May 30, 2020
The novel coronavirus has hurt the roasters who fuel the cityās lauded coffee culture
āWhat happens next is now a familiar story: a global pandemic, an extended statewide stay-at-home order, and shuttered cafes, bars, and dining rooms across Chicago. Alexander says he began to panic. His remaining wholesale orders were being canceled left and right.Ā
āWeāre a small, employee-owned, local company,ā he says about Metric, which continues to sell takeout coffee (and now doughnuts) inside a stall attached to its West Town roasting facility. āWe donāt have a plan B. We donāt have any banks to default to, or any investors to ask. We have to pivot right away and figure out how to focus on what is tangible and what we can control.ā
