Main St. Moxie

By
May 2021 View more

Wheaton is well loved for its thriving downtown, strong sense of community, and eponymous college campus. Those aspects are exactly what made it the right place for Five & Hoek Coffee Co. to put down roots in 2013 on Main Street in downtown Wheaton, says Beth Fivecoat, 32, who owns the coffee roastery (previously called River City Roasters) with husband Tyler and business partner Erich Goepel.

Since Fivecoat is in the hospitality biz, it’s no surprise that many of her most treasured Wheaton places are restaurants. She loves going to Mexican eatery Mi Casa (1720 N. Main St., 630.668.4774) for al pastor and steak tacos and Luong-Loi (111 N. Main St., 630.653.8250, luongloi.com) for Vietnamese fare. “Their pho is so good,” she says. She also loves the pad Thai at Mai Tai Cafe (140 N. Main St., 630.510.3680, maithaiwheaton.com) and rigatoni with vodka sauce at Gia Mia (106 N. Hale St., 630.480.2480, giamiapizzabar.com).

On Saturdays through November, the Wheaton French Market (Liberty Dr. and Cross St., bensidounusa.com/wheaton) is a must-visit to browse open-air stalls selling fresh-baked bread, gourmet cheeses, handmade jewelry, and more. “There’s a booth that makes fresh on-the-spot doughnuts. They’re still hot on the inside when you get them,” Fivecoat says. “I like to shop with the local farms, getting honey or jams from them, or vegetables and fruit.” Fivecoat is also a fan of European-style floral shop Andrew’s Garden (131 W. Wesley St., 630.456.4689, andrewsgarden.com), which sells fresh-cut blooms, potted plants, and stylish gifts.

The Fivecoats also enjoy walking on the Prairie Path (ipp.org) and taking their children to Cosley Zoo (1356 N. Gary Ave., 630.665.5534, cosleyzoo.org). “It’s a super-affordable thing to take your kids to in the summer on a nice day. It’s not too big, you don’t have to commit to being there for hours.”

The Next Chapter
After a major expansion to serve food, Five & Hoek (112B N. Main St., 630.481.7611, fiveandhoek.com) was just hitting its stride when the pandemic hit. Unable to sustain the business on carryout alone, the owners made the difficult decision to downsize to their adjacent alley-facing production space. There, you can order freshly roasted coffee, smoothies, and milkshakes from the walkup counter and, if the weather’s nice, stay and enjoy outdoor seating.

Photos by Kelly Vanderploeg Photography and Kyle Petit/Axiom Media Group