This Thanksgiving marked our 5th annual Tala Turkey Trot, and a never-before-seen change of location! This year, we got to open up Highwood for the morning to have our coffee and doughnuts. A huge shoutout to Gurnee Donuts for providing us with an amazing and delicious assortment year after year. It was extremely cozy and a truly wonderful way to celebrate Thanksgiving morning together!

While some skip right to Christmas, the season’s changing leaves and cooler days remind us Thanksgiving is near. This time of year is all about gathering and sharing meals, with traditions old and new to savor—including a holiday that’s become a favorite for friends: Friendsgiving.

Running a small business is always a wild ride, but running a small business through a pandemic has been a new kind of wild. What’s more: our cafe has officially been open longer during the pandemic than not. What felt like an emergency interruption has become our new reality. But that’s not unique to us, that’s everyone’s story as of late.