After he finished his addiction treatment in rehab, Victor Colin Jr. faced an uphill battle to regain people’s’ trust.
But Daniel Stidham, the owner and president of Grove Coffee Shop in Oak Lawn, which opened last year, welcomed him in. Now, Collins is the shop’s assistant manager.
“He was really happy I took that step,” Colin said. “It was refreshing to be trusted again.”
It’s that kind of welcoming acceptance that Stidham, who also is also pastor of Calvary Church of Oak Lawn, has made a hallmark of his coffee shop. His goal is for every employee and customer who walks through the door to feel important and at home, that they are comfortable staying for a while and talking to employees and other customers.
There’s a kid’s space, too, so families know they’re welcome. Customers with dogs are welcome too — as long as the canines behave.
Stidham likens those connections to a wooded grove, hence the coffee shop’s name. One wall of the shop also features a group of painted trees.
“A grove is literally a collection of trees that have grown close together and their root systems intertwine,” said Stidham. “When they’re intertwined, they’re more resilient in storms. That’s true for people, too.”
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Stidham also mentors Richards High School students through Forward Mentoring in Oak Lawn, where he is the executive director. He offers scholarships to students once they complete four years of mentoring.
Another goal of Grove, which Stidham owns with three minority partners, is to pay employees a living wage.
“If the owners aren’t looking to become independently wealthy, they can be a lot more generous,” Stidham said. “You take care of your employees and they’ll take care of the community.”
It’s another way to show employees how important they are, he said.
“I believe the divine power is nearest those who serve,” Stidham said, explaining he wanted the baristas to know how powerful they were. “I believe Jesus came to serve. The people walking in I believe are all made in the image of God,” he said.
That attitude makes for good relationships between workers and customers.
“The thing I like the most is getting to know everybody,” said Colin. “About 75% of the customers are regular.”
For barista Elizabeth West, the shop has a giving environment.
“I think it’s amazing what he (Stidham) wants to do,” she said. “I love the people who come in and the co-workers.”
It took several years to find just the right building and location for the coffee shop, which had its grand opening in October 2025. Stidham wanted it to be in a prominent Oak Lawn location and chose a storefront at 4736 W. 103rd St., a former salon.
More than just serving coffee, it was a place Stidham said he could foster community.
“What if our mission was to interrupt cycles or poverty, both relational and financial,” he said. “Relational in that people are living alone with fewer friends and less community and going through drive-thrus for everything. I was told we wouldn’t survive without a drive thru.
Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.