Among candlelight, charcuterie boards, wine and beer, a number of people gathered at Society 57 in downtown Aurora on Thursday night to celebrate the coffee shop and event space’s five-year anniversary.
People young and old sat chatting in armchairs and on couches, or ate and drank among the tables littered throughout the historic building, which is located on the corner of River and Benton streets. All of the drinks, mainly alcoholic, and food, mainly fancy meats and cheeses, were provided for free during the evening’s three-hour anniversary celebration.
Society 57’s founder and lead curator, Scott Hodge, told The Beacon-News after the celebration that the space has become a hub in Aurora that reflects the city’s diversity, which he said is one of the most fulfilling parts of the business.
The goal for the coffee shop and event space was to make something that not just exists in Aurora but that could help push the city forward and inspire others to also create something creative and unique, according to Hodge.
“We want to create a space people walk into and are shocked that this exists in downtown Aurora. That people walk in and go, ‘Oh my God, I had no idea something like this exists here,’” he said. “Every day we hear that, and so that’s been cool.”
Hannah Thompson, a customer of Society 57 who could be found near the end of the celebration sitting in a set of armchairs with a coworker and chatting, said she appreciates its excellence and community.
“Everything they do, they do it well,” she said.
Hodge said he is proud of the coffee shop because it has created a regular gathering space for people, but the vision for Society 57 goes far beyond that.
For instance, it also has an event space for nonprofits, corporate events or other gatherings like weddings. Thompson said one of her friends got married in that event space.
For nonprofits specifically, Society 57 offers reduced rates so they can use the event space even if they would have been unable to pay the usual fees. Hodges said the business loves to partner with nonprofits and itself is actually a nonprofit in the form of a social enterprise.
Society 57 also participates in Aurora’s monthly First Fridays events, where downtown businesses open their doors and host pop-up art galleries, live performances and more.
Jordan Jeffries of Strawberries BBQ, who was sitting at the bar about halfway through Thursday night’s celebration, said that in addition to being a customer, his business has done First Fridays events with Society 57.
He called Society 57 a “staple of the community” and said its employees are wonderful to work with and have always treated him and his company well.
With five years now under the belt, Hodge said he feels like Society 57 has only just scratched the surface of what it can become.
“These first five years weren’t easy,” he said. “It took a lot of grit, a lot of determination, a lot of creativity, but I feel like the groundwork has been set for us to build on that.”
The COVID-19 pandemic was particularly difficult on the business because it was built around the idea of bringing people together, something that was hard to do during a lockdown, Hodge said.
When asked how Society 57 made it through the pandemic, Hodge said they “didn’t have a plan B.”
“Now, we did have to pivot, and we did have to change some things, but we were just really determined,” he said.
Looking to the future, Society 57 will be doing even more pop-ups and will be launching what Hodge calls “Society Sessions.” These will be one-off workshops and experiences that bring people together to learn about various topics, and are set to launch in spring 2025, he said.
Society Sessions will be themed, with some like “Taste” being about pasta making or fermentation, while others like “Play” may involve a magician teaching participants the basics of magic, according to Hodge.
“Think” sessions might involve movie screenings or discussions about social issues, while “Lead” sessions could help teach young entrepreneurs skills like public speaking that could help them get their businesses off the ground, he said.
Hodge is from Aurora and grew up here when it was probably at its worst, but it is a “cool honor” to get to see what it has become today, he said.
“Becoming a part of the fabric of Aurora is such an important part of what we’re doing here,” Hodge said. “I’ve seen Aurora through the years — the good, the bad, the ugly — and to be a part of helping bring the beauty into it is awesome.”
But Society 57 is building on a foundation built by those who came before, those who helped to make Aurora what it is today, he said.
“We didn’t just show up here and do something magical,” Hodge said. “We are building on the dreams, the visions, the work that’s gone before us, and it really makes it feel like we’re a part of something bigger than just us.”
rsmith@chicagotribune.com
