Chicago Creatives: Home Is Where the Matcha Is

As much as everyone is online these days, nothing beats a real, in-person experience. Whether it’s trekking across the city to check out a boutique, seeing your favorite musician live, or meeting new folks over food and drinks, there’s still magic IRL.

Co-founders of the Chicago-based matcha café concept Homebody, Katie Richcreek and Calvin Thai, chose the latter. What began as the two hosting matcha pop-ups in their apartment to meet new friends is gradually snowballing into appearances in shops all over the city. “That’s really how it began — just for fun and community,” says Richcreek. “Honestly, that’s still what it’s all about.”

“At first, it was just a practical caffeine fix for both me and Katie,” Thai adds. From the beginning, they’ve been intentional about their approach. They’re not chasing overnight success with one viral drink. “I create flavors I genuinely love,” Richcreek says. “And if others connect with it, that’s a bonus.” Richcreek further emphasizes: “It’s always been about staying true to what feels authentic.”

We sat down with the matcha duo to talk about the evolving matcha scene in Chicago, the potential for a brick-and-mortar café, their daily matcha rituals, and what they’ve learned about each other since starting a business together.

The Tie Bar: Did either of you have a background in hospitality before starting Homebody?

Katie Richcreek: I didn’t really have a ton of specific hospitality experience. I’ve worked in the restaurant industry — like, I was a server at Red Lobster. That was pretty much the extent of my restaurant experience. I never worked as a barista or anything like that. 

Calvin Thai: I have a background in hospitality — I studied it in college with a focus on restaurant management and worked various front-of-house jobs. But I had zero back-of-house experience; I’ve always just been a passionate home cook. I originally wanted to open a restaurant, but that didn’t pan out, and I never used my degree — until now. It feels like things are coming full circle, even though I never imagined it would happen this way.

TTB: What inspired you to create a matcha café concept in particular?

Katie: It’s always been a bit of a pipe dream to open a café — a space where friends, family, and the community could gather over drinks. But with both of us working in healthcare, it never felt like a realistic path.

After moving to Chicago last April — I’m from LA, he’s from Houston — I started seeing “home café” videos on TikTok and thought, “Why not try that?” He was totally supportive, and since we didn’t know anyone in the city yet, it became a fun way to connect — starting with our neighbors.

That’s really how it began: just for fun and community. And honestly, that’s still what it’s all about.

TTB: Your drinks include some creative riffs on traditional matcha and houjicha. What is it about these Japanese green teas that pulled you in? 

Calvin: I've been around matcha since I was a preteen. My sisters were really into it. But it wasn’t until grad school, when I needed caffeine but couldn’t stand coffee, that I gave it a real try. My sister suggested it, and I was surprised by how much I liked it. At first, it was just a practical caffeine fix for both me and Katie, but then we grew to genuinely enjoy the taste. I also got into tea more generally and started appreciating the health benefits of matcha. We've been drinking it for years now; it’s wild to see how popular it’s gotten.

Katie: Yeah, I was drinking way too much coffee — like, way too much — and it was making me feel horrible. So I thought, “Maybe I’ll try matcha,” since it gives you a different kind of caffeine hit than coffee. And honestly, it’s a lot better for you, too.
It’s been kind of surreal seeing it get super popular — like, hyper-popular — and just completely blow up when it's something that’s been around for centuries, you know? 

TTB: You started with pop-ups in your apartments and now across the city. Was that always the plan, or did it grow organically?

Calvin: Honestly, COVID kind of sparked the whole thing. Around the end of the pandemic, we were inspired by those apartment cafés on TikTok — people craving real, in-person connection. We started with small, curated pop-ups in our apartment, just by invite, for about seven months. Public events only began this March.
Everything’s grown really organically, thanks to the amazing people we’ve met. When it came to growth, we had two paths: chase virality or build slowly and intentionally. We chose the latter — staying true to our roots and focused on community. That’s what feels most authentic to us.

Katie: When we started, there was no real plan — it was just about meeting people and making friends. I’ve always been a creative person, so I treated it like a fun branding project outside of my healthcare job. The first event was super small, just people from our building, but the response was so positive that we kept going. Each time, more people showed up and encouraged us to keep building.

We’ve been really intentional from the start — never chasing trends just to go viral. I create flavors I genuinely love, and if others connect with it, that’s a bonus. It’s always been about staying true to what feels authentic.

TTB: What’s Chicago’s matcha scene like, and what do you hope Homebody can bring to it?

Katie: When we moved here, it was really weird, too — because you're thinking, “Okay, third-largest city, obviously the food scene is really great, the coffee scene is good” — so it was kind of shocking that there were no, and still really aren’t any, specialty matcha cafes. I feel like since matcha has become more popular, a lot of coffee-focused cafes have just thrown it on the menu after the fact. It doesn’t feel very intentional.

Calvin: I’d say that compared to other major cities, Chicago is really lacking. If you take places like L.A., New York, San Francisco — even Houston — they all have specialty matcha shops. There are a lot of subtleties that go into making good matcha. For example, hand-whisking isn’t just for show — it actually changes the texture, kind of like pulling a good espresso shot. You’re looking for that microfoam, and it really affects the mouthfeel.

From what we’ve experienced, a lot of coffee shops in Chicago don’t pay attention to those details. It feels more like an afterthought than something they’re truly focused on. So with Homebody, it literally came from the idea of, “Well, if we can’t find it, let’s just do it ourselves.”

TTB: Do you see a brick-and-mortar space in Homebody’s future?

Calvin: I mean, definitely. At the beginning, we didn’t think it was possible, mostly because we’re not from the hospitality industry ourselves. But after all the amazing support we’ve gotten from the Chicago small business community — and the really positive feedback from our pop-ups — it’s started to feel possible. In fact, we’re hoping to start looking at spaces for a brick-and-mortar next year. 

TTB: Morning rituals set the tone for the day. What role does matcha play in yours now?

Katie: To have a good day, I need to start with matcha. The ritual of whisking it, slowing down to appreciate it. During the week, we stick to traditional usucha — just matcha and hot water. On weekends, we might treat ourselves to a latte with syrups or milk, but honestly, I prefer it pure.

Calvin: It’s kind of like beer — you don’t love it at first, but you grow into it. Same with matcha. These days, we skip the lattes and just drink it straight. Trying new matcha has become a fun ritual, and whisking it in the morning feels like making your bed — one of those simple habits that sets the tone for the day.

TTB: What’s been the most popular order on the menu so far? 

Katie: My very first syrup idea was a cardamom honey syrup. That’s what really got me into experimenting with how to make syrups — the science behind it all. Aside from a basic simple syrup, that was the first real one I made. The recipe has definitely evolved since then, but it’s the one that keeps coming back. Cardamom, honey, and matcha together — it's just a match made in heaven.

TTB: Since launching Homebody, what’s something you’ve learned about each other through the process?

Calvin: I learned that Homebody is named after Katie because she’s truly introverted and loves staying in. But once she’s in “café mode,” it’s like a switch flips — she becomes this incredibly warm, welcoming host. It’s a cool contrast: quiet at home, totally in her element with people at the café.

Katie: Thank you. I hadn’t really seen Calvin’s hospitality skills until we started working together. He’s got a natural talent for making people feel welcome — not just the business side, but genuinely connecting with folks. I even call him the “Yapper” because he’s so good at chatting and brightening people’s day, especially those waiting in line. Watching his hospitality background come to life and the vision he brings has been really impressive.

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