Code and Coffee

You know that code project you’ve been meaning to work on? The fun one that’s in that new language, or trying out that database, or making that neat library, or writing about code? The one you feel that twinge of guilt for not working on lately? We’ve all got that project. So we have a running club for developers with side projects to meet every week, socialize a little, and make steady progress on our projects (disclaimer: no actual running involved).

Now that most jobs allow remote work, Code and Coffee meetups typically start with personal projects and segue into the regular workday rather than break up around 9 AM, so a shared lunch is pretty common.

Oh, yeah, I’ve been meaning to drop in…

We hear it all the time. It’s easy to say “yeah, maybe next week…” every week, it’s awfully early. You can succeed in twenty seconds: if it’s not already on the table next to you, take your phone out your pocket or purse. Add a calendar reminder for the night before at 8 PM: “Set alarm for Code and Coffee”. When you see it, you’ll know to head to bed on time (like you’ve been meaning to anyways) where you’ll dream about your project and wake up ready to go in the morning. We look forward to meeting you. :) There’s nothing more to joining.

Any questions? We have a #code-and-coffee channel on the friendly and useful Chicago Tech Slack.

The Meetups!

☕ Wednesday, Uptown

The Uptown Code & Coffee meets at The Lost Hours at 5256 N. Broadway (Berwyn red line stop) from 7:30 AM to noon, where we often get lunch as a group.

This is the oldest continuous (excepting covid) C&C in the city, begun June 20, 2010. It started at the Starbucks at Chicago and Franklin, moved to La Colombe at Clark and Foster, moved to Chicago Grind (same space as The Lost Hours!), moved to Rewired on Berwyn, moved to Collectivo at 5245 N. Clark. Whew! Our thanks to Mike Busch for starting a happy, friendly group of coders.

☕ Friday, west side

The west side Code and Coffee meets on Friday mornings at different coffeeshops. Contact @dennyabraham on the Chicago Tech Slack for this week’s particulars.

☕ Friday, West Town

Friday mornings starting 7:30(ish) at Prequel Cafe, 1957 W. Chicago Ave. Talk to Sarah Elkeurti or Drew Verlee on Slack for more info.

“Aww, there isn’t one in my neighborhood”

Start your own! There’s nothing formal about starting a Code and Coffee meetup. Pick a coffeeshop, check with a manager there that it’s OK, drop by #code-and-coffee on the Chicago Tech Slack to tell us about your new meetup, maybe post on Mastodon or BlueSky about it. (And do set that night-before alarm clock to remind people to come, it makes a big difference for building up regular membership.)

Before covid we had eight meetups across Chicagoland; it’d be great to have you help bring it back.

About

Any questions about this page? Email me at peter@ this domain.

Photo thanks to Caff Williams.