A full-reverse osmosis system, fresh beans from Chicago and a bro-ista — the Atomic Coffee Bar is more than just the average coffee drive-thru.
Its 300 square foot coffee bar, right off of Brady Street in the Walnut Center’s parking lot, is made for efficiency. Every item is placed just right in the shop and allows for each order to be made quickly. Together, two brothers own and operate the business, bringing in a variety of people with their ingredients and special ways of operating the small drive-thru. The dynamic duo of Steven and Peter Schillaci are the owners of Atomic.
“Steven brings years of experience from Portland so he knew the layout we wanted and he knew we wanted the double-sided drive thru,” Peter Schillaci, Steven’s brother and co-owner, said. “He knew the recipes. He is my bro-ista.”
These brothers aren’t messing around with their coffee process. With a full-reverse osmosis system (look it up, it’s kind of cool), they are able to filter out all trace elements such as lime, calcium, lead, chlorine, and more – just to ensure they get the best brew the possibly can. They then get their coffee beans from Intelligentsia Coffee Roasters in Chicago and each item put into the coffee is bought here in the Midwest.
They have everything from espresso-based drinks to infused energy drinks and tea. The most popular drink so far has been the Nutty Professor, which tastes just like a candy bar. There has been little talk of a new shop coming to another location in the Quad Cities, but it’s still in the developmental stages. Keep an eye out for the Atomic Coffee Bar, brewing the newest flavors in town.
So you heard it here, bees. Go get yourself some Atomic coffee and finish this semester strong with some of my absolute favorite coffee found in the QC!
Photo Credit: Atomic Coffee