At the corner of Marquette and Woodlawn, a bright yellow and green shipping container might make you do a double take. An unconventional restaurant operating at Flying Squirrel Park, 7323 Chicago Cafe, started offering seasonal meals and refreshments to the Woodlawn community in the summer of 2022.
A South Side native, Marquinn Gibson launched the cafe using city funding from the 2021 Chicago Alfresco grant, which supported community spaces offering outdoor dining experiences. Gibson, a self-taught cook and multi-hyphenate entrepreneur, never envisioned himself owning a food service business but acknowledges the array of past experiences that led him to the present.
“My great grandmother was the first woman to ever really teach me how to cook,” said Gibson. “I just wanted to extend her legacy.” Gibson has generational roots on the South Side. His great-grandmother moved to Chicago during the Great Migration. The cafe’s name pays homage to the address of the house she purchased in Englewood, which remains a homebase for Gibson’s extended family.
When developing the business plan for 7323 Chicago Cafe, Gibson knew he wanted to serve his community and invest in the South Side. The fresh food options on the menu include smoothies, salads, paninis, and wraps. With names like The Head Nod, Love + Happiness, and The Red Line, the cafe’s menu caters to Black culture and celebrates the South Side. The Handshake panini is my personal favorite with its delicious cajun season and chipotle aioli sauce.
Two months after a celebratory grand opening, 7323 was burglarized in October 2022. After taking a few months to recalibrate and fundraise, the cafe reopened in summer 2023. While this first setback was discouraging, it was a second robbery on July 31, barely a month after the cafe’s reopening, that was a major blow to Gibson’s morale.
“The second time it happened was gut-wrenching—it floored me,” said Gibson. “My intentions are pure. I think that’s why it hurts so much, because I know that I’m doing this from the right perspective and my heart is in it. It’s not about just money for me. It’s about service in the community.”
Galvanized by the collective resilience of his family, friends, and neighbors, 7323 moved forward with its one-year anniversary party, just a week after the second robbery. Despite these challenges, Gibson celebrated two years of operating 7323 this summer and looks forward to acquiring more funding to expand the cafe. He hopes to eventually purchase one of the vacant lots adjacent to Flying Squirrel Park to develop a parking lot, more seating, and additional food-preparation space.
Ultimately, it’s the day-to-day interactions that drive Marquinn’s commitment to his work.
“What I’m gratified and fulfilled by is just the fact that people see me—they drive by, they wave, they honk their horns,” said Gibson. “It feels good to be seen, to be loved, to be heard, and be able to give that energy back to them.”
7323 Chicago Cafe, 6600 S. Woodlawn Ave. Wednesdays–Saturdays, 11am–7pm; Sundays 10am–3pm; closed Mondays, Tuesdays. (312) 912-5776, 7323chicago.com