Milwaukee Avenue’s coffee shop The Brewed doubles as a horror museum with all sorts of Halloween and horror-themed displays. Guests who enter are greeted with a wave of spooky decorations from both popular and obscure movies, TV and other media. Posters line the walls while a display case with a plethora of horror movies that guests can check out or buy sits next to the register.
“I think everyone wants to feel spooked,” said Amelia Mitrotz, a first-time visitor to the shop. “Everyone’s watching horror movies, and then they’re like, ‘Oh I want to go see something that has the characters from my horror movies on the wall.’”
While most businesses only display Halloween decorations for a few months, the shop is unique in keeping their horror theme up year-round.
Throughout the month of October, The Brewed Coffee has put on multiple events for the Halloween season, such as their “Ooops! All Bones!” block party.
“There’s not just décor, it’s also themes,” said Jesse Black, an employee at the shop. “We have some staff that are super creative. … People seem to really gravitate towards it.”
Ben Fuja and his son were looking at the decorations in the store while waiting for their order. He said the “spectacle” and unique atmosphere of the shop are what keeps him coming back.
“It’s cool to check out,” said Fuja, who comes to the store at least once a week. “You can get a latte at a few different places, but it’s something different. … I don’t know very many horror-themed coffee shops.”
Some believe The Brewed’s year-round horror theme adds credibility to the store.
“I think when you pick a place that already has some sort of branding, a little darker, moody or spooky, you’re gonna have a better experience,” said Deanne Wallace, a first-time visitor to the store. “This place is horror all the time so I feel like they’re old hats at it.”
Elsewhere in the city, there are other limited time pop-ups to visit for the Halloween season.
Nightmare on Clark Street brings a haunted house to the Chicago bar The Stolen Saddle until Nov. 3. Patrons must take a trek through the haunted house before reaching the rooftop bar. They also have a selection of Halloween-themed drinks for partygoers to indulge in.
The Dandy Crown brings their own Halloween pop-up experience with Never Trust The Living. The event runs through Nov. 2 and features a fully decorated bar, themed drinks and other activities.
Wallace said that she and her friends have been drawn to Halloween-themed bars, as businesses that go all out with decorations influence her “bar choice” this time of year.
For a more all-ages experience, Jack’s Pumpkin Pop-Up brings an outdoor fall festival to downtown Chicago. The event runs through Nov. 2 and features activities such as a corn maze, axe throwing, and much more.
“Everyone can like something spooky once a while,” Black said. “All you have to do is really go hard with the decor and vibe.”
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