Blank Street Coffee Replaced Starbucks in Wicker Park

The fast-growing coffee chain has officially secured the former storefront located at 1588 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Openings & Closings

Isometric editorial illustration of a generic urban brick retail building on a city corner. — Blank Street Coffee has expanded into Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood, securing the storefront on Milwaukee Avenue formerly occupied by a Starbucks. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Blank Street Coffee has expanded into the Chicago neighborhood of Wicker Park by taking over a prime storefront on N. Milwaukee Avenue. The space had sat empty for one year following the departure of a previous Starbucks location.

Why it matters

The entry of Blank Street Coffee into this high-traffic area signals the continued expansion of venture-backed coffee startups into established urban retail corridors. The move effectively fills a long-standing vacancy in a competitive coffee market.

The company has secured over $100 million in venture capital funding to support its growth. This follows the closure of 20 Starbucks locations across the city of Chicago.

The players

Blank Street Coffee

This Brooklyn-founded coffee chain has expanded rapidly across major cities using substantial venture capital investment.

Starbucks

This global coffeehouse chain previously operated the Wicker Park site until it shuttered the location in late 2025.

The details

Blank Street Coffee is establishing its new presence at 1588 N. Milwaukee Ave. in a facility that served as a specialized Starbucks Reserve location starting in 2017 before closing in September 2025.

Blank Street Coffee was founded in Brooklyn in 2020.
Starbucks revamped the storefront into a Reserve location in 2017.
Starbucks closed its Wicker Park store in September 2025.
Blank Street Coffee raised over $100 million in funding in Summer 2026.

Market Landscape

The closure of 20 Starbucks locations in Chicago marks a shift in how neighborhood coffee demand is being met by smaller, venture-backed competitors. This new opening follows a pattern set by the recent contraction of major chain footprints across the local retail landscape.

Local coffee drinkers in Wicker Park will have a new retail option following a year of vacancy at this high-profile intersection. Consumers can expect a new aesthetic and menu offering as the company fills a major hole in the neighborhood coffee scene.

The takeaway

The transformation of vacant corporate storefronts into venture-backed coffee shops highlights the changing dynamics of urban commercial real estate. Residents should anticipate more rapid turnover in retail spaces as startups aggressively compete for premium city addresses.