About Us
Our story begins in New York with Pasty Albanese, an Italian immigrant who opened an Italian market, Porto Rico Importing Company, in 1907 at 195 Bleecker Street. The shop served the growing community of Italian immigrants in Greenwich Village, many of whom struggled to find familiar goods in local markets—items like espresso beans, tea, olive oil, and pasta.
Directly across the street was a bakery owned by Frank Longo. In 1958, his grandson Angelo purchased Porto Rico Importing Company and relocated it to 201 Bleecker Street. Angelo and his wife, Rose, had three children, the youngest of whom was a boy named Peter Longo.
When Peter grew up, a college recruiter persuaded him to give Lewis College in Romeoville, Illinois a try. Around the same time, a young man from Philadelphia named Stephen Siefer was drawn in by the same pitch. As chance would have it, Steve and Peter met and quickly became close friends.
Over 50 Years Strong
We are one of the oldest independent coffee roasters in Chicago and our goal to provide the freshest coffee possible at an affordable price has never changed. We keep our small operation running in much the same way that we did over 50 years ago. We focus on providing a variety of quality beans from all over the world to ensure that everyone can find their favorite.