The Forum Cafe brings together neighborhood residents, creatives, commuters, and visitors through delicious food and libations and a celebration of Bronzeville’s unique music and history.

Culture. Community. Creativity. Coffee.

Culture. Community. Creativity. Coffee.

About

As a new cafe providing a wide array of tasty beverages and delicious foods to the Bronzeville Community, Forum Cafe is catalyzing the revitalization of The Forum, the investment in emerging creative talent, and the advancement of community building on 43rd Street.

Forum Cafe will occupy 2500 sq. ft. on two levels at 318 East 43rd, adjacent to the 43rd Street CTA Green Line station, in partnership with Build Bronzeville’s Creative Incubator. The first space to reopen in the historic Forum complex, it will host a broad range of revitalization efforts, from Forum History Team meetings and Black Metropolis exhibitions to Train of Thoughts storytelling, and neighborhood walks and rides.

Services

  • The Forum Cafe will provide a wide range of tasty beverages as well as delicious sandwiches, salads, and other light fare for dine-in and take-out options. Menu items will honor notables of The Forum, the Black Metropolis, and Bronzeville.

  • Central to the Forum Cafe will be a performance program celebrating Bronzeville artists. Cafe walls will display iconic 43rd Street images as well as the work of community artists, while musical performances by contemporary performers provide the heartbeat to Forum Cafe events and entry points for engagement with Bronzeville’s cultural offerings and with important community issues.

  • In an open, light-filled space marked by an abundance of natural and re-purposed materials, creatives from around the city, with an emphasis on Southside residents, will find meaningful workspace and programmatic opportunities to connect with their neighbors and invest in their craft.

  • The first space to reopen in the historic Forum complex, it will host a broad range of revitalization efforts, from Forum History Team meetings and Black Metropolis exhibitions to Train of Thoughts storytelling, and neighborhood walks and rides. It will foster emerging talent and serve as a neighborhood oasis, balancing the hustle and bustle of the train and 43rd Street with the music and history of The Forum and Bronzeville.

Honoring history. Continuing

Legacy

Forum Cafe is the newest chapter in Bronzeville’s ongoing story of renewal—one that honors the neighborhood’s deep cultural roots and its legacy as Chicago’s Black Metropolis.

When Jackson Park was chosen in 1890 as the site of the World’s Columbian Exposition, the young “L” train, barely three decades old, began expanding toward the South Side. Just a few years later, in 1897, The Forum rose on 43rd Street beside the new Green Line station: a stately social hall with storefronts that quickly became a cornerstone of community life.

As the Great Migration unfolded, waves of Black Southerners arrived in Chicago seeking opportunity. Bronzeville transformed from a working-class white enclave into the thriving heart of Black Chicago. For much of the 20th century, The Forum pulsed with life, hosting icons like Nat “King” Cole, Muddy Waters, and the Jackson 5, alongside political rallies, sorority balls, union meetings, dance lessons, and civil rights gatherings. Its ground-floor shops served neighbors and travelers alike, anchoring the rhythm of 43rd Street.

By the mid-century, though, disinvestment and migration began to erode Bronzeville’s economic foundation. The Forum’s lights dimmed, and by the 1970s the hall closed its doors—one of many casualties of systemic neglect.

In 2011, Bernard Loyd of Urban Juncture saved The Forum from imminent demolition, sparking a renewed movement to restore 43rd Street’s vibrancy. Through Build Bronzeville, his team has worked tirelessly to reestablish The Forum and the broader corridor as a hub for culture, hospitality, and community connection.

After years of planning, fundraising, and local collaboration, Forum Cafe will soon open as the first storefront in The Forum’s retail corridor, welcoming the public after over 50 years. It represents more than a grand reopening—it’s a homecoming. A revival of spirit. A new era of prosperity for Bronzeville, amplifying the echoes of a beautiful and storied past for Black America.

