partner Program Highlight series celebrates the many businesses in our wholesale Partner Program. From restaurants to offices to other cafes, there are so many ways that coffee can be intentionally used to further connections with quality experiences.

Nordic Brew is a quaint little shop located in McHenry along 120. This shop features protein smoothies with fresh fruit, various teas, seasonal specialty lattes, classic espresso drinks and filter coffee—which, of course, they source from Tala, making them one of our proud Partners. Located between two fitness centers in a strip along a busy highway, this is the type of place that you might miss at first glance, but after you discovered it you’ll find yourself returning again and again.

Starting Out

What is now three individual units with Nordic Brew in the center was once one large gym. In January 2022, the gym was split into two: a traditional fitness center and a CrossFit box, which was sold to Andrea and her business partner Isaiah. By July, Andrea and Isaiah had decided to repurpose the storage room inside the gym into a coffee shop: “It was actually my business partner’s idea because I’ve been a coffee shop fanatic for a long time. I’ve traveled out of state looking for different coffee shops. He knew that I’m crazy about coffee so he had this idea. We just turned it into a coffee shop and here we are!” Andrea mentioned casually. 

Like many small business owners, both of Andrea’s business ventures—first CrossFit CXX and then Nordic Brew—began as a passion hobby.

Andrea’s background is in nutrition coaching, which she still does on top of running two other businesses! This, paired with her interest in specialty coffee, became the building block for her passion which now drives Nordic Brew.

Her CrossFit ventures began in 2018, first as a way to stay fit and then as a competing athlete and finally as a coach. It didn’t take long coaching before she was offered partnership in the business. Shortly after, she launched Nordic Brew next door.

Opening and operating the Nordic Brew and CrossFit CXX was new ground for Andrea. She was not just turning one hobby into a career, but two. From coaching CrossFit classes to learning the ropes in the cafe, she was quickly learning what it meant to be a barista, coach, and owner and to do it well. 

A new look at community

As a barista, I have become very familiar with the sense of community that can grow from a cafe. Andrea originally found a similar sense of community at the gym before taking that into the realm of coffee. When we were setting up and planning this interview, Andrea quickly convinced us to come to the 9:30 class, sharing that really understanding CrossFit means experiencing the community aspect of it. I didn’t understand it initially, and was more worried about making a fool of myself, but when we completed the class it was very easy to see what she was saying. The class members encourage and push one another during the workouts. There is something about people being on your side and cheering you on as you’re finishing up the workout that is so encouraging to experience.

Having CrossFit CXX and Nordic Brew right next to each other is a recipe for a beautiful community where each part strengthens the other. After our class, the cafe was full of others who were in the class looking for a refreshing smoothie or cold brew to cool them down. It’s the perfect pairing!

Tons of people also come to Nordic with no association with the gym at all as well; during our time there we saw some moms meeting up with their babies, some people perched there to work or take calls and several people just stopping in for a quick pick-me-up.

Thinking about both the Nordic Brew and CrossFit CXX communities, Andrea shares, “We have a lot of regular people who come consistently so we just have great people in both parts of the building at all times. You cannot not be happy because you’re surrounded by good people all the time! It’s the connection of community between the two of them.”

coffee and smoothies

The menu for Nordic was established based on Andrea’s years of experience in both nutrition and coffee, and informed by the built-in customer base that two fitness centers bring. “Everything is simple with healthy ingredients. I wanted something to appeal to each [coffee and CrossFit people] so if we have someone at the gym that is not a coffee person they can have the protein smoothie. We said, ‘how do we get the people driving by on 120 to want to come in and how do we get the people working out at the gym to want to come in?’ We just evolve as we go.”

The atmosphere at Nordic is bright and uplifting, with white walls, light wood and big windows. Although it is small, they make excellent use of the space by providing bar seating next to the large windows and a reading nook in the corner. The space paired with their smiling staff makes for an inspirational experience.

With their excellent drinks catered to a wide variety of people and their welcoming atmosphere, it’s no wonder why people continue to come back time and time again. At Nordic, they’re discovering what we have discovered at Tala: a great product and an inviting community ensures returning customers.

A perfect partner

Andrea found connection with Tala through an initial CrossFit connection. Now that connection continues to grow with the whole Tala team as part of our wholesale Partner Program: “I knew Keith from CrossFit Freedom in Libertyville because I used to train out of there. Keith texts me one day and goes: ‘A little birdie told me you were thinking about a coffee shop. I know a roaster!’ I had gone to a couple different roasters and tried their coffee and did all that. Prices were all very similar but it helped having a personal connection with Keith. It’s also the people at Tala, you’re all great. It’s nice working with good people. We have a great personal connection. Tala came in and trained all of our baristas before we opened. They lended an espresso machine when ours shocked our barista and were out an espresso machine in the middle of the day! You all [Tala] being local, and also since you are local, a lot of our customers know Tala. It’s been cool having something local that people know and recognize but also just having a team that I can text and say, ‘I messed up, I ran out of cold brew and need more!’ It’s been great.”

As Andrea points out, the best partnerships go far beyond transactions. Just like we strive to make customers at our cafe feel connected far beyond our product, we strive to build trust and community in our Partner Program as well. We are always happy to welcome in partners like Nordic, that uphold some of the things we value most, like community and quality.