Our Story
How a few neighbors, a pot of coffee, and a very long conversation became a national movement.
Glencoe Beginnings
The story of the AASCG didn't begin in 2026. It began sometime in the 1980s, when a group of Glencoe locals and village employees started showing up for coffee around 6:30 every morning — first at Ricky's Deli, and down the street at Harries Deli. No agenda. No membership cards. Just a table, a pot of coffee, and the kind of conversation that makes an hour feel like ten minutes.
Both delis are long gone. But the group never stopped. Over the decades they moved to Einstein's Bagels, then Caribou Coffee, then Starbucks — where two large 12'×4' tables and a cozy fireplace sitting area became home base, with mini-groups gathering every single day of the week.
Then COVID hit, and everything slowed down. But as the pandemic faded into the rear-view mirror, a new coffee shop opened in Glencoe: Hometown Coffee. The group gradually shifted to the new place — and eventually, Starbucks closed. The group at Hometown grew even larger than before, even though the group chat is still called "Starbuckaroos."
There are sad moments when members leave us physically — but not spiritually. And there is joy in welcoming the next generation. AASCG Chapter No. 1 continues to thrive, bound together by something that has no formal name: affection, belonging, and the simple pleasure of a good morning among friends.
Harries circa 1985.
AASCG Chapter #1 in Glencoe now
From One Counter Top at a Deli
Across America, millions of seniors live with the quiet weight of isolation. The children have moved away. The workdays are over. The social structures that once filled the calendar — the office, the school, the neighborhood block party — have thinned out. And yet the desire to connect, to talk, to be heard and to listen, never goes away.
The Glencoe group had been proving that for over forty years. They hadn't needed a grant, a nonprofit charter, or a community center. They'd needed a coffee shop willing to hold a few tables on a weekday morning, and neighbors willing to show up.
The American Association of Senior Coffee Groups was founded on that simple truth: community doesn't require a budget or a building. It requires a pot of coffee, a few chairs, and the willingness to show up.
Today, Chapter No. 1 still meets at Hometown Coffee in Glencoe — the same group, the same spirit, now with a name and a mission. And we're looking for people in every city and town who want to start the same tradition where they live.
"Solving the World's Problems Every Morning" isn't just a tagline. It's what happens when you give smart, experienced, caring people a comfortable place to talk.
Milestones
Ricky's & Harries Deli
Locals and Glencoe employees begin gathering at two neighborhood delis — Ricky's and Harries — starting around 6:30 AM. The daily ritual of coffee and conversation takes root.
Einstein's, Caribou & Starbucks
When Ricky's and Harries close, the group moves on — first to Einstein's Bagels, then Caribou Coffee, then Starbucks. At Starbucks, two large 12'×4' tables and a fireplace sitting area become home base, with mini-groups gathering every day of the week.
COVID Slows Everything Down
The pandemic interrupts decades of daily mornings. The tables go quiet. But the bonds hold — and the group waits for the world to come back.
Hometown Coffee Opens
As COVID fades into the rear-view mirror, a new coffee shop opens in Glencoe: Hometown Coffee. The group gradually shifts to the new place. Then Starbucks closes. Hometown becomes home — and the group grows even larger than before.
Chapter No. 1 Is Born
The group makes it official. The American Association of Senior Coffee Groups is founded, and the Glencoe gathering — still known in the group chat as the "Starbuckaroos" — becomes Chapter No. 1.
Going National
Word spreads. Inquiries arrive from communities across the country. The AASCG opens its doors to new chapters — inviting seniors everywhere to start their own morning tradition.
Our Values
Coffee Is the Excuse
The coffee is wonderful. But it's really just the reason to show up. The conversation is the point.
Community Is the Goal
Isolation is one of the greatest challenges facing seniors today. We believe a weekly cup of coffee with neighbors can change that.
Every Town Needs One
From Glencoe to Galveston, from Portland to Providence — every community deserves a place where seniors gather, talk, and belong.
Be Part of the Story
The AASCG is just getting started. Meet the charter members who made Chapter No. 1 a reality — or find out how to bring a chapter to your community.