Halloween!

Hey Y’all,

It’s Halloween tomorrow and for the Unicorn that means a few things: everyone who works here has some exciting party to attend and isn’t up for working Saturday night (so WE”LL BE CLOSING AT 6PM to get our spooky-groove on) and we’ll be giving away TREATS to anyone who dresses up.  And put some effort into it, please! Halloween is a time of family and friends, a time to spread joy to the world… a hark the herald fairies sing, sort of thing, you get me?  So dress your Halloween-best and get in here before 6.

Here are some wiki-how pages to boost your creativity:

How to make a Tulle Skirt

How to make a mask using foil and duct tape

Aside from the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Halloween is also the last Evanston Farmer’s Market, so get some delicatata squash before it’s too late!

RIP Tor

The Unicorn is incredibly saddened by the news that Tor Faegre, artist, peace activist, and one of our favorite customers passed away last night after his battle with Leukemia.  Tor was such an asset to our community and never failed to bring a smile to our faces.  He was a very talented artist and his work, which is showing in the Unicorn this month, is certainly some of the most popular we’ve ever had adorn our walls.  Our hearts, thoughts, and sympathy are with his friends and family.  We will miss him greatly.

Our most media-savvy NUnicorn is at it again

After his incredibly profound insights on our woebegone youth became international news in the NYT, delightful NUnicorn Aaron couldn’t keep his hands out of the 15 minutes-of-fame-jar and now gets his banter on for People.com.  Check out his show, The Intern Asks and get a look at what Chicago-ites are saying about the latest (and greatest?) celebrity foibles.

Revised Hours

Ok Ok Ok.  I swear the blog does NOT exist simply as a means for me to change the hours on you guys at every whim or fancy, but alas, here we go again…  The Unicorn will now be open:

Monday through Friday from 6:30am-10pm

Saturday from 6:30am-8pm

Sunday from 7:30am- 8pm.

Agreeable?  Let me know; there’s always room for one more blog post!

OMG ESPRESSO!

Machines need people.  Machines with the sole purpose of providing for people even need people.  And machines need more than just a little sweet lovin’ every day.  Some people feel this way about cars, we feel this way about our espresso machine.  An espresso machine, especially one used as often as ours, needs a lot of attention.  Aside from rinsing between each shot pulled, we “backflush” the machine between shifts (shoot clean water through its innards to clean out coffee gunk) and give it a deep cleaning each night.  But just like a well-loved and relied upon automobile, the espresso machine requires tune-ups every now and again.  And BOY do the shots taste awesome after we have a pro come in and give the machine some well-deserved attention.  And guess what?  We did that yesterday, which means you should come in today and get some of the tastiest espresso in town!

Why the Unicorn Doesn’t Take Credit Cards

Recently I decided to bring the Unicorn into the 21^st century and start taking credit cards.  I was determined NOW was the right time to do this.  I had researched the option two years ago and decided against it as the fees were so high.  But this time it was different because I wanted to start accepting cards.  Our biggest complaint on the trusty Yelp site is that we are cash only.  And so I found myself in an uncomfortable cubicle at the bank talking percents and transaction fees with a banker and credit card pro that joined us via speaker phone.

I didn’t stop at one meeting.  I called my other café owner friends and asked them for the name of their credit card person and met with them.

After all these meetings I came away with a few realizations:

-Credit cards are a dirty business.  From every angle dirty.

- Credit cards are expensive.  3-4% in card fees, plus .04-.20 cents per transaction.

That would cost the café about $3000-$4000 a year.  But every one of the people I spoke to told me I would increase my sales by 20%.  And I could get gift cards with our logo on them that would only cost me .20 per swipe.

I want the Unicorn to succeed.  I want to increase our business.  I do not doubt that our sales would increase if we started taking cards.  And I love pretty looking gift cards.  But on another more immediate level I do not want to drag the Unicorn into the dirt of this business.  One of the people I met with confessed to me that he had been in charge of selling every Target, k-mart, Wal-Mart, and Menards credit card out there.  That they strategically placed their tables and gave beanie babies away so that kids would want them.  I asked him how he did his job in good conscience and he replied, “fifteen dollars an app.”  That sentiment is the opposite of the Unicorn.  Maybe we are missing out on a great business opportunity by not taking cards.  But if getting that extra business means becoming part of a larger business that takes advantage of both me and you, I will pass.  One of the things I love about the Unicorn is that it is simple.  So…to all you card carrying folk here are some places within steps of the Unicorn where you can get cash.

ATM’s Near Unicorn Café:

CVS: 1711 Sherman Ave: They have an ATM machine.  They also do cash back so if you get a pack of gum you won’t have to pay the service fee at the atm.

Bank of America: 1705 Sherman Ave: Right next to the CVS.

Burger King:  1740 Orrington: They have a Chase ATM and are right around the corner from us.

I’ll reevaluate this again in another year.  And who knows, maybe it will make sense to take cards in the future.  But for now the Unicorn remains in the 20^th century and is cash only.

Love,

Tracie

New Late Night Hours/ New Blood

Starting Monday, 14 September, the Unicorn will be open until 10:00pm 7 days a week!  So that’s 6:30am-10pm Monday through Saturday and 7:30am-10pm Sunday.  See you there!

Also come check out new-barista Kimberly!  She hails from Kansas City Mo via a stint at a few really awesome coffee shops in my home and native land, Seattle.  Treat yourself to a Kimberly-Latte when you get a chance– you won’t regret it!

We’re Open Labor Day

Or “Labour” Day to you Brits and Canucks, but I guess to you guys that would have been May 1st (or, excuse me, 1 May)

But yes!  We’re Open!  While we at the Unicorn are all for a resting and relaxing day to honor workers, the Unicorn-Union decided almost unanimously that there is no better way to do this than by staying open and selling coffee to you guys.  Because really, our job is probably WAY more fun than yours.  So come on by and give your barista some love.

Alsooooooo….. Starting Monday the 14th, the Unicorn is going to be open until 10pm!  Woo!

And check-out a neat link that Bekah discovered and I stole from her facebook: http://spontaneousvegetation.net/

peace

Evanston Outdoors

Hey everybody!

Welcome back to all the NUnicorns who are starting to trickle back into Evanston.  Just some friendly reminders so your return won’t be marred by a ticket from the Polizei.  Don’t ride your bike on the sidewalk; the Police will set up ticket-traps (right outside of the cafe!) and stick you with a $40 ticket even if you are traveling a block.  In that same vein, don’t ride going the wrong way on a one way street.

When you come check out our outdoor seating, make sure to tie your pup at the meter, since the Unicorn will get fined by the health department if they are at the tables.  Likewise, when smoking be sure to go into the alley, or somewhere else that is 25 feet away from the cafe’s entrance.

Phew!

Unicorn Closed Saturday Evening, Sunday All Day

Our friends at Nature Floors are having another go at hardwood, which means the Unicorn will be closed this coming Saturday at 4pm, all day Sunday, and will reopen bright and early Monday morning at 6:30am.  So what days?  August 15th and 16th!

Want some other Unicorn news to brighten up this boring, yet oh so informative post?  Maybe notice that there is a new Unicorn flickr page and you can get there just by clicking the sidebar on the right!

enjoooooy