Niles Township Supervisor Bonnie Kahn Ognisanti put on an apron earlier this month and handed out coffee to patrons of Will’s Place, taking a turn as a guest barista at a cafe that offers special opportunities.
For an hour, Ognisanti welcomed customers — some of whom were cafe regulars — and filled the coffee house, considered a Skokie gem, with foot traffic.
“To be honest, I’m not making the coffee. They’re the ones doing the work,” Ognisanti told Pioneer Press during her Oct. 18 “shift,” referring to the shop’s employees.
At Will’s Place, almost every employee has a disability. The family-run nonprofit cafe helps to create employment and vocational opportunities for young adults with disabilities, offering hands-on experience in a real-world setting.
When the spot launched in 2023, Will’s Place began with 17 employees. Now, it has become a 25-employee cafe and a place most locals know dearly.
“We’re looking at how to create spaces where every single person feels welcomed,” said Ognisanti.
The township supervisor said she enjoys learning about the important work neighbors can create while serving those that may feel unseen and not heard.
“It’s all about that,” she said.
Sue Simler purchased a caramel apple pastry during Ognisanti’s Saturday shift, and was one of the township supervisor’s first customers. Simler said she has seen the cafe transform over the last two years and she has become a regular visitor, popping in throughout the week.
“I tell people [about Will’s Place] always,” she said. She was also planning on what other day she would visit that week. “You can see [employees] become friends with each other. Why wouldn’t you support this spot?”
The cafe’s story began with a man named Will Hallagan, who is also a current employee.
Over 20 years ago, Joan Hallagan, the cafe’s founder and Will’s mother, adopted Will from Vietnam. He had a stroke at birth and has lived his life without the ability to speak, his mother explained. He uses a phone application to help communicate his thoughts.
After graduating in 2020, as homecoming king and member of the Township High School District 219 Bridges program — an adult transitional center that assists students with disabilities live independently — the idea for Will’s Place sparked.
According to Will, although his favorite pastry is the cafe’s chocolate chip cookies, his favorite food to cook is a cheeseburger. He also said his favorite part about the job is actually cleaning.
“No way you just said that,” Jeff Hallagan, the cafe manager said jokingly as Will laughed.
Joan Hallagan said guest baristas and servers are a nice draw for the cafe.
She explained that often individuals with disabilities don’t get a job. Will’s Place is helping to change that.
“The shop has changed from Will’s story to 25 others,” said Joan.
Paulina Czupryna is a freelancer.
