Northwest Side coffee shop owner asking city for help after car crashes into business

A coffee shop owner is asking for help from the city after a car crashes and then slams into his shop's patio area on the Northwest Side. 

They say this isn't the first time.

Caution tape now wraps around the badly damaged patio at Brew Brew — a small family-owned coffee shop in Avondale.

"The drivers, I think they're so irresponsible. Even when they see kids crossing the street, moms with strollers, they don't care ... they don't stop," said co-owner Jazmin Medrano. 

Surveillance video from Tuesday morning shows the crash that sent a car careening into the patio.

"We can replace that. Our concern is always that someone can get killed," Medrano said.

Medrano shared with CBS News Chicago pictures of cars that have plowed into her store since it opened in 2014. She has pushed to make Diversey and Avers safer.

Nearly nine years ago, she started an online petition with many of the same concerns. Street bump-outs were installed in front of the park across the street in 2021, but Medrano says accidents have continued. 

The coffee shop sits in the 31st ward, but across the street that's another ward — the 35th. She says she was told by the previous alderman that a stoplight wasn't feasible at the intersection.

Javier Medina works near the intersection and says permanent infrastructure changes are needed and he avoids sitting on the Brew Brew patio because of the accidents. 

"This has been going on for a long time. I've seen a lot of accidents happening there," he said. "I wouldn't stand outside because it's very dangerous."

"We're always nervous that they're going to drove in the shop and kill someone, an employee, a customer, someone passing by," Medrano said.

The 31st Ward alderman's office says they were unaware of Tuesday's crash but will work with Brew Brew, neighbors, the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Department of Transportation to explore possible safety improvements.