Team

  • President, Urban Juncture

    Bernard Loyd is founder and president of Urban Juncture, Inc. and Urban Juncture  Foundation, social enterprises focused on revitalizing urban communities. He leads the Build Bronzeville project, a collaborative effort that uses deeply-rooted community assets, including cuisine, culture, and history, to revitalize commerce and rebuild community. Build Bronzeville initiatives, including the Bronzeville Incubator,  Boxville®, Bronzeville Cookin’, The Forum, and Engage Bronzeville, are transforming the retail areas adjacent to the CTA Green Line at 51st and 43rd Streets.  

    Prior to Urban Juncture, Bernard helped senior corporate leaders expand existing businesses, create new businesses, and improve operations as a consultant at  McKinsey & Company. Bernard’s contributions at McKinsey include co-founding its global agriculture and food chains initiative and leading client development and service in that arena. He also co-founded and led the firm-wide group of Black consultants, which drove substantial increases in the number of Black consultants at  McKinsey and became a model for similar groups at other professional firms. In addition, he co-founded the Chicago Office’s social sector practice and worked with public sector clients to address key regional issues. He was the first African-American elected partner in McKinsey’s Chicago office.  

    Bernard’s civic efforts are focused on improving access to economic opportunity. He currently serves as the convener of Bronzeville Legacy Collective, a group of institutions seeking to use culture to revitalize community. He has served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Metropolitan Planning Council, as member and chairman of the Board of Trustees of Centers for New Horizons, as co-chairman of the governor-appointed Dan Ryan Taskforce, and as convener of the Friends of the  Checkerboard Lounge. He has also served on the board of trustees of the  Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  

    A native of Chicago’s West Side, Bernard was raised primarily in Liberia and earned engineering and business degrees at MIT. He and his family reside in Bronzeville.

  • Executive Chef

    Chef Erika Webb is an accomplished executive and pastry chef with more than two decades of culinary leadership and education experience. Known for her expertise in chocolate confections, sugar artistry, and wedding cake design, she brings both creativity and precision to every kitchen she leads.

    As the former Executive Chef at Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago, Erika oversaw all aspects of kitchen operations—from menu design and budgeting to staff training and food procurement. Her innovative approach to resource management and commitment to excellence enhanced both operational efficiency and culinary quality, while her leadership fostered teamwork and mentorship within the organization.

    Before her current role, Chef Webb spent over a decade shaping the next generation of pastry chefs as an Assistant Professor at Kendall College and Le Cordon Bleu Chicago, where she developed curriculum, led advanced pastry courses, and represented her institutions at national culinary events. Earlier in her career, she honed her craft at renowned establishments including Charlie Trotter’s, Tru, and The Ritz-Carlton Chicago, mastering both sweet and savory techniques.

    Chef Webb holds a Master’s in Management from the University of Liverpool and a Bachelor’s in International Ministries from Moody Bible Institute. She is a Certified Executive Pastry Chef (CEPC) through the American Culinary Federation and a Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE) with the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute.

    Passionate about culinary excellence, education, and service, Chef Webb continues to blend artistry, leadership, and compassion in every role she undertakes.

  • Director, Creative Incubator at The Forum

    Albert Chandler is a creative strategist and talent development leader with a dynamic background spanning marketing, artist relations, and human resources. As Director of the Creative Incubator, housed at The Forum, he leverages over a decade of experience in building brands, nurturing talent, and cultivating partnerships that connect creativity with community impact.

    Albert’s career has been defined by his ability to bridge art and enterprise. At Urban Fêtes, he helped grow the iconic “Silent Headphone Experience” into a nationally recognized event series, expanding into five new markets and forging key partnerships with venues, promoters, and Chicago Public Schools. His entrepreneurial drive as CEO of Kommision Ent saw him managing artist development, securing tours and radio placements, and negotiating high-value contracts across the entertainment landscape.

    More recently, Albert has brought his leadership skills to the corporate space — serving as HR Business Partner at Brand B Sports and Brand Ambassador at Spinovation 360, where he combines creative insight with operational excellence to elevate organizational culture and client experiences.

    A passionate advocate for collaboration and community building, Albert continues to champion spaces that empower emerging creatives and foster innovative partnerships across industries.