After difficult stretch, it’s closing time for Highland Park’s Mil Colibris Bakery and Cafe

It has been a brutal winter for most Chicagoans. But for Daniela Segoviano and Mil Colibris Bakery and Cafe in Hghland Park, the cold snap also brought along the closure of her beloved cafe.

The neighborhood bakery that sat at 481 Roger Williams Ave. in the Ravinia neighborhood closed its doors to customers on Sunday, January 25.

For Segoviano, popularly known as Dani, the farewell has been both emotional and cathartic.

“It was an incredibly tough decision,” she said. “This winter was unusually harsh for sales. We reached a point where it was no longer sustainable. I simply didn’t have any money left in my account to keep it going.”

Segoviano opened Mil Colibris (Spanish for “a thousand hummingbirds”) in the fall of 2023. Her American-meets-Mexican menu was an instant hit, and the cafe soon became known for their breakfast burritos and Mexican breads, such as conchas.

The most recent summer looked particularly promising with a lot of events and people coming in for breakfast and lunch. Menu items such as mushroom, leek and goat cheese quiche and avocado paninis were frequently ordered, according to the Mil Colibris team.

As a small business owner, Segoviano was aware of the sales slump during colder months and was prepared for a somewhat slow winter. But what she did not anticipate was a drastic reduction in footfalls.

“Most bakeries bank on holiday season sales to survive the rest of the winter months. But for us, beginning in September, the sales began dipping,” she said. “I could not understand why, as we maintained the same excellent quality. We did not get enough Thanksgiving orders, and then the slowdown during Christmas drained our finances.”

Segoviano tried reducing hours to keep her business afloat, hoping things would improve. But of late, most of her baked goods were either being donated or trashed.

For a small, community-based business, five months of slowing revenue proved decisive, and Segoviano’s dream bakery bore the brunt.

She said that her husband is very supportive and has continued providing while she built her passion venture. But after a point, she did not want her family to put up with a struggling business.

As for the future, Segoviano hopes that she can find a buyer who can continue the cafe with the same passion and spirit, and possibly the same name. She would love to assist with a smooth transition.

And even though she had not yet thought in that direction, she would also be happy to find a partner who can come onboard and help with the finances while she can continue her creativity in the kitchen.

Segoviano’s business lasted for two short years in Highland Park, but the cafe left its mark among the locals.

“When we opened our operations, people were very excited; we had many returning customers,” she said. “Some would come every day for bread or brunch.”

She also credits the local organizations for their collaborations. The Highland Park Public Library regularly ordered from Mil Colibris and hosted community events like crafting clubs in the cafe.

Segoviano also appreciated the support she got from the Highland Park Community Foundation and loved participating in the Dia de Muertos Week, a community event by the City of Highland Park.

For someone who lived in Montana for many years before coming to Highland Park, Segoviano cherishes the warmth she got from the community as she highlighted her Mexican heritage through her celebrations and her menu.

“Montana is not very diverse, and I am not sure if I would have been able to bring this to life there,” she said. “But here in Highland Park, the community instantly took to the concept.”

And while Segoviano has not been baking in recent days, she is not sure how long she be away from her kitchen.

“My hands just can’t rest,” said Segoviano, who also used to run an online cake baking service before opening the cafe; though, she hasn’t yet planned on reviving it.

Segoviano said that while she will miss seeing her customers, as a Highland Park resident, she is hopeful she will run into them here and there: “I am not going anywhere; I hope to see my customers at the grocery store, at the movies, or down the streets.”

After announcing the closure on their social media page, Segoviano received an outpouring of love through messages online and sales of the remaining inventory.

Joe Peddle, a longtime Highland Park resident and an active community member, told The Record, “They are incredibly nice people, and the place served wonderful food. I will truly miss what they brought to Ravinia and Highland Park.”

Though her next chapter is still undecided, Segoviano is manifesting that her dream finds its way forward. For now, she is holding tight to all her baking equipment, decor and fixtures. But if no one comes forward to continue her labor of love, Segoviano may have to sell them off, one cherished possession at a time.

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