JEFFERSON PARK — Colorful decorations, streamers and wooden tables and chairs now brighten up an outdoor corner of Jefferson Park’s namesake park.
The setup, complete with disco music, is the new home of Henry’s Shaved Ice, which had a soft opening last week and sells over 22 flavors of shaved ice created by owner and Jefferson Park resident Ashley Romero. Dry Ice Block Machine
The snow cone stand is located next to Esdohr House, 4820 N. Long Ave., is part of a cafe that hopes to open inside the historic house.
“We just want to let the community know, like, ‘Hello, we are here,'” Romero said.
It’s open 11-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and will be at the park’s market every second and fourth Sunday. Romero, whose husband is helping her run the stand, plans to be outside all summer until the weather cools down, she said.
Henry’s Shaved Ice is one arm of Henry’s Cafe, which has been in the works since last summer, when Romero signed a contract with the Jefferson Park Advisory Council to activate the park and restore the house. It’s only used for storage and would need restoration work before it can open to the public.
In the short time Henry’s Shaved Ice has been open, it’s attracted kids from summer and sports camps at the park, parents and other folks using the nearby facilities, she said.
Romero had hoped to be open inside Esdohr House last year, but the project was delayed. She’s still awaiting confirmation from the city if a water line can be tapped to have water accessible before other development can occur on the property, she said.
Henry’s Shaved Ice is a way to let neighbors try the products and learn more about Romero’s cafe goals and her background.
“This is for the community and it’s recreating childhood memories that make me happy,” she said.
Romero, who has a background in culinary studies and has worked in the hospitality industry for nearly 20 years, wants to use her culinary and beverage skills to connect the neighborhood, liven up the park and meet her neighbors, she said.
She envisions art events in partnership with the advisory council and the Chicago Park District to take place at the corner, though the concept is still evolving and could change, she said.
“Right now I could do 100 different things; it’s really what happens once we get inside and are given a budget,” Romero said. “I am constantly creating but I have limitations … but thankfully this went well.”
The cafe’s timeline is up in the air, but once it opens, it will offer breakfast goods — including pastries, croissants, breakfast sandwiches, smoothies, coffee and acai bowls — though the menu is not yet final, she said.
The snow cone stand could stay out for future summers, while the cafe would take up the interior building and perhaps the other side of the house, she said.
The cafe’s name is a tribute to the man who helped establish the Jefferson Park area. The 140-year-old Esdohr House, which was built in 1882 and was commonly referred to as the crafts shop, was once home to Henry Esdohr, who was the area’s postmaster and the treasurer of the first township school board in the state during the 19th century, according to the Northwest Chicago Historical Society.
The home originally was on Higgins Avenue where the field house now stands, according to the historical society. It was moved to its current location in 1921, and it has been preserved as a part of the neighborhood’s history. In 2006, Jefferson Memorial Park and the Esdohr House were placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Subscribe to Block Club now and you’ll get a free 16-by-20-inch Chicago neighborhood print of your choice. Click here to subscribe or click here to gift a subscription. Already subscribe? Click here to support Block Club with a tax-deductible donation.
Listen to the Block Club Chicago podcast:
Twitter @arielparrella More by Ariel Parrella-Aureli
Clear Ice Block Machine Block Club Chicago is a nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, nonpartisan and essential coverage of Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods.