Release Date: January 14,2025
Ilić Café Serves Coffee & Lunch Fare in Downtown Akron, with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony January 17
January 14, 2025, Akron, Ohio — Downtown Akron Partnership is pleased to announce the opening of a brand-new coffee shop in the heart of downtown Akron. Ilić Café, located at 161 S. Main St., soft-opened its doors on December 16, 2024, and will hold a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, January 17, at 11:30 am.
DAP President & CEO Kimberly Beckett says, “Downtown Akron Partnership is excited to welcome Ilić Café to downtown. The shop adds vibrancy and activation to Main Street and complements the growing downtown residential population, as well as the newly renovated Lock 3.”
Ilić Café serves premium coffee, tea and espresso beverages made with love, and has a satisfying menu of sandwiches, fresh salads and hearty soups—not to mention a case full of sweet and savory baked goods made from scratch daily. They also have a variety of whole-bean coffees, loose-leaf teas, and coffee and tea accessories for sale. Ingredients are locally sourced.
Jovana Ilić, who operates the business along with her mother and shop owner Vaska Ilić, as well as her brother Stefan Ilić, says, “Opening this coffee shop in Akron is more than a dream—it's about building a space where community thrives. With every cup, we’re not just serving coffee; we’re brewing connections and supporting the heart of our city. Together, we’ll make Akron even stronger, one sip at a time.”
The family-owned and -operated café is dedicated to creating a welcoming, community-focused space. There is ample seating in the warm and cozy atmosphere, making it the perfect place to study, catch up with a friend or simply relax with a great cup of coffee. They also have a loyalty program that allows customers to earn rewards with every visit.
The shop’s ribbon-cutting ceremony will be open to the public.
Start Downtown
Ilić Café has been selected to receive support through the seventh round of Downtown Akron Partnership’s Start Downtown program, which is funded through a grant from Burton D. Morgan Foundation. Start Downtown brings new businesses to downtown Akron by matching business owners and entrepreneurs with downtown property owners and providing rent assistance for a period of six months. In alignment with Opportunity Akron and the Elevate Greater Akron Strategy, the program encourages new business growth with an emphasis on businesses owned by women and people of color. The program, which began in 2015 as the Pop-Up Retail Program, has catalyzed 26 businesses that are operating downtown.