All of us have been witness to the slow erasure of a once legendary building. Often these structures appear to have been resuscitated by their inevitable transition into something vapid like a boutique dental office, a pet grooming salon, or a chain restaurant, when really, they’ve entered the Sunken Place. The building at 1449 S. Michigan, once the headquarters of the groundbreaking recording company Vee-Jay Records, had indeed seen its share of dark days; but now it’s home to the not-for-profit Overflow Coffee. For this edifice, the arrival of the coffee shop came with a renovation of its structure and a restoration of its soul.
Inside the shop, music plays once again. A melodic mix of classic soul and R&B grooves along with the sibilants of a steaming espresso machine that pumps out locally roasted Metric. Exposed brick with “Overflow Coffee” painted in black sets the backdrop for the seating area, which is open currently. A piano rests near the back wall where a majestic, black-and-white image taken at the label’s office in 1959 of the Vee-Jay team is prominently displayed: Carter and Bracken, their business partner Ewart Abner, and Carter’s brother, Calvin Carter, who was a producer and manager.
1449 s. Michigan 312-283-0066overflowchicago.com
