Bourgeois Pig Cafe

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PIG: The Bourgeois Pig® Café was opened on a shoestring budget in May of 1993 by the president & founder of the company, F. Mason Green, then 28 years old. Having backpacked extensively throughout Europe after college graduation and visiting many incredible cafes, and then spending several years waiting tables on Russian Hill in San Francisco, Mason was inspired to open his own coffeehouse. He had seriously considered opening a cafe in San Francisco, but the city was already inundated with a multitude of great cafes. He also considered his highschool and college hometown of Scottsdale, Arizona...but it was too hot and just wasn't fitting for the type of place he wanted to open. A friend encouraged him to explore Chicago as an option, and he instantly fell in love with the city. He had found his new home as well as the birthplace of "The Pig".

Chicago has many great neighborhoods, but Mason happened by chance upon a great little store for rent at 748 W. Fullerton Avenue, which was smack dab in the middle of a charming and upscale neighborhood that is called Lincoln Park. Being across the street from Children's Memorial Hospital and 1 block away from DePaul University, the location was perfect and the price was right.