A massive faceted ferrous steel bar anchors the Purple Llama, a new coffee shop and curated record store situated along popular Division Street in Chicago’s Wicker Park.

The idea for the record store–coffee shop comes from the owners’ experience in the rich coffee scene in London, while the angular form of the space is derived from the company’s quirky purple branding. Dan Wheeler and Emmanuel Garcia of Wheeler Kearns Architects worked closely with brand designer Brian W. Jones of Welcome to develop the space.

Besides the imposing bar, one side of the 1,000-square-foot shop is defined by a faceted bright wood wall, while the opposite end is filled with a cartoon landscape of mountaintop llamas and the Chicago skyline. In the back, a “records vault” displays a small selection of vinyl records on built-in shelving.

Purple Llama Coffee & Records
2140 West Division Street
Chicago
Tel: (773) 687-9900
Architect: Wheeler Kearns Architects