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The atmosphere in front of The 206 food truck the morning of March 21 was just as Tino Ganacias likes to see it: a microcosm of the community.

People greeted each other and discussed coffee, a man wished the rest of those in line a good day as he walked away with his waffles, and a mother and son debated whether they should attempt to bring their waffles home or simply eat them in the car.

All the while, Ganacias, owner of The 206, churned out waffles and coffee from his truck. He believes there’s a sense of community that’s cultivated both among food truck owners and the customers who get in line for what the trucks are selling.

“And really, ultimately, that’s what I’m about,” he said.

Ganacias plans to set his roots firmly in the community in June by opening an espresso bar and waffle shop at 818 S. Oak Park Ave., and he’s turned to the web to help raise money.

He hopes to raise $15,000 for the cafe by April 20, and as of March 27, more than $13,000 had been raised, according to The 206’s page on crowdfunding site Seedkicks.

Viktor Schrader, economic development manager for the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation, said The 206 has been well-received due to Ganacias’ quality product and his community focus.

“People love his product, they love his energy,” he said. Supporting small businesses and supporting neighbors, “that’s a big part of what Oak Park is all about,” Schrader added.

Ganacias said he’s incredibly humbled by the crowdfunding support, as it’s an investment in him and the business.

“It’s inspiring to me. It makes me want to work harder,” he said.

Ganacias moved from Seattle, where he owned an espresso bar called Empire Espresso, to Oak Park last year.

To drive traffic on the weekends, he and his mother developed a waffle recipe — adding a little brown sugar and a little cornmeal for a blend of sweet and savory — that quickly drew a following.

When Ganacias and his wife, who grew up in Oak Park, decided they wanted to raise their young daughter in the area, they took to the food truck with the intention of bringing quality coffee and waffles to the community. They worked with the village to make sure it could be a viable business option.

It wasn’t a particularly easy process, Ganacias said, “but I think I would say the village of Oak Park was incredibly open to it.”

Ganacias officially began selling coffee and waffles from the truck last fall. The 206 — a name that refers to Seattle’s area code — has quickly drawn a local following.

With the cafe, Ganacias plans to stick to what he knows. In keeping his focus narrow, he said, he can strive to be the best at one or two particular things, an approach that’s been well-received.

Although there will be a selection of baked goods for customers on the go, gourmet waffles, espresso drinks and coffee will be the focus of the cafe, he said.

“I treat coffee like I think a lot of folks treat wine,” Ganacias said.

Embracing the crowdfunding idea has been tough for Ganacias. He’s been in the service industry for about 20 years now, and humbly said his idea of marketing is doing the best he can for each customer.

“So the idea of doing a crowdfunding campaign was very uncomfortable in the beginning. Still uncomfortable,” he admitted.

But after being told crowdfunding was built for someone like him, he took a shot at it. He acknowledged there’s no better way to create buzz around his business before even having a brick-and-mortar space.

“It’s engaging potential customers and the community in a way that I couldn’t have done otherwise,” he said. Plus, there’s value in relieving his family of the financial burden involved in opening a cafe, he added.

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Ganacias said March 18 the lease signing for the South Oak Park Avenue space was imminent. It helps that the space has functioned as something similar before, he added.

If more than $15,000 is raised, Ganacias said he has a vision for a rooftop deck. He plans to keep the truck once the cafe is open, to be used at the farmers market and block parties.

The 206 maintained a consistent line around 9 a.m. the morning of March 21, while Ganacias was parked along South Oak Park Avenue across the street from his planned cafe space.

Brian Holt, who toted his son, Gabriel, along in a wagon, said he looks forward to having another breakfast and coffee option so close to home.

Sandy Brisben, of Oak Park, raved about the waffles and also said she and her family are excited for the cafe to set up shop nearby.

“The kids are like, ‘Is this a waffle Saturday, mom?'” she said.

For more information, visit The 206’s Seedkicks campaign page or the truck’s Facebook page.