New Sound Cafe

New Sound Cafe opened in late 2025 at 5958 W. Lake St., on the Austin side of the Oak Park border, in a storefront empty for about 20 years. In the 1970s the building was New Sound Gospel Records & Tapes, owned by Lee and Lillian Johnson; the Follett family kept the name, restored the penny tile floors and hung the original sign. The cafe roasts coffee in-house and sells cinnamon rolls, biscuits, breakfast sandwiches, paninis and soup from Trini’s Tasty Pastries. Seating runs over two levels, all profits go to West Side ministries and nonprofits, and parking is free at Chicago West Bible Church.

What to know

• The building was New Sound Gospel Records & Tapes in the 1970s; the original sign and penny tile floors were restored.
• Andrew and Hannah Follett, Austin residents since 2021, opened the cafe in late 2025, per Austin Weekly News.
• The cafe roasts coffee in-house and sells pastries and sandwiches from Trini’s Tasty Pastries.
• All profits are donated to West Side ministries and nonprofits.
• Free parking is available at Chicago West Bible Church; the space can be rented for meetings.